Hildegarde's Neighbors

th birthday, and the Colonel was giving her a tea-party. This was a great event, for many years had passed since guests had been invited to Roseholme. The good Colonel, always delighted

all except the two youngest, Will and Kitty. Mrs. Grahame was already there, having gone over early, at the Colonel's request, to help in arranging certain little

t Braeside, and seen Hildegarde singing at her ironing-table in the early morning, before the sun was hot. Auntie, the good black cook, washed the dresses generally, though Hildegarde could do that, too, if she was "put to it;" but Hildegarde liked the ironing, and took as much pride-or nearly as much-in her own hems and ruffles as she did in the delicate laces

d, under his breath,

d ape! Ever see an

eautiful as Miss Grahame, or even more so. Becoming warm in the discussion, the two grappled, and rolled over and over at Hildegarde's feet. She

, like other people, though you may not believe it. But, you see, Ferguson is so exasperating that he disturbs my equilibrium, and then

are only near enough to one, or far enough from the other. Shal

call us 'Mister,' in earnest, Miss Grahame? You cannot have the heart! We are not accustomed to it, and there is no knowing what effect it may have on my

and ought to be kept in a barrel and fed through the bung-hole,-only my mother has scruples; but

s, and I am sure you boys are both too jolly to be ceremonious with; so-Gerald, here

mily portraits. Colonel Ferrers came to meet them, erect and soldierly. He kis

eld the very spirit of kindliness. "Glad to see you! Hildegarde, man

rown-leather sort of room, to which she had grown well used; but she appreciated the compliment of opening the drawing-room, and put on her best smile and look of pleasure. Hugh Allen left his station by Mrs. Grahame's chair,

t were going on quite so long as that. Well, my mother, you look like the Queen of Co

ame, drawing herself up. "The word is a sing

be toward her daughter. If ever I saw PLOT written all over an expressive coun

vases and bowls to hold them, and every available surface was a mass of glowing blossoms. Th

anger and new-comer in the neighbourhood; but the good lady protested against anyone but the "birthda

the Venetian lustres of the quaint chandelier. Even the moose's head on the wall behind the Colonel's chair had a wreath, cocked slightly on one side, whic

saw such a fellow. Why, Roger shot one last year that we thought wa

ased, and told the story of

e asked, then. "Have

rely none old enough,

my own. He is my husband's half-brother, many years younger than he,-the dearest fellow in the world, and really a delightful combination of s

t exchange his own fireside for the King of Dahomey's. He thought it probable that the excellent Miles was at this moment sitting with pipe and newspaper on the back veranda of his house; and if it had not been

ses, making the whole table a floral offering, as Gerald said. Then, just before everybody had reached the "no more" point, the good Guiseppe, who had been standing, stately, behind his master's chair, darted out, and in a moment returned, bearing on a huge silver salv

I knew they would be surprised, and that the hair of their s

in fantastic shapes. There seemed to be little hills and valleys; and from among these peeped-and did they only seem to move?-a number of tiny figures in green and gold. One sat astride of a snowy pinnacle, another lay stretched at full length in a hollow, his pretty face only peering out; some were chasing each other among the elfin hills, oth

t in the girl's face. "These are birthday fairies, you observe. There are eighteen of them, and every

tears stood in Hildegarde's eyes. She tried to speak, but the words did not come; so, leaving her seat, she went q

-the result, thanks to Mrs. Grahame and Elizabeth Beadle. Mrs. Beadle, ma'am, I desire that you will come in, and not skulk in the doorway there, as if you had reason to be ashamed of your handiwork. My housekeeper, Mrs. Beadle, ladies and gentlemen: a good woman, if she will allow me to say so, and a good cook. Now, Guiseppe, a knife for Miss Grahame, and we will test the quality of this same cake. Plenty of citron, I trust, Elizabeth Beadle? No little skimpy bits, but wedges, slabs of citron? Ha! that is as it should be. Sh

e hair,-when they do, I always think it's a dreadful shame to have wholesome things on your birthday. And-oh, I say!" Here he relapsed into silence, as the first slice dropped from the side of th

a. And-'there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the Queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. And gold, and precious stone

e room with punctilious courtesy, and motioned to Hugh to

emen?" he asked; and he took a coupl

o, thank you, sir. We are not going to smoke till we

er you cigars, I should have thought it unsuitable if you had accepted them. Thirty years ago I should have been obliged to offer you wine, also, but happily that is no longer necess

rald, "but weren't you go

s indeed thinking of something that happened forty years ago,-o

r being amused; they drew up two ottomans beside the C

lonel, "or, to be more exact, forty-

Alice and the Mock Turtle, and wondered what would happen if he should get up and s

, as it seems on looking back. But with all my vagaries, I had one great desire which had never been gratified,-that was, to smoke a cigar. My father was a clergyman, and though he had never forbidden my

. When all was ready, we chose a dry, warm spot behind a dyke (for it was the fall of the year, and the days growing cold), and there we lighted our cigars and fell to work, puffing away in mighty fine style. Well, sir, they were horrible things, a

n on us. The other boys, catching sight of my face, lifted their eyes and saw him, too; and there was a pretty moment. He said never a word for some

,' he said. 'Now, if you must smoke, here is something worth your while. Take these, Th

et, and handed them to me; then bowed to us all ver

crying out that my father was a fine old buck, and that I was a lucky fellow to have such a parent. I could not be behind the rest, so I lit up, too, and for a few minutes all was as gay as a feast. But, Harry Monmouth, sir! in

artily, the boys chimi

the cigars?

have no doubt; but I was forty years old before I touched tobacco ag

himself now and then; the boys me

ers," said Ge

thinking that it is ti

we will go

s, that is-well-I was only thinking that perhaps those cigar

for a moment, then he g

he said. "Well, sin

ve they were-not-the

ark! what

ame the sound of a c

in a breath. "It is probably our siste

thumbs," added Gerald, "and

down a great pink vase, and broken it into fifty pieces; she had also fallen over it, and now sat among

her host entered the room. "This unlucky child of mine has done something dreadful. G

"Is it-I can hardly hope it-is it truly the pink

up from the floor, and seeking vainly fo

e by both hands, "my dear young benefactress, how can I

hat?" c

s hard-earned dollars on it, foolish, faithful creature that he is. What could I do? It was,-the enormity you perceive. I was obliged to give it a place of honour,-fortunately, I seldom use this room when I am alone; I was forced to praise its tint, which I abominate, and its shape, which is who

d at this novel view of her infirmity

some games, Hilda, or something of the kind? Command m

arde for a quadrille, and taking his place at the head of the figure with stately, old-fashioned grace. Mrs. Grahame, turning round a moment from her place at the piano, saw his fine face aglow with pleasure, and felt a corresponding warmth at her own heart. She thought of the gloomy, solitary man he had