Spring Days

e would take a bow or a flower, and moving it quickly, guided by the instinct of a bird building its nest, would find the place where it decorated the hat or bonnet best. Neither Sally nor Grace co

rough large spectacles at Susan, who sat biting her lips. Susan told the young ladies of her love affairs; they told Susan of theirs; and the different codes of etiquette gave added zest to the anecdotes, in themselves interesting. The story of the young man who had said, "I am afraid that parcel is too heavy for you, miss," and had been promised a walk in the twilight on

d say he wasn't nice-looking, but somehow he doesn't make y

low, subtle laugh, and her thread c

ut it isn't a bad name for it; it is like electricity. When a man looks at you-you kn

forked lightning. Isn't it horrid? You know that it is com

man's eyes-a man you like,

s anything to do with it

e anything so disagreeable as that in i

ck spectacles; the merry niece bit her lips, and strove to stay her

stand," and she glanced at her a

th. You mean to say you

ink I ever

e young man you were telling us about l

t know-I thought it

ng at Miss Maggie. Her reveries, however, were soon cut short, for Sally not only asked her if she had ever experienced th

said Grace, who had up to the present taken

nd enough of sitting out dances with him. Yo

nev

will," said Sally,

ended to look for her handkerchief, and it was for a moment doubtful if the spectacles would preserve their gravity. Tears started to Grace's

ked, and Susan looked up cur

"Frank is very good-looking, but I don't t

was that?"

hem playing billiards; I lay awake waiting to hear them come up the stairs, and as he passed my room Frank stopped and

Jim

r liked

manner. "You always take good care to trouble about my men. You tried all you could

oung Meason asks me to dance with him, I cannot refuse; I am not going to make myself ridiculous though you w

ut meeting hi

little, and repudi

ked him if he were going, and what he would be doi

aid any su

from his

your face if he ever said such a

worry father about it. You know he can't stand the name of Meason. It seems to

ke a dozen young me

what you say. However, you can't accu

you d

on't want Frank; I don't care twopence about him. If you want to see it out with him, I

between her thoughts, and she refrained. She knew the present treaty secured her immunity from Sally only so long as the affections and attentions of Jimmy an

llings. Grace folded up her work along her knees; and holding it in her hand like

id old Joseph with him, he never says more than a few words to the footman, and he

at he is going to sta

o mistake; '80, that is the wine you must get. Jimmy is most particular what he drinks, and Alfred has th

hat he won't miss it? Then the port and Burgundy a

to do is to return the keys to

ends in for tennis. We needn't tell him who was there-we will suppress the name of the Southdown Road people; and we can take the bottles out from the back. The wine won't be missed

ipe, and Sally says she'll want them all. Father ha

he wants peaches, he had better b

oor. "Please Miss, Mr. Esc

downstairs in a mo

y, who had already begun to regret her promises,

called the dog; "Come here, my beautiful boy, come a

ou; 'tis only hi

the green sward. "I suppose you've be

to get away from town. I like no place like this. I

ns; somehow I think I can see it. Isn't it strange, there are certain things and plac

place, and I don't think I could live long away from it. After a time I always find myself sighing for the ble

ildings do you h

ould recall nothing to you, but when I think of it, much less see it, I re-live my childhood all over again. I am a great person for old times. That

d nothing nice

th you, but it seems to me you have all moved away f

d I was

ear everything. What

e Sally t

You had a desperate flirtation two years ago, and the

a great deal of him at tennis parties and balls; he used to ask me to marry him. He wanted me to e

did your f

y as well tell me, I know it was Sally. I suppos

who told me said, that you wou

ed you wouldn't talk any more," Maggie said to her

r parasol to us. Lu

seemed to be always filling the glasses of the Southdown Road people, and lunch was not half over when they heard the fourth bottle go pop. Maggie looked at Sally across the pile of

oung man; she will come round herself with the General some time during the afternoon." At the mention of a young man many eyes gleamed, and Sally said, "You had better go at once and write a note and say that we shall be delighted." When they went into the verandah coffee was handed round, and Maggie, as the gentlemen lit their cigarett

tion of Miss Brookes, could do nothing but set the girl in the florid dress and the man who stood next to her to pla

that had been urged against it, narrating vehemently how a mad dog had died in her arms licking her hands and face, and appealing to the General, who denounced muzzling; but when the mangy mastiff came near him he whispered to Frank, "I wish they were all shot. You must come and see us; you must come and see us; I have

ve here al

ation, a little something to bring me out, you know. I read the Morning Post every morning, and I have the St James's in the evening; but then there is the midd

ns, deaths, all now forgotten, and if not forgotten, at rest; and now glad to watch life unfolding itself again in an English village,

she and Frank did not take part-she having promised to walk with him; and they went towards the shade of the sycamores. She had neglected him nearly the whole day, and he was vexed with her. Bu

e; for that reason I hate having people to the house when she is here; everything devolves upon Grace and me. It is really too bad. Fath

gentleman, does he? He is

they go off together. Father doesn't know any of them, and he says they laugh at him when he goes to the station in the morning. 'Tisn't true, it is only his imagination; but I can quite well understand his feelings. You know Sally won't give way in anything. Once she ran into the kitchen,

sitting clo

t see it, so much the better. I thought everybody saw it. I wish Sally wouldn't do it. Father, as yo

ver would g

ly wouldn't do anything that was rea

o you

that I ought

ell any one-you kno

ings people u

mean to h

es it look like a couch; she keeps birds and dogs there; Flossie had her puppies there. That's her room

e said: "Oh, how pretty you are now! How I should like to paint you!" And a moment after he said, interested, solely interested

and father would

a girl, nothing in the world w

and she let go the bough and stood facin

s life for if it isn't t

aid very few young men think like you nowada

thinking so. If it were so, t

den echoed with the sound of a girl's voice crying, "Cuckoo, cuckoo," and the white dresses flew over the sward, and the young men ran after t

o this tree,"

house," said Frank; "it would

ened, and the supper table was noisy, Frank wh

but

hat a splendid occasion it would

ed his hand

nd seeing that the tears were mounting to his eyes, Maggie said: "Father, how tired and faint you look. We thought you wouldn't be coming home to-night. Do sit down and have a glass of wine."