Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1939-07-22

wore white silk frocks with coloreC
! sashes. Colette, the baby, wore de-
hcious CONNECTION of pale pink fril:
that made her look like a very sub
stantial handful of rose petals, ano
Colin wore white sailor suit complete
with whistle and lanyard. Their hail
was brushed to admiration and Their
faces shone with soap and water.
You know perfectly well, Mother,
said Michele, that we don't like
parties given by English people. We
like Channel Island parties but not
other sorts. We don't like the English.
They are unfriendly, conceited, stiff,
dull people. We don't like them"
And look at the money you've vast
ed on these ridiculous clothes, mother, F"
said Peronnelle, more in sorrow than
in anger. IF you hadn't dressed us up
like this we could have afforded to
buy that pony"
Il look a perfect fool" growled Co
lin, squirting down his nose at the
pure snowy whiteness of his exquisite
attire.
I'VE did want that ponyl"
Colette, who was only glowering be-
cause the others were glowering, said
nothing, but stuck out her lower lip
in a way that was most unbecoming
to her.
"Ungrateful little savages!" said Ra-
chelle, her fine dark eyes flashing and
her beautiful head held high "If it
were not Tor sponlng my, handlWork
I'd spank the lot Of your
And she had reason for her righteous
indignation. They were ungrateful. For
a whole year she had been working to
get these children of hers, these mad
cap. children of an eccentric poet-far-
mer, into the good English society that
was beginning to spring up on the
island.
English people who had made their
pile, and disliked having 1t rent from
them by income tax, were tending more
and more to live IN the Channel Is
lands, where the income tax was neg
ligible and the climate mild, and many
of the fine old houses of the Island
were slipping into their possession d.
To the annoyance of childless Island
ers but to the satisfaction Of the par
ents Of large families.
For large families were nowadays
of q problem to their pro-
genitors. When they grew up they
would not all be able to earn their hv-
ing on the Island, there would not be
enough work to go round. They would
have to seek their fortunes IN Eng
land, and In this search English friends
would be useful to them
How hard RACHEL had worked TO |
make friends with the English-who |
stiffness and dizziness, she. as well as
Michele, had found it difficult to toll |
erete-only she knew. But she had
Her children had at last !
been invited TO a birthday |
party given by Mrs Hillyard, the wife /
If wealthy retired banker who had |
aiken the lovely old house Of La
Vrangue, on the cliff above Galrion
Jay.
It would be what Rachele called
-eally nice party. Social polish, of
which the children stood in sore need,
would be applied at it. Valuable friend
hips. if only the children could be
prevailed upon to take a fancy to the
light people instead of the wrong ones.
IS was their constant habit, might be
ormed at it. The effect 1t would have
lpon their futures, in the unlikely
contingency OF their behaving them
elves, was incalcuable.
There's the carriage coming round
or YOU" she said briskly. "Come along
nd put your cloaks on, and do, dar-
ing children, think Of your poor moth
r and be a credit to her"
In single file. like ducks going 70 the
ond, they followed Rachelle out into