Mrs. Benton's Niece

Gereld ?" 'llore, Julie," replied a vei-y faslilonable, vi;ry coni-citetl, very proud appearing young jicntletuau, froin tlie pinzza ot Mrs. Benton'a boardinyhouse. "I am g-oiii!? to Kitte Brownlee's. Would yoti like to cali?" "Ño," empliatically. "Why ïu.i V' 'Does bhc live horo in Daiivers?" "Yes. Lrs. Hciiton's niecc. A plcasiuiL icquainlaiicc herc. Come, yuii iniloleiit (Uuidy, unlatcl) tl ia t gato, íi' you picase. Jwiisli Ailcle would con'ie. Lizy? wliy you doii't wish cvoii to go tliis titile distance; but you little Unow, sir, whal n vcry preity plnce Mr. Bi'ownlee lias, rjubI I want. you to yo in to the post-ollice lor me."" "Jiut why do you eall anywlicre lieru in iJanvei-s?" iuquiroil Mr. Eiil, na be waikcd w ith 1j18 cousin, Julie JLeeter, along the vil lage itivel. "Vou WOUld nut rare tu have lliese people lor NvW York (icquaintiiuces." "Kv," said Jlllie, "but we are goinz over to Taiuot's lann-lionee, and i wunt lv-ite ürowiilce to go witli us." 13ul Miss Kale Browiilue, wlien invile.., uil'onnud Julie "tlliit siie had made a partial eugj$oiieiit to go to Russvillo on Wednusdiiy, and bo wilh thanks, dcclined going Lo the lailll." 'Absur.i !'' taiit Julie, iinpatieiltly. "Geiuld"- Un Erli was looking ut sume sea-shelts on t.lio tagere-"i'm so sorry, ianinia wanl.s K ite to o with us in the c.crriago to Tal bot's and shc vvon't gii." "1 tbjiik vou eiioke of Bossville, Miss iíi-owulee,"8mü Geralil, quietly. "Yes," saul Kute, "1 was goijig tlievo." ■Thon, Julio, wc can nll po over to Rossville Inslciul of Tulbot's. Wly not, if Miss Browulee loes not object?" ... ■ ■No indeed," snid Julie. "Rossvillc is too niuch like Danvei-B. The florisfs garrtensare tlie oiily attroctioiis there. Talbot'B U ft pliwe rhcro peoi)le (especisll y vlsitors IVom tlio city lere, and in nelghboring pluces) fto to dineor lunch. Tlie sconcry is line- the house luis pleasaiit p'uizzis, and pretty grouuds. Novr, Kute, we muy cali y'ou on Wedncsday? líate coiisidcreii. wou ui iwrwuu Eice care ifshe did not go to vil Ie , ■with liini? Biie hart not nccepteri lila iuvitatiou. Olurksoii iivftl iu Jvers- llicsc people Werc hcre uiily lor the sininiier. Knte concludecl tliat shc voukl go to TullHit's- not to llossville. ifiit Clarksón Rice dld euro when he received Kate'a note hifonninj? Imn tliiit asslie liad not previoitsly acceptcd his iiiviuuion, she uow duclined it, as she wislied to go with sonie aeqnahitauces to Taibot's farm on Weduesduy. ChirUson Wivs propvietor of tiie Tïlla"C store, and post-inusler of Danvers -and he was building one of the nrettiest houses ulauued by a skiltul architect, and it was being iiiuslicd in quite artiutic sty!e. lle had hopcd Kate Brownk'C niight one day preside there as Mis. Hice- uut now he began to doubt it- it was so plainly evident that she praferred the society ot Mr. Erll to his own (tor Clarkson's cousin Maaffie, had told hiui that Kate was going with Mr. Erll and the Lesters.) 'lartisóglad to have the pleasure of your conipany to-day. Katie," said Mrs. Lester, wImjü they were on tlieiiway to Taibot's. ''Mrs. Althorp did not come because she expected the Blaikea, whoara coming to board at your aunt's." "Oh ! it's twice as pleasant haying ala's attenfions and eoniplinientavy reiuarks made Miss Ka te lorget qiiue to glance towards Clarkson Hice's store whentJUey passed it in thu earriage, and so she did not notice tliat Ciarksou was standing near his carriage about 10 start alone tbr liossville She had quite forotten tliatsbe had iuteuüed aoiag to 'liossville witli liiin. Ai-rived at llie farm, Gerald caiTied Ivatc's extra shawl, and vvalki:d beside lier along tlie flower-boi-dered path to the fann-hoUSü door, and said to lier thut the drive over had been so very pleasant tliat he hoped the alternooii drive home would be equally so. "Whyl there's Maggio ltioc," exclftilueU Kate; "I didn't kuow tliat Mitggie was coiniiiíj. And there Í8 Jauu Forbea too!" "üii, soine of the village people are here," suid Mr. Krll, iiidiUerontly, but the majority of the party are boarders froin llie city - not residents of DariVèr. 'i (.iidn'i suppose you -were coming, Kalle," said J.uue k urbes. ■'Wliyï" imjuiml Katc, "Jiecan.se 1 knew Clarkson Rice was o-oins' to liossville tbr süine garden roses," said Janie, wliu had noliccd thut Ktite gcnerally had .1 buiich of ilüwers in the siuiiijj room at her home, aller (Jlarkson had been to liofsville. "Theia are roses here as wcll as at Rossville," ï-emaikcd Mr. Krll to li:ite. -Shall 1 place this cliair lor you, Miss Brovriilee, uoar Julio, in tho Otiier part of the piazznï" and even Kale observed tlio way in whioh lic caratully avokied au introdueiion to her acuuainlances. Indeed, the Ltstew, and Mr. Bril, and Kate Ion ued quito a Hule pari y by themselvos on one part of the piazza. "Who is tl lis Cliirkson Rice?" quircd Mr. Erll, in a nundesceildülg msumev. 'The post-mastor," said Julie. "I go to his store for letters. A young man, nucí very well áj)pcafiur, tbr Danvers, is lic heiQ to-duyï" sho inqnired. "No," said Mr. Erll, "and I want Miss Brownlee to forset Danvex-a and the etorekeepers thcro for awjulc Havo yon relativos in New York, Mi8 Ka te?" Kale replied that ihehftd not, and Julio saii how sorry slie was that tliey werc not house-keeping It would havo been so pleosant to' have Kate come to the city to visit them. Kate was soon walking about the grounds vfith Julio, aml Julte's cousln, who requested Mis3 Ivato to inl'oriii liini as to which wero her especial favoritos ameng the Ilowers in bloom, as he, wished to know befare ordoring a bouquet for her aoceptance. Aí'ter luucheon Ka te went mto tno pleasant farm-houae sittinr-róom (Whero Maggie ltioe and Janie Forbcs wen; glad to weloOBM her), but her stay was brief. "Come out here, Kntio darUng, callee! Julie, trom the piazz. "Jiarania and 1 are so lonely without yon. aml Gerald has goae to ordev yonr bonquét íVom the ilowers you sclected," , . , "Kato doi.'t seem to think that sho has any Danvcrs acquiiuitances here to-dav," said Janie Foi-bcs. -íno Lostera and Mr. Erll are very exoliisively jiolite to Kate- aiul very haughty towards therest ofour party. Miss Julie Lcster appears to recognizo tlie oceupants of that carnage, Masrgte." Aiíil thei-e at the farm-house gato was such a stylish travel inií oarriage, and Mi's. and M"iss Lester were gouig dowjj the walk, Julio sayiug sbe waa "so glad" and Mrs. Blaike that "it was lach an unexpected pleaaure," .t"t üorald advauciiig With a bcautilul bouquet ol rosos uid gerauiams amved at tlio uarriayu tirt. "Wiiv. weiliiln'i oxpect you woulil oiiii' by this i-oiiil," Kniil Mra. Lea ter ;o Mis Blaike, as thoy wie up the ,)aili ttiWiiiMs tho house, "Mn. AlLliorp reiutthiod in D.mvors 80 us nut to b(? away wlum you arrivoil." uXIuneces8:irily kiu.l o!' hor," snli Mi-s. Lostur? ï snpposed we wero eom'uig to a pliiiii fariu-house tor luncUeon, and it sucuis to be quite a Buinmcr rosort." "üa ! 110," suid Mrs. Lciter; "tlicso pcoplu do not buard Iicr. Thcy :in over froitl tliu viiUu of Duivers. Lot mis ciirrf your slmwl, Mim. Blaike. 1 mu so "niul llint I c.niio liori: wil.U Julio uil GiTiUl i o-ilny ;" mul Mm. iiOHtur wout piVUUIy -il Kitr, iiml escortod Mr. lilaiko toa vucuit cliuU'. Allow me," lul tiurriUI, "to order tho luiwüuuii, Mr. Buiilit!. Mis.s Ai (oio, il you will uccei these flowora" - aucl ijroseiiiing lliJ b .uq .iet lic carried to Miss liluiKe, ho ucilt iuLO tlic house. Kiite clid notllöw rc:oivctlic sli,'htesl uolico l'roui eitiior üi1. Liitr or Ju lie. tíiie neiiaii to wioli slio Had gone to lto-sv'il.e. Au liour Liter, vviicu ru.cdy to return home, Kato awaited ücnilü ErlPn coming ibr hui1 ou the ii:izz;i. Mr. Blaiku's dirriaga wa.-i at tho yuto, wliiiu tliu carriafá wliicli liad cDiivoyeil tliu pany teoiu Danvcrs to Llio iurjii wcre uu Lnu ro.id uear il; Ijouwj. "Mr. Krll," anidMrs. Blaikc, wlicn the lilaiku tUinily vmve about lutiviu "are you uot coming witli us? thit is, of cóurse, it' yoilr uunt umi oóudiu will excuso you." "Oh, cei-tainly," sa'ul Mrs. Lostor. "Yus oi' courst' we win," saul Julic, and in flve mi iiulc.s Miss KLute Urovvnke's escort was ou lus way tu Danvers, in the Bluikes' carriage. "Come, Julio," sai í Mrs. Lestci-, as thev were suunling netiv the gate. "1 ani tire I. 'J'hcio'.s the conveyiince wc carne liere in, i believe. Kut.-, we are going n;AV,"slie ualled ta Uie young Luly ou tlic piazzi. "I vUh 1 Was goiiig in tlic carnagc with vou, Magie '' suid Ivue. "WVrc waiün-," callea Julie, with niueli authoi-ity of iuumier, "anti i wish you woiilil briug luy sun-nnibrelhi, Katu. lL'"s " Lüe piaza souieWliere." Kate took the umlirclla to Jplte, umi on the way home ïu tnoeam. the Blaikes aml tlieu1 liishionable stvle wei-c topics ot (5ouvcr8ation with Mrs. Lostor mul li.-r ihi.ir.rh ter. , 'Thoy travel in their ovrri carnaje, said Julic. "I tliiuk Gerald is ï?ohig j ,o inarry the heiross, Ailole BlftiKO. And dia jou ïiotice. manitna, how polite Mr. lïlaiko was to Gerald, this ifternoon?" 'Yes, and Ailole took the Iwuquet j With her. I hope Mrs. lïentuii will 1 have the best china on the tea-toble, j bnt 1 ain afraid Mrs. Blaike will sider the house and ñirnitiue too i fashioned." ', "Adele will not Hko it licre as well ! as at the botel at Villatown, whcro tUey havo been stav-in;?," said June. "G-öod-aiFternoou, Kate." líate had not been at home more than an hour when such a pretty bunoh of roses was brought to hor Ironi Clurkson Bico, and Kate did not nced to ask the boy who brought theni if they canie froin llossville. She had come lioine rallier tired, a good deal llidlgnant, an l sorry for not haring accepted Mr. llicu's invitation to go to liossvillc, but how wcluoine these llowcrs were. and how beautiPei'baps that bouquet liad not been nt iirst intended tbr Kate by Mr. Rice, but whiMi he learned frönu his cousiu M'i"-"-ie how Kate had boon alniost t,.-? :„ 1 tl... n,.,.l!Tiïli.tiluvq lm hii.d iccoiiiDauicd to the funn :iitr the arrival oí the Bliiikes, lie sent tlic flowers he had brouylit f rom ltossvUle. Tliat samo evenlng G-enud Eiil was kifonned by Julie that Mrs. Althorp badtold hér that Miss Alele Bhiike wns eiütlgSÜ to be iiiiUTieil to Mr. Minot (ii uartnorin the Ixuiking-houso in wlnoli Mi1, lílaiko had rceently become one of tlio firin) ; and the noxt sumnicr, when Mrs. Lester and Julie canie again to D.uivcrs to board, Kale Ei'ce was liviug lu the elegant house opposite the post. office and principal village store, and Wtaell Mrs. Lustei and soine oí" her acqnaintanccs went to TalboL's farm, Mrs. Benton's liiece did not accoinpuiy them. __ Ml - -BUI" -