The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1910-02-04

tion some hints from her mother, who
had once made considerable progress
in the study of art. Janet was en-
tirely unaware that Lady cars
dreamy landscapes, which were full
of distance and suggestion if 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 be
painted, with as much care as II IL
were to be used by Raphael. When
she saw the two suddenly disappear,
perhaps she was not altogether sorry.
It Is possible that the painting or
the stools was sop to the mother
also. She smiled at them with
little wave of her hand and shake
of her head as they passed the Win
dow, in mild allusion to the aban-
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
supply of balls for their game. Sev-
enteen and a half - fifteen and
half-in the bloom which was half
infantile, half grown-up, all fresh
about them, nothing as yet to bring
in black ears. They were not hand
some, but Tom had 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; ana
Tom was not at all bad boy-rough
a little, but that was mere high spir-
Its and boyish eXuberance. They
were neither of them clever, she said
to herself with a faint smile. How
silly she had been! How she had
worshiped talent - no, not talent,
genius-and had hoped that they
would surely have had some gleam 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 we'll as
story; yet Janet liked the patterns
for her stool better than all the prints
and pictures, and Tom never opened
a book if he could help it. And what
matter? she said to herself, with that
| faint smile of self-ridicule. The chill
| iren were none the worse for that.
Her fantastic expectations, her fam
tastic disappointment, what did they
matter! She was altogether 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 Greatly so goodD, wise, well.
| conditioned-Tom so manly, Janet
| all that a girl should be, very, very
! different indeed from Carry as 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 resource of a man
| In the country; the brother and SIS
| ter playing tennis on the lawn-thG
boy expecting to get into the boats,
| the girl delighted with 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 Carry
| lay back in her chair, thinking all
these happinesses over. her eyes ran
over with sudden tears, for satisfac-
ton and joy.
When the tea tray came in the
young ones 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, "to go to the-Towers for the
| next holidays, Tom?"
Should 1 like!" said the boy,
jumping up with his mouth full Of
bread and butter. "Why, mother,
better than anything in the world"
ooh, 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.
To be Continued