United States or Sint Maarten ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
A half-dozen of the younger people hilariously accepted the challenge; the excitement was communicated to the others, until the whole cavalcade was sweeping down the slope. Grant was still at Mrs. Ashwood's side, restraining her mustang and his own impatient horse when Clementina joined them. "Phemie's mare has really bolted, I fear," she said in a quick whisper, "ride on, and never mind us."
Grant looked quickly ahead; Phemie's roan, excited by the shouts behind her and to all appearance ungovernable, was fast disappearing with her rider. Without a word, trusting to his own good horsemanship and better knowledge of the ground, he darted out of the cavalcade to overtake her.
But without a trace of self-consciousness, or any change in her reposeful face, she indicated her sister with a slight gesture, and said: "One of Phemie's friends. He gave her the accordion. She's very popular." "And I suppose YOU are very hard to please?" he said with a tentative smile.
Harkutt was to his wife's peculiarity, he was not above assuming a certain slightly fatigued attitude befitting it. "Yes," he said, with a vague sigh, "where's Clemmie?" "Lyin' down since dinner; she reckoned she wouldn't get up to supper," she returned soothingly. "Phemie's goin' to take her up some sass and tea. The poor dear child wants a change."
The general stiffness was relieved by the boisterous greetings of the captain's boys, who had just rushed in from school; but it was a terrible evening to Bluebell, feeling de trop, and unable to calculate how soon she should be released. "Ye'll jeest put her in Phemie's room," the skipper had said.
Convalescents were entertained royally at the old homestead; those who could not go so far were often treated to pleasant and invigorating rides. To me Miss Phemie's friendship and kindness brought many comforts, and I remember gratefully the whole family.
"Do you think," she said, slowly, "do you think that any one who had loved me would be shocked to see me now? Am I so much altered as that? One scarcely sees these things one's self, they come to pass so gradually." All poor Phemie's smiles died away. "Don't let us talk about it," she pleaded. "I cannot bear to hear you speak so. Don't, dear if you please, don't!"
It was a childish consolation, perhaps, but Dolly knew what she was doing and whom she was dealing with, and this comforting with confections was not without its kindly girlish tact. Chocolates were one of Phemie's numerous school-girl weaknesses, and a weakness so rarely indulged in that she perceptibly brightened when her friend produced the gay-colored, much-gilded box.
Stanley Riggs of Alasco at the "Great Barbecue," rose before Phemie's blue enraptured eyes. With the exception of Mrs. Harkutt, equal to any possibilities on the part of her husband, they had honestly never expected it of him. They were pleased with their father's attitude in prosperity, and felt that perhaps he was not unworthy of being proud of them hereafter.
Phemie's despairing letters to herself sufficiently explained why her progress was so slow. "I hope," said her ladyship to Miss MacDowlas, afterward, "that you are satisfied with Dorothea's manner of filling her position in your household." "I never was so thoroughly satisfied in my life," returned the old lady, stiffly.
Word Of The Day