El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-12-07
A Lovely Handful
By A. Maeiu-e warnOek-

~ he $50 D. m. train Grew up 81
minutes late at the little country
4 station Of 4Iiddlehaui, and John
Trent looked visibly relieved as the
door of a firstclass carriage opened
and a tall girl Of 10 stepped out, as
sisted by a well-set up young man,
whom Trent recognized as their rec
tors son. Frank Richardson
Miss Blagden, I am sure said john
raising his hat and smiling pleasantly
into a pair Of very beautiful dark-oIue
eyes. o.,
You are Mr.. Trent. my, my uncle:S
said the girl, with some hesitation.
We'll. hardly your uncle" answered
Trent with a still pleaSanter smile. i
can scarcely be said TO be the uncle SIts
of my stepsisters stepdaughter. can
How dreadful" exclaimed Stella
Blagden- Is that really what 1 am
Why, it's as bad as that mans rather
was my fathers son. isn't it, Mr.. Rich
ardson? Mr. Richardson has been tell
ing me all about Middleham, and en-
tertaining me most delightfully."-. Yes,
I have five boxes. Isn't it dreadful
But, you know, if I am going to India
in three months, 1 must have clothes,
mustn't y And naturally 1 got them
in Paris, as 1 happened to be there
Goodbye, Mr.. Richardson Yes, VIII
remember about the cycling; so good
Of you. Goodbye"
What are we to do with the child?'
asked Miss Amabel Trent despairingly
that evening, when Stella had gone to
bed. you should see the ribbons and
laces, John, and the beautiful petit
coats the child has Caroline described
her exactly when she called her a
lovely handful I'm afraid the colonel
has spoilt her dreadfully.'
John Trent laughed, the honest
laugh that redeemed his plain Visage.
she told me quite frankly, coming
along from the. station that she had
never been contradicted in her life.
She evidently knows she's a handful
1 believe she's wild 10 be off to India
drum middle aged folks for three
months"
Frank Richardson was a fine man,
but John had no great opinion of his
But it will never do, John dear, if
she sets up a Irritation with Frank"
said poor Miss Amabel. She felt her
self quite unequal TO the task of COP
ing with this young madcap-
Next morning, when John Trent de-
scended to his usually solitary half
past z breakfast, to his amazement he
found his niece in possession of the
Il couldn't lie in bed; the day was
too lovely" she said. They told me
/ was to have breakfast in bed like
aunt Amabel, but 1 just said wouldn't
1 wanted to breakfast with you"
John thought it an excellent idea;
though, being undemonstratiye, he did
the previous evening, she loobed really
lovely in the dewy freshness of this
glorious June morning
For the first few days Stella's be-
haTiOr was really angelic She might
be a madcap, but she was a charming
one She took an extraordinary fancy
to her Aunt Amabel,' on whom she
bestowed little delicate attentions
which did not escape the observant eyes
of John Trent, himself a model of de-
votion.
DO you know, I think I shall quite
like to be here, you are all so kind"
Stella told John one morning, gazing
dreamily out on the lawn. And that
nice Richardson boy is coming to take
me for bicycle ride this afternoon"
Trent looked at her. and, man-lilHe,
said nothing; but before starting on his
five mile drive to the great mill he
owned, he went to see his sister up
stairs. When he returned that after
noon about 4 he found Miss Amabel in
tears and no Stella visible.
ooh, John" said poor Miss Amabel,
1T was no use I tried to represent
to her the improperly of riding all
over the country alone with a young
man, but she said my objections were
old fashioned and absurd, and that
when she was in India she would do
much wilder things than that"
Did you tell her I had expressly
forbidden it?' asked John, with a CLINT