Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1913-02-20

over those hills was sure NJ that
Her me Olive face. crowned with dark
halr verified the Impression had
Sathcrrd FROM lCWeti that She WAS a
woman OF ,Ul,Natiou She had read the
poets; Dante and rctrarch >pakc from
her eyes. Cecilia WAS no bad uamr tor
her, she suggested heavenly hHrmo-
MES. And as for JewtttS story OF Wis
gtuS' inflammation, Was content.
She WAS talking mcAnWhilc Of the
day and its huoyaut air aud nt the
tapestries hung in the Woodlands in Il
voice deep with rare iutimatiouS of
Niol chords
Its very quiet here 1t doesn't
seem possible that we are ~ near the
city. My aunt chose the place with
care, aud she made NO mistake about
II. Yes, the house was built 10y MIR
feppertou, but not for lis. My aunt
bought il of the estate Of the gcntlc-
man who built it, This will he her
first winter here"
Miss AolliStcr herself appeared. She
greeted me without surprise aud much
as she might have spoken IL any guest
In her house, | had sometimes been
treated as though | were the agent Of
Il decorators shop, or Il delinquent
plumber, Ivy the people whom served.
but Miss HolliSter and her niece cStah-
ltShcd me upon plane that was wholly
social | WAS made to feel that il was
the most natural thing in the world for
me To be there. having tea, with NO
business ahead of me but to he agree
able. The fact that had come 10 cor
rect the diStCmpcr of their tlueS was
utterly negligible. remembered with
satisfaction that | had iourncycd from
town in Il new business suit that made
the best OF my attenuatcd figure. and
will not deny that felt at ease, Miss
Hollister talked hriSkly Ms She made
tea. ut is not necessary for YOU to
take tea If YOU don't care for It, Mr.
Ames," she said, MS rose aud handed
the first cup to Cecilia. III YOU will
touch the bell at Your elbow you may
have liquids of quite another sort"
You are most generous. Miss Hol.
lister. Tea will suffice for the mo-
ment II is fitting that should take
it here, ii having been Il weakness for
tea as well as curiosity and chance that
threw me in Your way at the Aso
lando"
'"Fhnt absurd that prcposterous hole
in the wall"
She put down her cup and faced me.
continuing: MIR. AmcS. | will not deny
th"' - ~ had not been for General
Glendenning's cordial Endorsement OF
you, and the further Fact that had
met your late father, | should not have
invited YOU to my house on the occa-
sion to which YOU refer My contempt
for the ASolando and the things II
stands for is beyond such language as
a lady may use before the young.
fall back upon the privilege of my age
to beg that YOU will hereafter give the
Asolando wide berth"
| laughed at her earnestness, but on
turning toward Miss Cecilia | saw that
she was placidly stirring her cup. 1t
might be that one was not expected to
manifest amusement in Miss Hollis
ter's utterances. and | was anxious to
adjust myself to the proper key in my
il ercourSe, no matter how brief II
might be, with this remarkable old
lady.
In my embarrassment ! rose and of
fered the bread and butter to Cecilia,
who declined it. The austcrity of her
rejection rather unnervcd me.
II assure you, Miss HOLSTER, that |
have no wish to become habitue of
the place." | said, And yet you will
pardon me If repeat that. but for It,,
should not now be enjoying the hos
pitality of Hopefield Manor"
She lifted her head from her cup and
bowed but | was Immediately interest
ed in the fact that her niece was
speaking.
Il think Aunt Octava Is hard on the
Asolando." she was saying. AUNT
Octavia is interested In the revival OF
romance. and romance without poetry
seems to me wholly impossible"
"The age is decadent, and | know no
better way Of restoring the race to its
ancient vim and energy than by send
ing men back to the camp and field or
to sail the high seas In new armadas.
The men of this age have become n lot
OF sordd shopkeepers, and to my moral
sense the looting Of cities Is far more
honorable than the creation OF trusts
and the manipulation Of prices, though
! cannot deny that but for my late
fathers zeal in destroying his competi
tors in the baby buggy business we
might not now he enjoying the deli
cate fragrance Of caravan tea"
Il assure you. Mr. Ames," said Ce-
ella, that the Asolando is very
harmless place, and that rs a matter
Of fact its aims are wholly consonant
with those Of Aunt Octavia | myself
served there for time. ana those
were among the most delightful days
OF my life There are times when |
miss the Asolando."