The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1910-03-18

3 i y Z r
ana perhaps a little for their own
amusement, the neighbors threw
themselves readily into all the details
OF the feastings, and drank his health
and wished him Joy. with every APP
pearance of friendlIness and sincerity.
And there were many ladies' heard
TO declare that good wife would just
be the making Of the young man.
Perhaps this sentiment as much as
respect for Lady Car made the county
people warm in their sympathy.
There were a great many young
ladies in the county: it might very
well happen that one Of these was
destined by Providence to be the
making Of the second Tom Torrance
OF the Towers. And the parents who
thought, with a softened considera-
tion of all the circumstances that had
been against him, that daughter of
theirs might perhaps have that mis-
sion to fulfil, had certainly much less
to tolerate and forgive than Lord
Lindons had when he married his
daughter to Toms father. Therefore
everybody accepted the invitations
that were sent out, and for week
the house blazed with light and rang
with festive sounds, and life stirred
and quickened throughout the entire
neighborhood. the long interregnum
was over. and Tom had come into his
kingdom.
Happily an event of this kind ex-
ercises certain influence on all
minds. Perhaps Lady Car allowed
herself to be moved by her husbands
optimism, and was able with him to
believe that Tom might do very well
notwithstanding his youthful indis-
cretions; perhaps it was only that
mild and indulgent despair which had
taken possession Of her Utmost soul,
and which made 1t evident that moth
ing that could be done by her would
amect her boy, and that all she was
now good for was to tolerate and for
give: but at least she presided over
all the reJoicings with apparent pleas
ure, sparing no fatigue. thinking Of
everything, resuming to a wonderful
extent the more active habits of for
mer years. And Beaufort played to
perfection the role Of the pere noble,
the dignifed. disinterested paternal
guardian giving his support and coun-
tenance to the novice without ever
interfering with his pretensions as the
real master of the house. Indeed.
Beaufort, with his fastidious SUPERIOR
ity, had much greater influence over
Tom than his mother had, and over
awed him as no one else was capable
OF doing; SO that everything went
we'll during mis- great era, and the
young Laird appeared to the best adj
vantage, making those parents of
daughters say to each other that
really there was nothing that May or
Beatrice need object to. Such birds
OF prey as hung about the horizon
even In these moral regions perhaps
sharpened their beaks.--but that was
out OF sight. And the only one Of the
party who did not wear a guise Of
happiness was Janet, about whom
there hung nervous haze OF SUM-
pressed feeling altogether alien to her
character and which no one could
fathom. Perhaps,it would have been
more comprehensive had any one
heard the occasional word which now
and then dropped from Tom, and
which he repeated with mischieyous
boys pleasure In the trouble he could
create. Are you going ON the pony
today" he would ask in Lady Cars
presence. with significant look and
laugh. Are you on for the Easton
road?" No one but Janet knew what
ne meant. He threw these stones at
her out of the very height OF his own
triumph. And Janet dared scarcely
go out, even in the protection of her
mothers company, lest she should see
Charlie Blackmore turning reproacn-
full eyes upon her. He did pass the
carriage on one occasion and took on
his hat, but the salutation was so uni
versal that no one noted who the in
dividual was, and Janet alone saw
the look. Yet even for Janet nothing
1isagreeable happened during these
eight days.