The Barnwell people. (Barnwell, S.C.) 1884-1925, July 18, 1889, Image 1
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BARNWELL COURT HOUSE, S. C., JULY 18, 1889.
-’C
Ey MARGARET HUHT.
pliould she IjoUI hir iK'aoc an«l try to bury
tlii.s in j^rffrtu.ibwileupe? Ijcr ijijtUiCt
(a<lo lu-r apulpci.ie. ‘*1 am so sorry—so
KUshamwl!" «besa'nl; *‘l bog your pardon
so muoh. The lK>ya break tho lilacs and
4 won't go away Cor i»i>enking—that's what
made me do it. 1 thought it was one of
■! PAP.T L
No lilacs ever scc;m*(L half so benuti*
#nl a« those which hung over life \<a!l
that la'chisedthe patch of garden grouinl
belonging to Sutherland Villa, where
the rulklhnds lived. The trees were
pld. gnark-d, crippled, broken amd split,
pnd no year parsed without Margaaet
Falk hand saying: ••This aniast l>c the last
jear ol out lilacs! It m Up[>ossihle i_hal
they can go oil doweling in this way'
any longer.” And )el when neit year
• came the trees M-emed more vigorous
Jliaui -ever, and tossed their pluaTaed blue-
them.
soma und ilung—their fragranue about in
Hiill more generous profusion. • /
They llourislted to tin* in jury of every
thing else i;a the garden, for they over*
fihudowed thp Ixvnh rs; hut for the one
wtvk in which t!ary vv, re in |#*rfeetinn
it was ftueli |»erfeeUon that
could lx* any (jucstion «<f
there never
lopping off
^rejecting branches. They A\a*re coveted
jy all the dower loving passers by. Every
taefaiions person in Hie neighlKji IkxmI
had his eye on (Item, and not infrequent-
^y _ kis finger*. Tradesmens lx*\s with
barrows drew them tap o!i the pavetiH ait
■ ttene.ith tlK* garden w all to form a Ui-ds
^ of o|K‘ratit«H. and Mr I’.rovVn waiie.l lor
Ins thh apd Mr. Smith f*>r his fowls,
wlail© bfs purveyor s juvenile a^si-i.iilt
ht.xi l jci the harrow w in-h was eoaTv*v-
:x tifindfntt itr
s
^ Am .
Jra
lilacs for liimxclfcind friends, "tmt* down
■anelio and stavw ed l he pavement w ath
rtUe eil l-ra^mi aits tifrls elanils'ied on
. the w.ili at-4 in t ie i:;o‘ri»ing and lei -nre-
✓ ly .etitfeTthe ehoirest Vi tasterH f«r th* ir
market I'a-ii^ts f.d.ir mi. and Ih .i i. s
tais the T.tir; laii-i lion s-hol I luighf h;jve
WUk»»gT»»^^wf l ' , r*VF' Wl'i'Kf
She could see that lac raised his hat
mu) heard him suvV'Yea, they debtroy
llie ti'eeb shameful I}'!"
“Have 1 hurt your" ft he faltered, and
her voice might have revealed that tears
weie Very near her eyes.
“Oh no, not much. Pray think no
more of it. Stay, if you w ill allow me.
1 think. In-furo I go. 1 had lauter dnjsU
putting that branch over the wall.”
He did this, and with much shame at
rhviving so much good forc'd, Mi-s
- Ka Ik land tfumked huivuiul ho went on
his way. -She had not seen his face, and
sincerely hojgsl ihat slae never vv<»uld,
and-w'hat vvas st ill more ianpoi taut, he
had ayot seen hers. Never an her life had
she b it soTnisoaahlv small. The lilacs
sulTcred for it. she could no longer en
dure the sight of thenr.—<l:rth» , nng N to-
getlier In r garderring tools anti the^TTf-
fendang mnhrella. she went into the
house and left the trees to their fate.
When lilacs arc in season in Isnadon so
many other tfiings that are delightful
aii? m hcsson too 31iss Kalkla'ittl had
little enougUiiine to hrood over oppor
tunities too well used She had a dinner
party, two dances, and u musical party
before her. Eftul must (li'e>o.— Her fathef
met her on Hie*tairs and said. “My dear,
tell me " here w e are going to-night. 1
know n 1 *oot the duafiei Hief'tin* \ ai l vs'
musical party, but 1 fTbpt* we Jiavo lint
y to go anywhere else. 1 met that Billy
little Mrs. Vurlev this afternoon, Mr
t al lton i, t v > t«i I icre tn n; •lit ar:d I aui
and she liked it filill lesa today; be-
M-h»s, she would inev iUhly break down
if much more were said. She glanced at
Mr. Carlton, who was Haying Boanething
jKdite to/Jicr which she was much too
m rvous to ijmierstnn 1. Vcs, ho was
very g<xxl looking; her cyeH-timidly in
vestigated the state of has right hand.
It was gloved, ar.d looked like any other
liand. . , k .
“1 shall be pleased. to da anything 1
can,” bhe was at last ahln to utter, “hut
1 don’t play half so well aa ilia. Yarley
•ay a.”
“My dear, you do. You have such a
trained wrist; and, Mr Carlton, you we,
that little hand, but you have no concep
tion what n touch it has!”
Having unconsciously planted these
dagfgeis she depaated, and her victim
seated herself at tharpiano: t^nytng TTcrr-
vou.-dy: “1 can J)Ut do mV lx*st. 1 am. so
sorry you neinT trelp Oh, don’t try td
move that he;ivy biKik for apt'—you—you
have hurt vour hand, Mrs. Varbw says.’ 1 -
■^1-
bv smrph~-{iti
the I its
•vm-
thao-Wli lU
?<• an.\lon> to hear ham sang.”
.“ We ha vt*so'einI engug.-ments. father,
but. at you pudi a the \ aalcys', let us
give _up ihc gun-fjtkt^ aro only
‘Yea, 1 have-hurt, il—that-a to bay, it
was hurt.”
an accident?”
“Well, not exactly; there was a good
deal of Intention in it,” and he smiled in
a way that waa wry gnhmg li>
Falkland.
In the whole of thi-< tfreat city of Lon
don lHero waft but'ohf* man w
dreaded lv» sec, and vet on the very fust
oevasion wdieia n meeting was (tossiblc it
tiad pleased her ttt fate to Ret him before
her. Well, slae vvoujd play bis accompa
niments. be'could not po-.-dbly recogni/.c
lier; she bad only seen llie crown of his
hat. Iliad he* had seen nothing her.
nciiag no sure of this, her woman's nat
ure a-4ei tod if-e|f?jind while taking off
ln-i. plov os fftnl bracelets \v alii trvtnbling
fingers, shifVaid. tut her anxiously, “Does
yiyur hand give you much pam?”
“A little, but il is only one finger that
Tslmri. the d<x-toF s;ivs it will be*util right
of PvetRy TrotwOdd in age and tone of
-tWigiitrat the same time her voice waa
pretty^ enough.” ,
•*AVlaat kind of a voice was il?”
“I dou’t know how to describe
Ifc it was not unlike youtpr But
don't let us waste any more time paive^^
only let me ad oise you trover toddar good
act ion.
“1 never do; never by any chance.*
“Oh. be t* telling you how his hand
was hurt 1” cried Mrs. Yarley, w ho had
approached uafavvarca. “Mr. Carlton,
j^lTw ouTilnT Tett TTie!”
“Ob uo, ho is not.” said Miss Falkland,
blushing. “Mr. Carlton has said nothing
but that it was dono by a lady—occi-
dentally, of course.” .
“A Tjidy!” repeated Mrs. Yarley joy
ously, “Then, my dear Mr. Carlton, I
> caiT~o:isily predlul lluV cini oT tliat littlu
adventure. Y(»u will marry her. 1 am
quite certain that you will marry that
lady!”
“X—marrv her! Cod foci)id! I don't
Falkland was one day put to avoid hav- dcring how much comparatively undis
ing Mr. Onrlton as her companion when turiwd hl^pmcss she migiit allow hmelf
vvantlv Jael in my tent.”
Tt was lucky that liis- answer ainuecd
Mrs. Yai ley and made her kiugb, or she
might have seeiflrow iliss Falkland was
blushing.
“AhrMr. Carlton,” cried Mrs. Varley,
M you always were sooi>|K»scd to vvonum’s
rights, and all that wo higher minded
most cared for. I usedto lie Jhst
as narrow mfnded as you till 1‘iVad Alill
*(Jn the Sujipression of .Wanien.’ ”
This malaprop of |>oor fnrti*.la little
Mrs. Yuriev's was most acceptable to
Miss Falkland, for it created a diversion,
which enabled*her to recover her natu-
she went home. After that day of diffi
culty she found it advisable to comp azvA
go in a carriage. , , if
“You say you live In Kcnslngtom" bo
said one Wednesday; “why do you/never
w alk-here? Kensington is uot more thau
a mile off.” ' •
Siao dared not walk lest he should
again projiose to accompany her nod she
not be able to prevent him, hut she con
tinued to go to tho Yarley s' rather fre
quently. and lie continued to npjieur at
the same time.
After some weeks of this, Mrs. Varley
said one nigty to herj faithful b|k*uho in
the RtillncHM of ehaimlicr: “My dear,
have you ol**rvTd that Edward Carlton
always comes on our day now. and can
you guess’why? If you can't, 1 enn: ho
is in Jove with’ Margaret. 1 Ifhve faiaeiisl
he was ever since our iant party-, but I
nan «HU'e of it now, and 1 have made up
tny mind to take tho liret opportunity 1
can find to K|»eak to him al>out it.”
“There you go,” said Mrr Varley;
“speak to film Indeed! Yort women are
all alikel You. my dear, fancy that you
have discovered a sensitive r|k»1 and
can t be happy till you have thrust your
linger down on it.” . •
“My linger won’t hurt; lam not going
to K»y anything that he will mind.”
“Say- nothing at all, Selina; keep
quiet. If Carlton does come hero to m o
Margaret, small blame'to him, pny I,
Why should you make him uncomfort
able by showing that you notice it?
I<cave him in |h-ucc. 1 hate the British,
matron's method of dealing with an in-
l s'fore acquainting him with wtiat might
alter their relation forever. Sutherland
Villa was ^ mile off. St. Luke’s church
was §l»out aijurd of tlie way; site would
was In token of farewtQ.
assent, and thns she left jpuB.-
Ji.o% oexi Wednesday—opt on
\Vednceday—nev
the Varley s’ until alb
to
wa^k to.that church and t«*U him there.
i him n
vVIkmi
for
tvouM
prer
that
forgotten by
be? VThat
fo w;t>, (arhaps. counting up the
nmouut of pli'asure in store for him, for
he asked. '* Whereabouts in Kensington
is Sutherland Villa'/*’
“I am afraid it would t>e difficult to
make you understand. If you go as far
us Kensington I will show it to you,”
“Of course 1 shall go as far us Ken
sington. You don’t supfvoso I would lose
any i»art of Uie pJensuro of walking with,
you! Besides, I tim curious to see what
your home is like.”
“All homes of a certain class are very
much alike in Lotulon,” rho answered
curtly,
Nevjr
more
i<i uiroauy see lue fbvVor
of St. Luke’s, and vvUhcd she had fixed
on a place a little further off. A few
heavy drops $f rain fell on the pavemc
in front of them.
“W on't ymi let mo xmt up your um-
DrcllaF* lib suggested.
**ll is scarcely worth while,” sho an
swered, clutching The blue ball firmly.
I 7 ^'Oh, but 1 am
1 open it for you.*
afraid it is. Let me
of time’ would enable her to for»
get? With tears thfe asked herself thia
as she toiled upstair* to tho friend whom
she Karl not expected Ho tee that day.
She and Mr, Carlton had had their first
walk and thro I
she see him.
“How pak) you are, my dearP said old
Mrs. Lawson. What .would she havo
said had her eyes been younger? Miaa.
Falkland was folcr still wmn site reached
her iioma. She was lato and feared that
Ikt father must hare returned from tho
city Roinc time ago and be clainorourfab
his dinnef, and tho was otlB in.Iier morn
ing Uresa. ,;
Ho heard Her come In and hurried out
the Mill to speak to her, carefully
shutting tho dour of the room lie had »us|
left “Margaret, my sweetest, how lain
you are! Who do-you tldnk is here?- .
You will never guess. I was just cpfu-r
ipg quietly home, ns usual, and walkinar
along in ratlwr a brown, study, when J
beard some one asking me if 1 could di4
, -
Sim quickly opened it laerst If.
“Let me liold it over you. then.”
“Oh. no, 1 like to hold it myself,'
she
said, and walked on hi
church was very -near - now
reel him to Sutherland yU)aX J looked
up and raw it \yus Mr, Carltorv ‘Suth
erland Villa,' fwt’h in eemeenrpriamr
%
sileuce, fi*r the- j ‘are you gohig tlicre/
ft jita* ! •• '111, n,, I,A
But why
fal ap|>earjincchtjhcr leisure. Mrs.'Yar-
le> << i nt tu.*‘huld.lict Jiead to ot her stars,”- —xipient -t->ve n+fatfi she •ultw«»wt - nlwtiya
nm I Ml ss Falkland and Mr. Cui lton were cruMhes it out of existence. la'\ lho east
should she wail for llie church when the
thought of w hat she htul to do when she
arrived there was poisoning all her
pleasure in jthe present? “Mr. ITarltOn,”
nhe Raid alninbt humbly, “I want Id tell
left t« cat tlieir hiapjKT in a crowd vvhieh
was not company. They.talked of all
manner of ihiaags, and the fortune of
the evening was retrieved. Never in
Margaret Falkland’s life had she met
the old Indies go about-making mar
riages, here in Lngland’they beom'to pre
fer going uliout marring them.”
“Old ladies, my dear? 1 uni not oldF
“But you will bo some day; let nio in-
you something.”
“Speak,” bo'answered; t* Hla (bln^o pju
hear.” * “pdUcW to you at Mr. Varh!y’s,and_ro-
“I am going to*peak, Hut ns thcrain is pronchcd my tiaughter for omitting tet
over 1 w ill klmt up toy umbrella, and then . perform tliat cenunony. Let m« Intro-
Oh, no, he xmswered, in n gree|
hmry; *1 only want to know wlieroit is
and what it is like.’ ”
*It is my house,* I said, ‘and 1 araoq
my way to it My nnmo Is FaAkland. By
tho by. yon have some slight a^qaaint-
anco with my daughter, 1 think.. 1 was
lu^jIusaHHiinteti at uot being Intro*
ic«^ b» you at L
4
•m4 it|
lui'NileH at the unhappy fiojxxis by U>'\»
wln» never Ruccooiied in g» ltmg any ,»f
them at ;dl
“11 a-* • ■ *> b.id’’ excl-ihued | !< it , Mi -.
Margaret oneufteni*«>*i ‘I ravr’t I r
1<* M-e dear lilacs hr - •!;« , n s«» ' lt s!j
hhnme to H-t them lx- ill t•s .it» <l when
11wvy fiovver mi splendi lly! f vv dl arid
Vft>rk an the garden aii<| thfii I can pa*»
tes t thcm. v
She went Into tlie garden and.’of
cour-av, M»cm found pleiitv of vvork tu
d<«. and v\ Inn die rii'tlini; ol the
li^h« vvahe- l her of the pie>.n.-, ,,f
.lilant rIk* v\»-nt up t'» the Mptt-aiel
Tied' sHx-u v c th< »m- |il;»e^ alone! Noipe--
li!iiei»4jo^^( lirulxsl on the wall - t; was
u tolerahly Tqeh one- but fortlie nei't
part they Ar-qq\d back in a gie.it frigi.t
xv Inn they hearNbtr voice or saw her.
tlnHlgh si’ii- |>e'ii eKungt+m lli>-v had
only Kgiil t>» deal waHj. oi»stin.it( lv ae-
luaineu where th* y v\cie wntil they ha<l
|x»ssevs<,tl t lu'lllscl V es qf ihvluiadsoilU 1
namptamf tbe year s blossom
At Inst rIio only trie i to imprrx\jhem
Je. Ikt an.'v >1 .--.u iii.>r. and at s.-eN^-i
ti* her that that w ,ts all she could ,|
if blu: went round to the outride in le-IK'
»>f finding i pdiet-m.in the lx»vs ba<Fdi,
iiiqs-urt-d hug U-fore she got there. I'er-
luqM the Rame Ixvys retur:n*<| a)^.dn and
;igain. unv how. lier deineanor evidently
failed to impiess. and attacks U-eamu
mere and more fr^juant. Shock-heads
of hair with theHiin Hliining t!in*ugh at
app'arevl al»»»ve the wall, hands were
r*eij hu.'ily filling iheniM Lej, wrtlr lh<vv-
• •i»: and, say whaY rIu- niigliL. those
hrtnds went'on Itiling iheiiiM-lvaw She
heard iii<M-kiiig I inghter an<i joyous ex-
« lamations o'er the Ixx,jy. This goaded
her to further etbii l.and slu-vvent into
the house an-i c't h r I .I a . I j i a jonjr.
►lender one, vyiiha h-viv y. lapis-la/.qll liall
fora h.tudle—a : V i l u-La- iu-M-adiwuMiX^
the Ride of her gardening basket
and henceforth when busy hand.'
jip|H-ared - among leavers and 'flow
«th, rIic gave them one or*-tw>x
Retlii-rwvere taps. The effect was magi
cal. With a I raffle I snort tlie intruder
dnippcd in a moiiient. and she could hear
the |uttcr of swiftly relreating feet. And
now the l/.ies had M>me js-ace. and s!ie
eontiniKsl her labors aindistiii l-ed. It
did'aiot |.i--tAci v loug, Tw i.ee more sin
ks.
—Thus did a girl of tweotr speak of one
of the greatest pf> a-uit-s ol her life, but
how could rIu* do other" Ue to a fJtlu-i
w lyi was father, mother, bister and
bl • >t lier IQ hel ?
“By all lite.insT", rcpliasl-Mr. Falkl.yad.
all uneoiiseioiis of the •acriliee that his
dahghter was making. “I am told that
Mr. tarhoTi - Miiging is magnificent. and
il i-. soditlieull to hear hinf. he will sing
for Mt> \ al ley, she sav>. lK-e;uiM- lie is
an old fri ai-l of tlie family, tiut he vvou t
Biug-ui other jH-opl«- *. parties.”
The timber w.i-v thill, and -the only
cs-eaxiioii «m w hit -r Misr i alkl.intl felt any
einolittn but wearim-ss vt w lien tiilier
of the gvntleim ii near her R]*okt* of the
tender clotrmtrl the yimug greet# Icaive*
nt Htr—parks t*r thi-iieauty t»f the (lovvi-f-
ing sintibs in the little London gardt-ns.
I lowc-i ing bin ail s was alnm-t tlie name
tiling as R.iyrng libn >. and lilacswasa
• “TlUTi vrm bad to s.-nd for a drKrUir?*
she s.iid. looking tegielfulb in his hand-
bome face. ,
“No. I to--k my finger to him. It is
nothing; <U»nT think about it.”
“The ix-a son v lio eaust-sl the accident
mn.-tU-vei v unhappy." sbe remarked,
lentaiivs ly, taking off her Inst bracelet.
“I wonder w bat rIu* thinks of tlie
transact ion?" ho answi-n'd, smiling. “1
'tliink il is very doubtful vv bet her she
thinks alx>ut it-nt all. Hut wo must lie-
gin, they art* getting impatient. Mrs.
Varley w ants me to sing tlii.-,,” he said,
pntaiaig Maude White’s Retting of “ Tlie
en'.iruly iu syiupulliy. Never in Eib'
ward Cailton’H had ho b'-cn any one
whom he thought so rharniiatg. They
talked with ever increasing expansion
and delight. He forgot everything bait
that lie was talkiiU4-lo her; t,he entirely
foie that day come*.
Carlton or in Margaret either; let them
go tlu ir own way.” »
“They don't go—tl»ey come,” she said
•UappiRhlv.
“Let them come thou. Don't jou rag
aliout them, Raying: *<)h, don’t for a mo-
forgi»t the painful oceurreneo of the
alteruooh. Time r|k--1 by vvi^ont IxAiig. ment Riip|>i»e (bat I ean'X hc-o how dba-
m» much as thought of. At la^ tln-y die- perately you are in love with each other,
covered that they bad never returned to and don't think that every <>nu ylse
band:
l
Do vou
Devout leaver" in her
know it?”
■'1 know Mr. Walter Bollock's words,
and of course 1 know Miss White's Ret
ting: l heard jt at the Haymarket—1
tliink 1 can play it.” .
She played—rt—r+rrrrmingIy; his voire
the drawing room and tho society of
ihcir fellow creature*, but were sitting
in a remote oorner.of ~tl»** conservatory,
talking ns if they had known each other
all thi-ir lives. Startled at tho thought
that h< r father might bo.wanting to go,
and looking fur tier, rIu* said: “Wo mav
doesn't neo.’, l>-t tbem In? happy. Tlio
maleh .is Riiifalilo iii every way; ho in
certain tu ui.-Jingviidi himself at the Uir,
•lie is a* good as nho is pretty.”
“Well, |ierhn|i* I had better say noth
ing," Kiid Mr*. Varley drowsily, nnd
here for tho moment the matter endtsl.
Bnt the fir-,t Wednesday that came
have Ihvii here a very long time; wo
rmuiii to have forgotten that thero is .1 after this found Miss Falkland so dis
part y going on. We ought to go.” batibfied w ith tiie situation that bhc re-
“Before wo go may- 1, now *olvod to omcopo (roiq the ilwcomfort of
that 1 kiiow4yoti so iuir-Ii ix-tter, it i»y coi»fL-.-v.*ug the truth. >>iie vvouhi
was railed on to repel attacks Slie w as
vvretling khiI home thickly crowding
marigolds when, fur the tlurd time after
tho lull, her ear caught the grating of
B-nt or broken lilac Uuglis as they were ' ments (f lie luiijia't. luHiates any one to
w ord w hich to Mibb FaUHaud vv as biaupiy
itiMip|R)itab|e.
“What a eru<h it is goitig to Ix-k" ol>-
served Mr. Falklond a.-ho and hi:,daugh-
ters axa-arled tin- Y.irl. v s'Mail's. Near
tlie da aw in •_itx.ru tl.x.r tjn-y saw an old
friend “Stay It-re with me till Mr
ujt trr Tro-*x to ♦die piano," she pleaded
>lr. there he i-»—litok!”
'.-tlMan l looked, mid vvas aware
of a b.lKflir haired, bright eyed, hand-
Rome voiiV^ iu.:ii threading his "ay
thmugh ihtHj'owd. After all. lie vva>
ordy one of mayv rch-hritios'ihcre pn-s
j ul. so Mi-'* l alkloU'l turned buck to her
friend ami talked a^iappily- to her for
j some lima as if no siiN* tilings ;is lilae>
cxisti’tl Suddenly s!k-b-nqi q.i;i« k touch
ou her arm aiaiil saw Mrs \ aclev by her
►lie, looking t-ager tuid aiixioKtf. “My
d--ar Maigaret;” rIio saiil despaTybi
/‘h<-can t pl;iv4;isown aec<iin|ianitn
to-iii*lit, I ntwer kiit-w_aiiyllung so.
^JiUiaoiaU*.'and I haven't ibe l••.L't itlea
- wliuTu to ask. tic‘ 15 W JTrmT-TlTTfr. \bu
set!, aanl |Ks*ple do make siieh a hopel- ss
im,nldk* ot evi-rytliing if they aeeoinpanv
, kidly Will you ta r, tk-ar? \ «na play at
’-■Right a thousand tunes U-tter than any
one else that 1 kuovv hum—1'vo told him
' bO. •p _ ^ *
“1 play Mr. Far lion'saceqnipaniriient'’
“I es. yon Why not, when we are ia-
such trouhle? You can do it
ikisilv. IL-tins hurt his hand so.”
“WliQ Jus hurt vv luiiic hauil?’
Mi-s I'.ilklaml.
“Mr Carlton Ians hurt his own. You
may lie quite surt-that he vvouldn'tdet
me ask anv one to play his aeeotupani-
was indts-d magnidi ciiL Loil in. lluiiindd. —Udl you w hut I^htttk vrF ymrr music? ~ It *
>f hi- triumph r!i(- heard Rome admira
tion of Ikt playing. “No elevvr of her
to sat down jukI rejviH that at bight.”
“Most lieautffully pkived.’’ “Most Milk
ing.” “H they UsOThe word •striking’
ought to lie and
accompanied
again,” thought Miss Falkland, “1 shull
go home." ^
“I lurve ^o i-njoyed that, Mr. Carlton,”
she/aid. “Do let mu *say bo; that is
Ringing." — .
“You made me sijig well, if 1 did,"
saiil fie.’ “I have never lx ^o m> wi ll ;k--
Coiupupcd in my life; uml that aecom-
-fianim nt vvas hy no means an easy unv
to play at sight. ",
“No. it is not partirnlarly easy. If
you could but have pluvixl i-t y tuirself
the thing vvoqld have lx-en |x;rfeet."
“!>«> sing something classical now,"
pleaded Mi s. A'arley. * -
“ % 0h.- vis, Mum-thing classical,” was
OcIkn-iI oil Jill sides.
“They want to talk.” he whispered.
How classical must it be, Mrs. Var-
asked
drawm against the wall. and. darting to
the sjK-it, she administered a well directed
A*loiv at the furtive fingers. It was a
play them bnt bimsclf.
•“How did You s.iy be had hurt it?'
asked Miss Falkland with sudden fear
"How absurd l am!" was. lier next
* ^ ' €'
thought, hut still she made no Jittiynpt
to folhiw Mrs. Varley. who was hurry
ing *avv ay without giving her any an
swer.
“Come, dear, come,” *said--that lady,
'.‘it won't do to keep Ipui Availing, it is a
fjivor for him bfsh-tg *t ;ilL II is so unfor
tunate about his hand, nu/J it is th6 nglit
one.” \'
“Oh, is it?” said Miss F;ilkland, walk
ing imvhanicaily to the piano.
“Yes. it is the right hand, and lie
doesn't seem to think that it vvi!l U* well
agjiin for 1 don't know how long."
“But 1k>w did die do it?" bhe again
asked. for~ftho was anxious to have a
faint Mispicioiithal sceined bent on tak-
go kirk as f;ir as ever you can—
that's v>4^at 1 call classical.”
“I'lutarNh spiko of music as a ru|xt-
firial vulgar^ ii-nce; I’kito didn't like
places w here >hi-y infuriated jH’rsons
with words ;ind bNqgs. 1 fcUpjKJsc- that
is too far back?”
“Oh, don’t tease me. Mr. Carlton,
quite - soni!-ihmg classical'I winTD-w hat s called
elji-'sic.il, y ou ■know. There was ;Fi*»retty
tiling dT Mo/art’s they used losing, •Uat-
ti, hatti;’ sing that.”
“Not today,” said he, laughing;
“haven’t I had enough of that?" Some
thing was found,- and lie bang it, and i
then souk-TIiing more.
“Oh, thank you.* dear
cried Mrs. N jirley effusively* after yet
another song; “it ii so kind of you-r-so
really kind to do so much for ouratnuse-
UK-nt, and when you are in sin h pain
Uxr Now will you tako-Miss Falkland
to supi»er?”
“Are you in pain?" she inquired on the
way to tlie supper room. “1 hope not.— '
“Oh no; Mrs. *Yarley exaggerates so.
1 should have forgotten all aixntCil long '
ago if bhe’daki’t keep reminding tue of
is i xaelfy w hat music
Hcldom is. No one *«#( r
moltofore w hoso conipBMcly fulfilh-U my
every wish. You are a thorough arti-.t
—you s< em to paint the key s. 1 shoiild
so like to try* one or two other things
with you. Do you ever coino to Mr*.
\ ai ley s Wednesday afternoons, or might
I perhaps home flay”— r -
“Oh, i will come here!" exclaimed
Miss Falkland abruptly. “I do Rome-
times; I will cornu next ^Yednes4lay-*-
th.it s the day after to-morrow. I ought,
for I haven't been loouoof Ikt Wednes
days for ngCs.
She almost thought that ho had ln'en
alxuit to express a wtsh to call oil her.
Call on her, and then tho hideous secret
vvouhi have lx-en revealed! “I am sorry
I can't ask yam to come and try them at
my own h.unc,” she eontimivsl, recover
ing herself. “My father and I live to
gether; vve are quit.-alone, ahu*! lie is
out all day 1 long iu the city, so I cmrre
ceive no visitors but a few very old
friends.”
Ftxrts'tnadiy rtisb, and lie had Ik-cti on
the point of rushing into an inquiry as te
whether he might not-call on her, when
she had not even a mother. He was
quite aware that gentlemen ought to
wait unliT they are asked to call, and
that not to.do ro F to “bless tin- lirnglish
revffti Mrr Ajarlton that iicrs xvj*
the hand that do;ilt the blov«f
and trust tb bis generosity to forget it.
If ho were unable to do bo he would l»e
equally unable *ix luontbs lienee, and
tlie sooner hive knew (t the Ix'ftef. Xjbj
felt ro much happier when *ITe had taken
tliis resolution that the carefully •clcctod
her prettiest dress and 1*001101 anv) walked
in her bravo attir^lolho Varley*’, tlumgh
black clouvU were grouping themselves
together omineindy in the bky and u few
droiv* of rain were falling..
No carriage for her t liar day. lie would
|*oshil>ly bo in tbo oalcony; bo often w u*
when she arrived there. Could he l*o
looking out for her? If he were there
today he would see her arrive on foot
and would doubtless propose to uccom-
pnnv her homo. How far would ho walk
w ith her? On the w ay bhu would teii
him what vvas on her mind, and if after
that ho continued to walk with her and
w:is rs friendly as before, turefy ail
•WRrtthl be wrHr -
Shu could see that he was In the Iml-
conc; bhe could even neo how pleased lie
looked when ho caught Right of her.
Were it not for that confession hdvv
happy nho would now l*e! Supfiosc
after bIio had mudo it bIio Raw*
a distinct change In Id* manner—
say, fur instance, ;i cold politeness em
phasized perhaps for the sake of making
I can r-'c your face while 1 am talking
Fx.ivmi. 1 <•; .usiiebg vv'-ig nuikih
Say nothimr to tmmt *'loiid.
“All->w me,*’lvccried,andin»spitcof her
resistance took tho umbrella IocIohoIi
f<*rher. saw a blue handle und exclaimed. 1.
“A bhm lutndle! Oh, 1 cau't U-ar to bee r
you ^*Uh an umbrella tliat bas a handle
like that I”
“Why not?” site asked faintly, (or bhe !
was afraid; bIio knew why.
"Because that virago who did her best I
to Rina*h my finger bad one of that
kind.”
‘‘Did her best, to smash your finger!”
bhe repeated in dismay.
“Yes, the boy* luxl ^jeen Btealing her
lilacs, and I w as (vasbing aqd enw a great
branch which they had pjutly broken
and used to drag themselves on Iho wall
by. 1 thought it was a pity to let it
bo quite torn off, so 1 tried to put it back
over tho wall, and shucamostealthily for-
wart] and gave mo ^ blow with an \im-
breUu which had n handle—a remarkably
solid blue one Juki liko yours. It is de
testable to think of that creature having
an umbrella iike yours!”
“Poor•womanI don’t call, her names;
you might even fiko hcf if you knew her.”
“That crejituro! Virago#” It was all
but impossible to make her confession
now.
“I am quite sure I should not. -How
could I or you, or any one, like a woman
vv ho plants herself behind a wall and hits
out at all comers nt a venture with a
dangerous weapon liko tliat? It is chart*
tubfo of yoq to think of giving her the
benefit of the dqqbt, but I know, if ever
you saw her, you would think of her as
1 do. It is a woman's first duly to bo
feminine; no Udy could Amro Uoqb whqt'
bho did.” ^
"What would a lady have done then-r-
under tho samo circumstances, I mean?'’
"Oh, you know that a thousand limes
better tiian I. I can’t help thinking that
she would have felt n great deal of pity
for tho i>oor littlechildren who came into
her bright neighborhood from their own
dark dismal homes, with nuver a bit of
green, mueii less a flower,“to gladden
their eyes, and when they saw the lavish
_ducc mvwelf i^qw.’ Ha walked
a discussion with some one about the ex*
act HicallHLof Sutherland Villa and
*
being nnximta to lie able to confute him.
“And when ho Raw the liouse, father,^
said Margaret, breathlessly, “didbuseetzt
surprised or startled?”
‘Well, my ||tild. now that you put tlie
klga into my Voud, I tliink lie did; hut
pmu
laps 1 am wrong; not being a young
lady, l don't think I mo quick at observ*
iug sbades of difference in young gen
tlemen's d('|K>rtmeiiL 1 only know be
sffcned remarkably glad when 1 invited
him to stay nnd diae here."
"You have asked him to dinner?**
"Yes; why wrt, my deaf? Now will
you go and say Tlow do you do?* to liiut
while i go into the cellar?*
"Oh. please don’t make me do that,
father. \ must dress—I am so late al
ready.” j *
But Mr. Falkland ruthlessly opened
tho door of the drawing room aad e*id t
"You will, I fear, think me very uncer
emonious, Mr. Carlton; I have already
loft you once, and now must leave you
again, but pnly for a minute or en, and
my daughter pt hero and will hear you
99m pan y.”
This said lie left them. Oarlton was
by her side in a lament as she. shrink*
ing away from him, stood where tier
father had left her, cloea hy the door,
not daring to raiso her eyes from Iba
ground. '‘Miss Falkland,** he exclaimed,
"do you mind slinking hands with %
fbol?” ' . >
She left his outstretched hand un-
gras pod—she never so much M raised
lier eyes froiq (h 0 ground.
“You ore angry with me, and no won*
dcr-**
"Angry with yon, no —only on
ashamed.”
"I afn
ashahied.”
Bhe slmok her head,
ite true."
the contrary; you are a liviujf
lation of every word I uttered.
waa^uit
"Qu t
rcfuTatic
the one who ought to be
‘What you said
N^ver in my Ufu lava I seen any one
f who so completely realised Sty highest
ideal of womanhood. Won't you slfkke
strain (heir luinds. Bhe ought to have - ha nd*. and be naif this had never been?”
understood wliat they must feel, and
havo given the poor children a share pf
‘cunveilicnceb ’ most grievously, but one .a person who bad no good breeding of
• ouch of n-ul music makes (be whole her own apprehend tint |*oliteness was
worid kin. ;md that was His excuse.
“lid mo hope." ho said, “that wtlne day
I may l>o piiv ilogod to call mysplf an i»ld
friend."
Siie did not rosjxmd; how could sho?
!
v^J/o had had ro much of tlio world s wor-
Mr. Caj ltofi.” Klup that bo liked Ikt ;;ll tlie Ix iter-lor
it.
"But if you arc in pain that reminds
you. I halo pain myself!" observed MFs
Falkland.
“What a pt range world this would be,"
Ire continued, “if every woman went
through tho samo amount of physical
training that men do. and—suits as strong
of limb and heavy of hand as they are!”
ing po.-vsessioh of her dissipated How -irrelevant this remark would
“1 don't know. I asked him, but he have !>eeij if made lb any one but Miss
only laughed. It's all very well for him—Falkland She knew what prompted
to carry off an accident w ith a laugh, aml as if in despair othkeeping toiudiffer-
/l w*ll 4it t'cttd blow at the furtive finger*
jmieh luTrder dilow ’ than Rhe intended,
for aiie was in a great hurry, and •x.-sides
this, unconsciously to herwrlf, she was
beginning to feel much pleasure in tho
efficacy of the treatment. A cry of mir
jirise met her oar*, nnd a voice, which
did not «cund liko the voice of a lilac
btealer, exclaimed, "You ne«*d not have
done tliat; I was only putting back a
half broken branch which is hanging
doryn on this side, btx^tuso the boys
swing Uiemnelvcs upon totiie wall by »t."
_ Att4 **ow t by.
edging of the oprjjcr, Margaret La
could just see the wail bnia bed crown'of
X gentleman's bat. " _. — |
'* Bhe was dismayed! Should she par-
“JlaJlj ■ reveal Li'ni'tf hy aivXo^mug?
but I am (juitc sure that I shouldn't lau;
if 1 hurl my band."
“Nctliter w>»uhI.you laugh If you didn’t
Inirt it." thought Miss Falkland, who was
iH-gitmiug to l»e fretted by this talk altuut
the hand, and then tdie wondered why
she felt ill l«‘m|>ered with poor, dismal
little Mrs. Varley
“Here is MUa Fjdkland,” exclaimed
that lady, stopping short when she
ttaofiod Mr. Carlton “If any ono can
play an accompaniment at sight so as to
pk-u>e you it is she. Bho is a splendid
musician—n really striking musician.”
“1 bbiijr not !*• able to play-anulcif
you over pm tee me eei’’
“1 aw iWt_o.vcrpraismjr yodj mv-d+ttr;
•itThsician, and i aftr
cerLi'n mat Mi. Carlton will say so him
self bch-re long.”
n»«‘ word “striking” irritated Bliss
dud emex—ULt d-
said: ’^Some
ent subjects,
Have you never seen any?"
. "No. but l have felt one."
“Ah. the person who gave
women arc.
you the
blow; you said it vvas given by a jversoft
feminine." ^ • ,
“A soul feminine salutctb thoe.” Rays
the divine NYillianisr “she saluted mo
pretty vigorously. Won't you have some
salad?”
“Thank you. It was* an accident, I
suppose."
•'So faf as I was concerned it was, but
the blow was meant for somebody.”
“Then you didn't know her?" ^ •
not ros|*onding. lie took iK-rbrK-k to tho
draw ing room to Ikt father,;»ud-wonder
ing'why slie did not introduce -Uu-m tq
each other, Ixovvi-d and left her, and then
to him (bo evening wa-j over. ^
“Margaret, my dear, who was that
good looking young man who came up
stairs with you?" a ked Mr. Falkland as
they were going down stairs.
"Tliat was Mr. Carlton. Didn’t you
know':” ~
“Mr. Carlton! And you didn’t intro
duce me! -and you knew bow-much I
wanted to see him."
trrk, “How stupid of me not to think of it:"
The niooidieain-i f<dl coldly on the
wav ing masses of likn-s when the Falk
land* reached home. “How pretty they
are!” said Mr. Falkland. “By tho by,
Margaret, you really voight cither to
watch those lilacs or havp them watched.
W hen 1 came home tlii> evening tlie
|lavement was literally strewn with frag
ments."
Nhe bad thorn watched, but nev er again
watched them; never, that is to s;iy, save
on the otwsxvafckju iu-Un) w eek w-bv4#-tluj
whole jHiwer of the household waft barely
sufficient to protect them. This was on
Sunday 'afternoon, w hen the children
were streaming out of tlnrBunftay school*, — “Wliat kind
greedy for plunder, and irreatstiblu ui asked, -t
strength and cunning.
being shown her. Full of these tormert-
ing thoughts and struggling vvitTi a de
sire to flee away to lit
at rest, sho slowly and doubtfully
ccndod the stairs und reluctantly entered
the ^rawing room. Ilo had studied her
Taco so thoroughly that he could sou sho
Sho half raised her land, lei il fxijj
again nnd Luret into tear*. "Il was suet}
her pvvn abundance, instead of trying to a fcGrrible thing to do,” she said faintly.
hurt them. Such blows aa Iters’’ "It was quite right'to do it,” he inters
“Oh, 1 don’t at nil agreu with you,” rupfced. "Now that I have been round
said Mis* Falkland, iKildly intem®)ting the garden with your father, cuul have
tho lilacs'’-^-— • ' ■ '*
Oh, don’t—don’t talk pf jhem-of i|
a.sl;ed for (lowers it waa her duty to give -*-o^anything!” cried Hiss KdklamA M 1
them, nnd give them freely, but it ^hcr hqguish. \
( r own homo and lie j hhn r for sho wa* fighting for all 8ho IicIJa aeon
and doubtfully as- dear. "If the children Tang tho bell und'* > “0
was uitfasy «'il>out wjrncthing.
“Something has distressed you," ho
said, when he found an opportunity of
speaking without being heard by all.
“Is distressing iho, you mean,” bIio an
swered. “I will ull you about it jires-
eutly.”
“Tell mo now.”
"No; there are bo many people hero to
day, 1 can’t tell you without bciug over
heard." :
"You walked hero; aro you going to
walk back?”
“Yes, I um going to walk back." Sho
spoko as mournfully na nf that walk
would conduct her to Mane gloomy
prison.
"Mayn’t I-go part of the way with you
then? You havo never allowed mo to
walk even tuo length of this street with
you."..
"You shall walk with mo today.” r!ic
answered, but there ^vas nothing iu her
voice to load him to think that fthc looked i
forward with any pleasure fo this walk, i
When Miss Falkland left no ono par-
■ ticularly remarked Unit Mr,Carilon fob -j
lowed her almost ilffTIJediatcly. When j
ho went into tfie hall Rhe was still there 1
trying to find her umbrella.
of a 'handle has it?” he
couldn’t bo her duty to encourage steal
ing, or to let tho children destroy tlm
growth of years iu a few minutes,”
; "You aro logically right; you have the
law on your tide, no doubt, but all the f'
tamo 1 have a horror of that girl, and 4.
now that my hand is better, I may say ;
so. By tlio bye. I must not let you for- j
* get that you were going to tell nio somo*
thing.”
“I have changed mymiud—aj least 1 j
am afraid I shall uot liavo timo to tell '
you now, for I havo just remembered
that 1 want to call at tho third house i
from hero lo kco a poor old friend of \
ours who Is ill.” d
"Don’t go today;-you. said I migM
walk as far as your heme, it is the lirha
walk I havo ever had with you, and you
aro going to cut it short.” «
"l must call and seo her today. 1
ought tonavo gone long before this.
"It is too lato to go and sco any on
now. It is much later than you think.
It is after 0.”
"That docs rot matter. Slio won’t ^
mind its being late."
_ ’‘Then let mo wait outside for you and
finish my walk; don’t defraud mo ofT
that.”
"No, thank you. Don’t wait I shall
not walk any more today. I must stay
"I don’t want to talk pf theov I van!
to tell you tl^t 1 iqvo you—;hat 1 haro
PART II.
‘Miss Falkland did go to tho Varley*s
that Wednesday and on other Wednes
days besides/aud bhe never went without
finding Mr. Carlton there; she never
a personal friend of_ cai|Xi away without finding that her lik-
he replied with a "bright smile, jugfor him luni ih.'|'o-*ir^<1 His Jikins
forWldjuif BjMiary Ufewfiar fefh'w th! “
Sutherland .villa was only a mile from 1
"1 had no tqvportunity of discovering Mrs. Varley’*, and tne natural way to
that, but, judging from her behavior, 1 traverse tnu instance wju* hy walking.
>atuv U# a wit Htttty—n ere the etraita *0 wHp.-b Mist
“and 1 ftcrtfCvty Ihlh
"Was sive vouni: or ♦*UI?’’
■ .. k .!! U
with her till the last moment, so 1 shall
Bho l»egan to teii him, ami nt once rc-^ gvt her to send for a hansom for me.”
mcmbered-tRatyt was the self samo um- "You aro not Aflgry wltb me about
breiU with which she had struck him, I anything?” he asked in great concern,
nnd that be might recognize it. In an- “Can I have been «o unfortunate as to
other moment slie had caught sight of it liayo offended you?”
lurking among a Hitlu sheaf of less no* * "Certainly not. How could you? See-
ticeuliWones in a'dalfk corifer', her hand ing tlio house suddenly ren#Lulcd mo
had closed Over Ute ftlue knob and *hu | that 1 ought to call'pn poor old Mrs.
had hidden it away from his sight That j Lawson, lliai'saiL Cood-hy."
-umbreila-wft* U»be-aMowed-WrtH - -“Uo4*i4»ys Ihen*" lie eaki. -witb
the tale irbicii she herself Lid come ; taka bit/ dissatisfaction. "You will let
forth to tdk Once out%hle the house, he »ee you at the Varley*’ next Weditee-
lookfxl in her face tu see if it were again day, I hope?" ^ <Mt—The
_tiUjLljudcvL . Lt AVOaJUL jLic wo* _ Bhe^uiiled and bowed, but her bow k*./.
* ir " > * . ♦.
“/ Iran# to oak you*'
loved you ToT' weeko. -I want to ask
you”
Suddenly the door opened and Mr.
Falkland half entered the room, ila
must have hear J the last word*—be must
liavo seen something in their faces which
showed that he had returned at a very
unfortunate moment, for muttering,
"Dear me, how stupid I fip* I have for
gotten to tell Jacksoa something,” he t
ruptly retreated. When,
minutes later, after tearing I
£0 to her own room, ho did return tu 1
drawing room and Mr. Carlton, be fou
to
ono anxiety was
THE CXD.
. ♦ —*