Show MINN LADY WA 0 1 T aj x 7 J BLANCHE X X FARM 3 A romance of the commonplace by FRANCES KEYES copyright by branc parkinson keye key CHAPTER V 4 ON 01 MONDAY morning it was still 8 11 raining mining MUC much h too hard to attempt the unknown roads to burlington there was blanche added to be one of infrequent dances in the town hall that evening it was wai stupid for her tagging along with paul and mary even when they were on good terms and anyone could see that paul was having one of his grouches pauls grouches corresponded re to tits his mothers nerves and none of the boys in the all age seemed to realize that eliat she was old flenough oldO enough to be asked to go to parties by herself now well thank the lord for that said philip piously ill stay of f course in the afternoon it cleared and lie he went to violet hesitating a little and asked if he be might invite blanche to go tor for a little ride with him why of course she said delightedly d e light edly take one of the roads ou out t to west ll amstead tead very pretty and quiet I 1 know our fine vermont air Is going to do you lots of good you ou look better already than when you came cam e 1 I feel better said philip thanks awfully for letting me take blanche ill tah take tahe e good care 0 of f her the route which violet tied had suggested was one which could easily be covered in two hours with the old family horse but no one seemed to think it worth a comment when philip and blanche leaving the house a little before three reap kenred late for a six supper they had come to a little take lake silver pond blanche called it and found tin an old waterlogged water logged lodged rowboat lying neglected beside it they balled out the water in it with a tin can found providentially near at hand they then rowed about the lake for a time and finally climbed a hill back of it where they sat and admired the view philip had been laughing off and on all the afternoon from sheer joy 1 and when blanche told one of her little stories with perfect artlessness he laughed more than ever 1 it seems so absolutely peaceful here ho he said ILe leta tEj not hurry awny away 11 well we of course replied blanche if it tor for the dance oh yes the dance I 1 will you give me every other one 1 I think rather many perhaps dont you asked blanche flushing a little oh no not at all aall I 1 I 1 di dream earn of asking for less it done now youre laughing at me again I 1 had any man philip wondered ever found a girl so unspoiled so utterly delicious it was difficult for him to refrain from taking her into his arms then and there and though somehow he managed to steel himself against doing this he reached out for the little hand band tant the slow drive home was permeated with magle magic lay jay lightly on the extremely narrow strip of wood that separated him from manche blanche and locked his hard lean fingers with her soft pink ones nothing that he had ever experienced in his life had awakened in him such a feeling of eci ecstasy tasy what fremen tremendous dous what undeserved luck had been with him when he decided to take that swim I 1 1 I am so glad you agree with me about the annees he said at last rising reluctantly but I 1 agree agreed 1 philip how can you philip 1 she had already begun to forget to call him sir mr starr he fie had never known before what n wonderful name philip was the slow drive home was permeated BEGINNING THE STORY motoring through vermont new near the ih village of 0 hamstead Hama tead d phillip philip start you young 0 g achl architect malic ih the acqua acquaintance of blanche blanch marinina Ma anni ug seventeen even leen with who whom be b Is I 1 immediately enamored from her he towns learns son saw thing ol of hr her family amity from revolutionary times time start starr being a long distance from ht his de dost striation nation blanche suggests eug geif there being no hotel that he be become became for or chii night guest ol of her cousin mary manning mary receives receive him with it h t true virom vermont a n has hospitality p vitality Ita lity and I 1 I 1 s makes the acquaintance of 1 her cousin paul her be fie fiance ties A mary y starr stam finds to Is acquart acqua anted ed with gale hamlin boston architect in whose office philip Is employed ile he informs her of his desire to win blanche blanch lor for his bis wile wife she tells him ol of an old family superstition concerning the manning Blanc blanches hs paul manning pampered 1 in his horn home lit life 1 I 1 ancil inclined d to be dissipated and does act t realize marys mary true worth marys reproaches for or his hi undue conviviality are badly received by paul and the girl begins begin mohave to have misgiving as to the wisdom of the ai alliance with magic without knowing when or how he be had begun to do so phillp philip found that he was holding both blanches hands he felt her golden head sinking gently on his shoulder and rest there quiescent the deepening dusk en folding them seemed pregnant with the promise of still closer companionship or more ardent embraces but the prelude to these was perfect and complete in itself neither Nelt lier the return to the farm nor the family supper nor the departure for the party to which blanche had looked forward to eagerly dispelled phillps philips illusion of enchantment of course be got his dances many of the alternate ones he danced with mary all on the lady blanche farm were sorry when philip said good by bright and early tuesday morn trig ing blanche to whom he had suggested a short walk through the or chard lifted brimming eyes to his lie ile stooped and kissed the tears away from her lashes la then he laid his check against hers this really goodby good by you know he whispered and added softly sweetheart violets farewell was likewise accompanied compa nied by tears as well as by little pats and cooing sounds mary packed a delicious lunch and laid a neatly folded road map with philips hit route clearly marked in red pencil on top of his suitcase the day after his departure the station agent called up violet botell to tell her that there was a big box bos addressed to her and marked perishable express paid waiting there and when it was promptly brought home by seth and opened with some excitement it was found to contain tour four five pound boxes of candy nil all exactly alike but elaborately tied up tip with different colored ribbons and under each bow of ribbon was slipped a card which read with kindest regards and many thanks for my wonderful visit from phillp philip starr As jane manning had never had a suitor this was the first box of candy that had bad ever aver been given alven her she tried to conceal her pleased sur prise as long as she was with the others then she married the box home very carefully and put it on her bedside table near tier her bible it did not occur to her to open it she drew up her rocker and sat for a long time looking at it no one but him would ever have remembered me she said ld aloud a at t all let alone me candy at my age and all tied up with red ribbon I 1 that nice boy 1 I she ended abruptly and blew her noso nose hard bard the excitement aroused by the boxes of candy and the pleasant bread and butter letters which followed in their wake had hardly subsided when something even more thrilling happened A beautiful lim ou cusine beside which philips little runabout could no more have stood comp comparison arlson than could Cinde rellas pumpkin with the fairy conch into which it was turned driven by a 6 slim young chauffeur very smart in a uniform to match the cars astery drew up in front of seth li mannings lannIngs door and a tall distin 9 unshed looking man of early middle oge age got out and asked for mary it was unfortunately moses mosca who answered the rap at the knocker his mouth was run full of stolen sweets he had eaten up tip almost the en tire contents of marys box of candy and he had no eye for style lie he was not impressed by the appearance of the strange man moreover his own appearance could hardly have warranted the hope that hp might amigh t create a favorable impression himself the day being warm and mary alary likewise occupied he had sur removed most of his clothing in fact everything except a pair of ankle ties which had on no connection with modesty and were retained simply because the hemp carpet in the front hall hal was rough Il hello letto he said rr er hello said the stranger his face twitching slightly does miss mary manning llop here mary yes ashes out in the back garden killing potato hugs that wily way said moses with a wave of the hand Ind indicating lenting the durec lion which the stranger should take thank you very much said the man his mouth still twitching walking oft off in the direction ind bated mary hinry hearing footsteps straightened up tip quickly from the task over i which she was bent and turned a deep crimson mr air she exclaimed in great confusion oh you roust must excuse met me when did you come just now from boston ho he said laughing and shaking hands 1 I it understand der stand you are more cordial to guests from that locality tha than n you once gave me to understand yo you u were likely to be I 1 have had the pleasure of 0 er meeting one of your small brothers and he told me I 1 should probably find you here arent you glad to see me moses oh what dreadful thing was he doing this time yes res of course I 1 am but her lush flush growing deeper every min minute tite this time I 1 came because philip starr asked me to naturally I 1 tell him how glad I 1 was of an excuse lie thinks im in doing it entirely out of friendship to him only its great luck for me that he happened to fall in love with your cousin get hannah and me into touch with you again philip Is a young man of unusual thoroughness promptness and decision ns as you may have leathered gathered in n your glimpse of hini him qualities ties which unfortunately are not often found in one who Is also an artist and an idealist moreover he fie possesses a very one fine sense of honor lie he seems to be in a tremendous hurry but think it right to press his suit stilt until he had been more thoroughly introduced I 1 was instructed that ns as soon as this formality through me had been accomplished complis hed I 1 was to telegraph him at burlington and he would return here unless of course it seemed absolutely hopeless for him to do so Is there any reason why it should be hopeless none in the world 11 I 1 then ome over and meet cousin violet all right 11 replied gale hamlin with twinkling eyes nut but kemem her that afterwards im coming back here to see you P I 1 0 s 0 two days later philip stood in the white paneled north parlor of violet mannings house bouse waiting for blanche to corn com down to him biro the room was unlighted and it was beginning to grow dark the door opened and blanche came in phillp philip tools took a step towards her and holdout hel helda dout out his arms she wit walked aked straight into them lady blanche you little white flower oh my darling I 1 was all he said and covered her lifted face with his kisses CHAPTER VI PHILIP wo would id never ha have ve dreamed of considering consi considering durIng his comfortable fordable for for table income a fortune but it loomed large in the eyes of lady blanche form farm and soon in those of all the countryside for to in the gen era oral rejoicing nt at the good luck which had find befallen blanche it was augmented consciously or ancon by many persons violet herself was largely responsible for this she went about among her neighbors scattering her good news as she he went of course blanche Is very young and it breaks my heart to think of parting with tier her she said sighing and wiping away a few tears but I 1 bring myself to stand in the way of the true hap of one of my children for selfish reasons never been my way of course blanche la Is too innocent about worldly things and too much in love to think of the material side at all but we older ones know that cant be overlooked altogether philip can do every thing for her yes tes her ring la Is lovely it you seldom see such pure white dIn diamonds monds and hes alv ing her a pendant too a diamond star I 1 that a pretty thought rind and so cleveal philip Is clever unusually so BO ile he says saya the name ashes going to have blanche starr la Is a poem lust just in itself no ph philip tip I 1 wont hear of a long engagement so im going to take blanche to bos boa ton right away to buy her arons beau and see caterers cateress cater ers and station ers eis and so on I 1 guess I 1 can show hla his fashionable friends that I 1 know how things should be done even if I 1 do live in the coun country tryl 1 going to california on their wed ding trip of carse philip would anve taken blanche to europe it if this thin tiresome war been go ing on blanche Is going to keep n maid and have a motor right from the beginning of course all philips lips friends and ho he hns has thousands of thern them will entertain her and give her a beautiful time tip la 19 charming and so rare 1 in man I 1 1 lie ile to Is so thoughtful and pleasant always I 1 simply adore him myself 1 I 1 there was not a single flaw in the crystal violet could purr 0 on 11 for hours in fact grew a little tired of so much perfection an and so much purring nevertheless in spite of some ex pres of disparagement Sirs el 91 llott ilott and nil all Il amstead with tier her flocked to see the trousseau and then the presents and in n early august to the wedding during the tv tn months and a half that had elapsed since his first appearance there philip had spent every siri sun day rand holiday nt at lady blanche blanch 1 farm and ns as mrs elliott said had bad been so pleasant spoken that he 02 lady blanche you little white flower had become cordially liked in the village and in turn he had come to have a very warm and real affection for many of his new friends and relatives only twice had his dream of perfect happiness been shaken and he tried to dismiss both of these episodes from his mind its as trivial left alone for a time one rainy morning he had decided to explore the little abandoned law office ne fie had been thinking what fun it would b bo e to restore it land and put it in order for blanche and himself to occupy when they come came to visit it contained a cellar cell arand ana two large semicircular rooms one above the other and a sal one with a little attic over ove 1 in the rear ile he sat in one or 1 I tue the dilapidated chat chairs rs pulled ap a shaky table and drew plans and sketches under his swift pencil the tiny place rapidly became transformed there was the living room bright with white paint and a landscape paper and shining brasses with lady blanches nian clies portrait over the mantel her desk in one corner her harpsichord in ID another and her gate legged mahogany table in the center of the room there was the chamber with her four poster bedone bed one of her hand woven linen sheets serving for a counterpane her bureau with its crystal lusters for blanche her lowboy for his own dressing table tier her long gilt framed mirror and the sampler she had stitched on the lowered flowered walls instead of pictures lie ile spent a long time over tits hla pleasant task then flis finding ding that blan blanche e be who had promised to join him there was still nowhere in slight sight he picked up some of the musty books lying on the table and began to look through them they were mostly law books with a few interesting marginal notes that the second moses manning had made but philip knew little or nothing about law and did not un der stand them the third volume that he opened less bulky than the ot others hors proved to be a county history written by a local clergyman e early a r I 1 y I 1 in n the nineteenth century the connecticut valley had been settled by men of no slight caliber and their subsequent revolutionary record was |