The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-02-10

tirely hat Lady cars
dreamy landscapes. which were full
of distance and suggestion il nothing
else, were in any way superior to
| her patterns" and had made her
| call for aid with the ~frankest conf
| dence that what she was doing was
excellent art. And Carry had pre-
pared the stool from which the DAN
las and red geraniums were to Of
| painted, with as much care as II IL
we're to be used by Raphael. wien
she saw the two suddenly disappear
nerhaps she was not altogether sorry.
It is possible that the painting OF
the stools was sop" to the mother
also. She smiled ut them with a
little wave of her hand and shake
of her head as they passed the win
dow, in mild allusion to b aDan-
doned work, but perhaps she was as
much relieved as Janet was. She laid
back her head upon the dim-colored
satin of her chair, and watched the
two young creatures with their rack
cts, Janet carrying in her apron a
supply Of balls for their game. Sew
enteen and a half fifteen n a
half-in the bloom which was nall
infantile, half grown-up, all fresh
about them, nothing as yet to bring
in black ears. They were not hand-
some, but Tom had a sturdy manli-
ness and strength about him, and
Janet, her mother thought, looked
everything that was simple and trust
worthy-a good girl, not clear, but
very good-natured and kind; and
Tom was not at all a bad boy-rough
a little, but that was mere high splr-
its and boyish exuberance. Tney
were neither of them clever, she said
to herself with a faint smile. How
silly she had been! How she had
w~orshiped talent - no, not talent,
genius-and had hoped that they
would surely have had some CLEAN OF
1.-THE two whom she had brought
into the world. They had been sur
rounded with beautiful things all
their lives. When other people read
foolish nursery stories to their chill
dren she had nourished them upon
the very best-fables and legends
which were literature as well as
story; yet Janet liked the patterns
for her stool better than all the prints
and pictures, and Tom e opened
a book If he could help it. And what
matter? she said to herself, with that
faint smile of self-ridicule. The chill
dren were none the worse for that.
Her fantastic expectations, her fan
tastic disappointment, what did they
matter! She was altogether a most
fantastic woman-everybody had said
it all her life, and she recognized
fully the truth Of the accusation now.
Who should be so happy as she? Her
husband so kind, always with her,
thinking of everything that would
make her happy. Her children so
good (yeally SO goodi), wise, we'll
conditioned-Tom so manly, Janet
all that a girl should be, very, very
different indeed from Carry as a girl.
But what a good thing that was!
Janet would have no silly ideal, would
desire no god to come from the skies.
would not torment herself and every
one about with fantastic aspirations.
She would love some good, honest
young fellow when her time came,
and would live the common life, the
common, happy life, as the family at
Easton were doing now. Edward.
gone over to Cordelton to the county
club-the natural Of a man
in the country; the brother and sis.
ter playing tennis on the lawn-the
boy expecting to get into the boats,
the girl delighted with a new pattern
for her stools. And no cloud any
where, no trouble about starting them
in life, no embarrassment about
money or anything else. How happy
a family! Everything right and
pleasant and comfortable. AS Garry
lay back in her chair, thinking all
these happinesses over, her eyes rau
over with sudden tears, for saasfac.
ton and joy.
When the tea tray came in the
young one appeared with it, very
hungry, and ready for the good things
which covered the little table. Lady
Car watched them consume the cakes
with the same smile which had puz.
zled Beaufort. would you really
like so very much" she said with a
little hesitation. a lingering in her
voice, Ito go to the-Towers for the
next holidays, TONI"
Should I like!" said the boy.
jumping up with his mouth full OF
bread and butter. why, mother.
better than anything in the world"
"Oh, mother!" Janet cried, with a
glow upon her face. She had passed
the bread-and-butter stage, and was
cutting herself a piece Of cake. The
knife fell out of her hand for excite.
ment and pleasure.
70 be Continued