The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-02-13

, TOO bold, too confident, she'll still
face down
The spitefullest of takers in ou
How we talk, in the little towr
below"
-Pippa Passes.
The dinner party at Carronlea
was completed by the presence OF
the Vicar, and of Miss Tarlton.
This was almost equivalent, from
the point OF view of publicity, to a
paragraph in the Local Press.
Miss Tarlton was the daughter of
a former vicar of Ponthewel, and re-
sided, upon her MEANS" which
were limited, in a tiny habitation
which the late Sir Miles had trans
| formed for her from a workmans S
cottage by the addition of porch,
bathroom, and an extra bedroom
over the bathroom. Here she passed
life of most ideal content, max
ing fine art of the practice of
knowing other peoples business.
Miss Tarlton was county" to her
finger-tips Like mos people of her
kind, she out-countied the county.
For, whereas that august body is
usually quite without ceremony; and
she was used as a book of reference
by those who came into the circle
Of the elect, but. by reason of having
formerly dwelt in London or some
other place where there is sadly
too much tolerance Or too little dis
elimination, not being initiated into
all the delicate adjustments of local
etiquette.
"Of course dear, it is delightful
to see you again so soon," she
would explain to Selma, who, as
she confided to Jem, simply rolled
in Miss Tarlton"-"of course, I am
delighted; nevertheless you know,
you should not, strictly, have been
to see me again until | had duly
paid my call after your brothers
kind entertainment of me-a call
which could not, with uropriety
have been delayed longer than to-
morrow, and would have been paid
today, had not my gardeners week
ly visit necessitated my suporin-
tendence."
Mrs. Bardsley was, to Miss Tarl.
ton, a part of the recognized scheme
of things. One hardly paused to
consider whether one liked Or dis,
liked Mrs. Bardsley. She was there.
She was undeniable. One owed def
erence to her opinion and acceptance
to her invitations. One put on ones
black silk and ones point lace to
dine with Mrs. Bardsley. For
third-person invitation one added
ones diamond brooch.
When she looked into the comfort
able. inartistic dravingroom at
Carronlea, Miss Tarlton was much
gratified to find that Sir Miles
had been asked to meet her. She
shook hands warmly, and told him.
as she invariably did, every time
they met, that one of her poor
fathers last exercises of his minis
terial calling had been to baptize
Sir Miles in the font of the parish
church.
AS if they usually baptized in
the pulpit or the belfry," Selma was
wont TO remark; and Miss Tarlton
wondered what Sir Mics found so
amusing in her anecdote. little kn.w.
ing that he had been specially in.
structed by his sister to note wheth.
er the usual formula was gone
through, and that h had confided
as much both to Jem and to the
fine, vigorous-looking girl in classic
gown of white chiffon, who stood
beside Mrs. Bardsley in the glow of
the generous fire.
Mrs. Bardsley introduced Vernon
with particular care to the we'll
bred chatterbox who would announce
her arrival to the whole neighbor
hood.
My brothers daughter-poor Yer
mons little Vernon-the one child
OF the union for which so much
had been gone through-and blood
actually she'd"
Miss Tarlton was profoundly in.
terested. 1t was upon her fathers
death that the Rev Walter Ransom.
father of Margaret Ransom. had
come as vicar TO the parish which
he left abruptly. soon after the scan
dal OF his daughters elopement. He
mad been dead many years: and