St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1911-07-05
|QUAL.ITY |


swung from the links to the lawn
and threw her clubs with q rattle at
Virgfnia's feet That blonde, rather
fretful person, drew back her immac-
ulate white skirt. Nan laughed.
why all the sudden Anery? Wear
white flannel. like me- This Is not
SO beautiful. but it's Quaiity-it
stands wear and tear, and it's pleas
ant-doesn't make folks nervous
about touching it!r
Virginia shifted. So that's your
definition Of quality. / wonder II the
new girl is quality! Wonder what in
duced Liza Stanton to ask her to an
indefinite house party! Who is she
where is she from?"
Nan laughed again
We'll, you look like wild Indian,
Nan. Better go in for clinging things
and We're de We're repoge, like this
Miss Leith Story. Go round the cor
ner to the grape arbor and you'll see
the reason for my change of heart
and attire. She rec1ines in a ham,
mock, in a billow Of pale blue gown,
with tiny white slippers, tiny white
hands, and an untanned skin A
blue cushion throws her yellow hair
into relief. And beside her, looking
very sentimental, and reading washy
verse aloud. sits your especial adj
'mirer, one Terry Lawrence. The
ginia's self-control was not her strong
point. Therefore, men love help
less, unathletic females. Get busy
with cold cream and curling irons,
shed short skirts and trip over draper
les, and you may get him back!"
you must be feeling the heat"
commented Nan. "Your talk is de
.mented! Terry doesn't belong to me
he's only a good neighbor from
childhood. And like to look at Leith
Story myself believe Mrs. Stanton
ing in-it'n take me an hour to get
Clean -&
Virginia followed, feeling strained
and cross. She stuck her head In at
Mans door a moment
Man, she said, don't mind my
tcattishness. Perhaps she is quality,
but somehow she doesn't impress me
so. This heat Is making a peevish
witch of met"
Nan, after she was gone, thought a
little. From her window she could
long. lean, masculine figure draped
over rustic seat In an adoring atti-
tude. It was not like Terry to be
ridiculous, and she had missed play
ing golf with him that afternoon
Jerry Peters was not very interesting
Was Terry in love with the new girl?
Putting on her fresh white dress, and
piHng up her soft brown hair In its
usual simplicity, Nan told herself that
he had right to fall In love as he
pleased. But she rather wished she
were a little less freckled, little less
alarmingly healthy in appearance.
Miss Story's extreme fragility made
her feel Amazonian
At dinner, Terry was all eyes for
Leith Story. Nan laughed with, and
at, Jerry, Virginia was high-bred and
bored. Mrs. Stanton, when the meal
was over, excused herself for some
letter-writing, and sent off missive
that read after this manner:
Come here for a little while and
straighten out the tangle Terry is
getting himself and me into. Against
my will l asked Leith Story here
had to for her mothers sake-but
she's like her fathers people. don't
know the girl. but Terry is at her
feet. And Nan, sweet and wholesome
as ever, seems not even to see, let
alone to rescue him against his will.
Perhaps Leith Is only lirting-I can't
quite make her out, but / don't
just care for her. Come down and see
for yourself-Pn meet you at the sta
ton at any time you mention
Lovingly, Liza"
One morning shortly after Mrs.
Lawrence appeared casually enough,
and was warmly welcomed. Nan, the
motherless, had always loved her sill
ver-haired neighbor, and Terry was
devoted The old gentlewomen knew
the world and its ways. She quietly,
but persistently cultivated Miss Leith
Story, who was perfectly polite, but
not over friendly. Terry. in some
vague way, was aware that his time
was being taken up, that he was be
ing interfered with.
Virginia rather wistfully watched
things as was her won't She saw
Mrs. Stanton, Terry's mother, Peters,
always somebody, about the new girl
She herself kept in the background
she would seek no man, not even
Terry, to whom her heart reached
out in. spite of herself.
Things went on. quiet outward1y,
but in a rather strained way. Nan
was much outdoors, often alone in
her canoe on the little lake not far
away. One monring she went out
very early, before the sun was well
up. Rounding little point she came
across Terry In another boat, his
arms full of water lilies, half open.
He greeted her In the old boy-way.
Hello Early bird you arei /
came out to get Miss Story some IN
nes-she doesn't have EN- where she
lives"
Nan gave a glance at the banks,
-