Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-25

sure of that. Her fine olive face. crowned
with dark hair. verified the impression
had gathered from Jewctt. that she was
q woman of cultivation. She had read
the poets: Dante and Petrarch spoke
from her eyes. Cecilia was no bad name
for her: she suggested heavenly har-
monies, And as for Jewett's story of
Virgins nfatuation. ! was content-if
this was the face that had shattered the
frowning towers Of Virgins lnum and
sent him to brood disconsolatc upon his
broad acres in Dakota. my heart went
out to him, for his armor had been
pierced by arrows worthy of its metal
She was talking, meanwhile, OF the day
and its buoyant air and of the tap
estries hung in the woodlands, in voice
deep with rare limitations of viol chords.
Its very quiet here. 1t doesn't seem
possible that We are near the city. My
aunt chose the place with care. and she
made no mistake about it. Yes, the house
was built by Mr.. Pepperton. but not for
us. My aunt bought it of the estate of
the gentleman who built it. This will be
her first winter here
She made no reference to the object of
my visit, and I wondered if she knew
just how / came there. A man servant
wheeled in a portable tea table and placed
it beside particular chair, lighted the
! lamp under the kettle and silently de-
parted. And with the stage thus disposed
Miss HOLSTER herself appeared. She
greeted me without surprise and much a.
she might have spoken to any guest i'm
her house. 1 had sometimes been treated
as though I were the agent of a deco
rator's shop. or a delinquent plumber. by
the people whom 1 served; but Miss Hol-
lister and her niece established me upon
plane that was wholly social I was
made to feel that It was the most natural
thing in the world for me to he there
having tea, with no business ahead of me
but to be agreeable. The fact that j had
come to correct the distemper of their
f1ueS was utterly negligible. / remem-
neyed from town in a new business suit
that made the best OF my attenuated fig
ure, and ! will not deny that 1 felt at
ease.
Miss HOLSTER talked brskly as she
made the tea.
II was over at the kennels when you
came. I believe the kennel master is a
rascal. Cecilia. I have no opinion of him
whatever
He was highly recommended" replied
the niece. It's not his fault that the
fox terriers were SICK
Il dare say it isn't said the old lady.
measuring the tea: 'but it's his fault
that he whipped one of those Cuban
hounds-Im sure he whipped her. The
poor beast was afraid to crawl out when
called her this afternoon
I'VE were warned against those dogs,
Aunt Octavia; but I must admit that
they have lovely eyes.
Miss Cecilias manner toward her aunt
left nothing to be desired: it was wholly
deferential and kind. and her dignity. l
surmised. was equal to any emergency
that might rise between them.
do you ever shoot behind traps?" de-
manded Miss hOllister, abruptly.
The question surprised me. I did not
shoot behind traps or anywhere else, for
that matter; but it delighted me to find
that her unusual interests. as she had
touched upon them at the Asolando, were
part Of q consistent scheme OF life. She
talked Of her experiments with different
guns and traps. her arms folded. her eyes
reverting occasionally to the kettle. 1T
was all in the shells. she said Before
she had begun filling her own cartridges
she had no end of trouble.
TT is not necessary for you to take tea
if YOU don't care for 1t, Mr.. Ames." she
said. as I rose and handed the first cup
to Cecilia. IF you will touch the bell at
your elbow you may have liquids of quite
another sort. It may interest you TO
know that this temperance wave that is
sweeping the country does not interest
me in the least. Our great Americans of
the old times were gentlemen who took
their liquor with no cowardly fear of pub
we'll stocked after the fashion Of old
times: and L have with my own hand
placed in your room quart of Scotch
given me at the distillery four years ago
n
case Of like quality is yours at any mo-
ment you choose to press the button at
the head of your bed"
You are most generous, Miss HOLSTER.
Tea will suffice for the moment. It is fit
ting that l should take 1t here. 1t having
been weakness for tea. as we'll as Curl
osity and chance. that threw me in your
way at the Asolando.''
THAT absurd, that preposterous hole in
the wall!'
he boz
continuing: "Mr. Ames, I will not deny
that if it had not been for Gen. Glenden-
ning's cordial Endorsement of you. and the
further fact that / had met your late
father. should not have invited you to
my house on the occasion to which you
refer. My contempt for the Asolando and
the things it stands for is beyond such
language as lady may use before the
young"
I laughed at her earnestness: but on
turning toward Miss Cecilia l saw that
she was placidly stirring her cup. 1t
might be that one was not expected to
manifest amusement in Miss Holister' :
utterances: and I was anxious to adjust
myself to the proper key In my inter-
course. no matter how brief 1t might be-
with this remarkable old lady.
In my embarrassment 1 rose and Of
fered the bread and butter to Cecilia.
who declined it, The austerity of her re-
lection rather unnerved me.
ITO think that with all the opportunities
for adventure that offer in this day and
generation, any one should waste time on
the idiotic worship of lot of silly
molders of literary patisserie, 1t is be-
yond me, Mr.. Ames, and when L recall
that your late father commanded a cav
airy regiment in the civil war. L fall back
upon the privilege OF my age to beg that
you will hereafter give the Asolando
wide BERTH
II assure you, Miss Hollister, that l
have no wish TO become an habitue of the
place. And yet YOU will pardon me if l
repeat that, but for it. should not now
be enjoying the hospitality of Hopefield
Manor
She lifted her head from her cup and
bowed; but 1 was Immediately interested
in the fact that her niece was speaking
(To be continued tomorrow