Mrs. Day's Daughters

Wrong At

e had decided that she should be driven in the carriage, her mother beside her, to some flooded and frozen meadows, three miles out of the town, where many of the young people who had danced last night had arranged to go

iage and asked for the ladies' health after the fatigue of the dance, and descanted on their own freedom, or otherwise, from weariness. Deleah, her face the colour of a wild rose, her loose dark hair curling crisply in the frosty air, shouted greetings to her mother as she flew past, a little erect, graceful figure keeping her elegant poise with the ease of the young and fearle

Bessie said, who knew that her mother was

o, my dear? I h

ought, for a girl not yet 'out,' she was ver

put it into hi

n! Without my even so much as hinting he

't here to-

d not skate he promised to push me in a chair on the ice. W

arrivals; and Reggie Fo

silence." No doubt he thought, after all, it would be better to

, if I were you, my dear. Wait unti

o do something to arrang

ot usual

onsense of that sort? Usual or not usual

dmitted that her father ha

sense to do it; and to get the w

he meal which families of the upper middle classes then took instead of dinner at the dinner hour. A comfortable, informal meal at which a big silver tea-tray and great silver tea-urn and heavily embossed tea-services, took a prominent part; where rolls and patties and huge hams and much-decorated tongues were present; a

im. Such a mood was not altogether unusual with him; when it was understood among them that something had gone wrong at the office and that it was safest to leave him alone. But Bessie, whose characteristic it was n

mama. Do

a cautioning glance in the di

beneath the table. "Mama, why ar

es or commands of her offspring. "Have you seen anything

r a moment with angry eyes. "No!" he thundered. "But I h

olour left her face. Her father turned to her as

hen, scowling upon daughter and wife, he gulped down a cup

behind him, Bessi

onsternation. "What's up now?" they as

give way so. You really must summon u

at the spectacle, watched her sister. "Whatever happened I would not cry before every one like that," she said to herself. Bernard, the elder boy, who lived in a chronic state of quarrelling with Bessie, openly gigg

eater force of will than directness of aim, at Bernard's face. "You beast!" she choked. "Mama, Bernard's laughing

-Bessie was so ridiculou

hand to the angrily sobb

," she said, looking back

ou should k

want some more tea, mother. I won't have this her soppin

the mother said, and closed the d

s by Bernard! I won't be

should go back, and

and watched the girl mounting slowly to her room, crying audibly, childish

look at me in such

ings have gone wrong at the office. Go to your room till your tears are d

ved best in the house. It was here the children learned their lessons for school, the ladies worked, Franky played. It was spacious and cheerful, and held nothing that rough usage would spoil. Al

f the fire, and sat, looking huddled and uncomfortable, his feet

m?" his wife asked. "Aren't you

going to church with his family, he went to a club in the town where whist and three-card

boots, William: aren't

ot going t

ven's n

lub's seen th

eferred her husband out of her presence rather than in it-her children would not have whispered such a disloyalty; yet if he was going to pass his evenings in

unpleasantness ove

er of the mantelpiece. "What the devil did you send me

you, W

f the lying repor

liam

gaged. Now did you or did you not lead me to believe i

onl

ead me to

if you will

to be true-only you stuck to it. You were so d-d s

t remember I advi

to ask for it? I acted on information whi

out? W

r had a civil word to fling at me in all his life. But for your infernal, silly cackle I'd as soon have gone to the devil as to him. If I'd only

herto, seated herself in the chair by the chimney corner, and looked at her husband's blunt profile as h

children to think a

rancis have said

ghter. That such an engagement would never receive his sanction. That he was not aware his 'young brother'-he's always stickin

d protestingly upon her husband's name. "I h

bout my house. That he had danced half the ni

And then,

p to cease. I beg you not to invite m

aid t

him!

prise and dismay. She stared breathlessly upon her husband

huge shoulders. "W

hat you sa

know if he stood on his head or his heels

at swearing would

ld improve them? It's what I wan

! Oh, poor,

short-necked head fell upon his breast,

ittering with its rings laid upon the black

ly she advised. "It can't make matters any

o the club? D'you think I'm like a

; and then she left him. Her mind was full of Bessie

the heart to tell her," she said t