The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-04-18
The Joy ofLiving

line news OF tnlS engagement" he
said earnestly, 'is unwelcome to me.
Entirely unwelcome."
Lady Erythea stiffened In every limb
Her ear-trumpet was presented In one
hand; with the other she raised her
lorgnettes and directed them at Lord
Scroope. The two regarded each other
classify.
Il do not understand you," said Lady
Erythea with frigidity. Alexander is
a young man of unexceptlonable char
acter and prospects. J~ervaulx will be
his. The Scroope estate Is entalled, and
am sufficiently au fait with your af-
fairs to know that when your two sons
In the Service are provided for there
will be no oy~erpowering fortune left
for Aimee. 1t appears that if there Is
any complaint. it should come from
me.'
THE financial aspect of the question
does not weigh with me- said Lord
Scroope with asperity. 81 object to
the match itself. II Alexander IL tn
marry at all
IF he is to marry y interrupted Lady
Erythea warmly. "Of course he is to
marry. Though l confess | was very
much afraid he never would. Permit
me to tell you, Al thony, that in taking
up this attitude as TO the marriage. of
priests, you stand on a very shaky
foundation. You yourself are a Clerk
in Orders. and IN extreme Ritualist.
Shall l remind you that if you had not
married D~elicia-and an excellent thing
it was for you-this situation would
never have arisen !"
II am not conscious of having OK.
pressed any such argument" said Lord
Scroope very stiffly, but with a certain
pinkness about the ears. "As for Alex
ander, he is in every way an excellent
young IA But If he is TO marry. the
list thing | should have desired is his
alliance with my daughter. Their TEN
peraments are so opposed that | am
convinced nothing but unhappiness
could result-in fact. your news seemed
to me almost incredible. | do not know
what to do-the position is very diff
cult for me, if the child has really be-
come attached to him." concluded Lord
Scroope, with visible distress.
Good gracious, man, what did you
expect?' exclaimed his sister-in-law.
st never entered my head said
Lord Scroope, emphatically. Il thought
that your influence, and that of Alex
ander, would have a ~steadying effect
on Aimee, who was in some. need OF it.
But this"
Lady Erythea showed increasing ex-
ASPIRATION.
you are talking rubbish !" she ex-
claimed, sharply. "Of all the girls
known to me, no more suitable mate
could be found for Alexander. Indeed,
during her s~ojourn here Aimee has en-
deared herself to me scarcely less than
to him. Her piety, her quiet devotion
the complete absence in her of all
slanginess-all these speak ~eloquently
In her favor"
Lord Scroope gazed at her in Devil.
derment.
81 really do not follow you, Erythea.
And l am greatly disappointed" said
Lord Scroope heavily, greatly disap-
pointed. l did not foresee this"
Il am not responsible, my dear
Anthony, for your lack of foresight -
said his s~isterin-law, acldly. A shadow
darkened the window, and she turned.
But your daughter can answer for her
self"
Georgina stepped in through the
open window, followed by Mr.. Lambe.
Suddenly observing Lord Scroope she
halted and became rigid. Every scrap
Of color left her cheeks. Alexander
halted also, and slowly turned a deep
plum color.
"Since it is a fait accompll," said
Lady Erythea to her brother-in-law,
almost with a touch of pleading, ''be
amiable, Anthony, and bestow your
blessing on the happy pair"
She raised her ear-trumpet as though
to share in the benediction. Lord