The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1910-11-25

OF picnic dainties.
Dearest Is a famous hand AZ plan
ming that sort Of thing We had
oamped upon a small rise IN the mid
die Of an open space where great oah
trees cut us on from sight OF the road
on the ono hand, and broad meadows
and wooded slopes fell away toward
Hartsmere stream on the other; the
latter streaking the green Of II all
with silver a field or two away.
Close at hand the ruined chapel OF
convent which we had come to see
piled itself in picturesque confusion,
and we had reached that point In our
morry making when wo were simply
content TO gaze alphabetically upon It
and listen uncomprehendingly TO
Freer recite its history with never
tagging accuracy and zeal.
He knows everything, that chapl
And IL disgustingly ready 10 give
everybody else the benefit Of his
learning at all times
Agatha First was sitting near him
tho not making any attempt TO dis.
guise her indifference 70 his pedantlc
discourse, while Arch and Agatha
Sixth. l am glad to say, were carry
ing on a whispered conversation to-
gether on the other side OF the cloth.
Dearest and l sat together. Of course.
at one end Of the square. and as
said 10 her in low tone so that the
others could not hear ] thought Arch
was playing up to the part she and
had selected for him, that Of Agatha
sixth's lover, a little better than us
ual. He was certainly all attention
to the girl at his side and listened to
her every word with the eager inter
est Of the most devoted sultor. And
the delicate face of Miss Lawrence
was alive with feeling and glowed
pink even without the aid Of the rose
colored parasol she carried.
20, what do you think" she cried
in her soft, cultivated voice, "Mr. Ter.
hume says that the ruins are haunted!
BY the ghost Of a nun that was shut
up in the wall once!" Her really won.
derful black eyes were bright with
interest and l thought she made a
rather dazzling picture in her white
frock and tie fictitious aureole Of
pink sunshade about her. But
couldn't swallow a bare-faced whop
per like that, for tnat nun story is
so old. So l had just begun to ex.
plain that Arch was chatting her, and
the ghost racket his own invention
entirely, when I caught his expires
sion and my wife's eye. The former
was embarrassed and the latter Sc.
we're, and l stopped in the middle Of
a sentence as / fathomed the com.
bined significance of eye and look.
$50 that's it, is it?" l thought to
myself. Poor old boy! He's SO
much in love he doesn't know what
he's saying, Anything will do as long
as she will listenl And I'm deuced |
glad to see it, tool"
But Freer showed less perspicacity,
though of course there's this to be |
said, he didn't have the key to the
situation as did, and challenged poor |
Did Arch's story of the nun. and N
i've minutes had him showed up
proper, the old fellow at last having |
% take refuge in the statement that
must have been some other ruins |
le had IN mind. Strange to say,
however, for all his learning Freer
lid not win a smile from Agatha
sixth, who only turned to Terhune
With more interest than ever as
'esult of his efforts
1t was then that Dearest made her
emark about motoring over to see
lrs. Chiltern on the following day
t was an innocent enough remark
nd very casually said, but it seem
d to have an electrifying effect upon
.gatha First. She jumped up and
anne over to my wife.
Don't do. that" she said, low and
please don't, Agatha,
earl" Dearest was surprised, and,
y Jove. so was l. or puzzled, at
east! The girl seemed so awfully
arnest about not wishing us to see
FRS. Chiltern-out of all proportion
} the Importance of her request, 1t
eemed to me- "But why not?" my
life couldn't help asking.
Because we have such little time
1T to be together, you and Lord
incent and Mr.. Terhune and Agatha
ixth and myself" she said "Mr,
erhune tells me he has to go back
London in a day or two, and
link it's shame to waste a whole
~ by going over to Chiltern house!
esides, you said they owed you a
Ill" She had lowered her voice
lring this last statement, but 1t was
)t necessary. Freer had strolled off /
the ruins and Archibald and Agatha
xth were too absorbed in each 9th. /
's company to notice us. /
Her reasons were specious and IL. {
gical enough, but Dearest, to my {
rprise, seemed inclined to accept {
EN- and had to interfere. 6
"They do owe us a call," / said, g
nut that wouldn't prevent us from {
wing a jolly time of it If we all
ose to go over together! On the I
ntrary, It would be something to
4"
Then Agatha First, evidently goad.
into a corner, set her young face 4
fashion that was almost desper. c
.. "But Agatha Fourth--Mrs. Chill. S
'n-isn't there!" she declared. "She =.
d me she was going down to Lon. =
n for a week or two!" {
Dearest stared at her, but she did
ask her, as wanted to do, why r
. hadn't said SO in the first place
stead she took pity on Agatha
SITS white face. for the girl had