THE STORYTELLER. The Opened shatters.

Thames Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 10128, 9 December 1911, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE STORYTELLER. The Opened shatters.

BY CLARA L. BURNHAM.

GHAFTEU XIX.

A NOBfEIASTEH.

Aiaemonfi Cottage was built partly of boulders taiken from tlie shore. Its roomy porch was supported by pillsrs of the same stone. The bluish tint of balsam tirs^ stood out agdanssb the darker foliage of ,"tho evergreens that surrounded it, and such trees as cut off the superb view from the piazza had been removed, leaiving. vistas which wteare an exaltation to the beholder.

The beauty of the placa sank into Sylvia's heart, and as Ma.ss Mai-tha appealred on ihe porch to meet the guests, the ligbA of hospitality shono in her face, and the girl forgot that it. had ever been difficult to yjat her aunt warinlv-

"Your sail has given you sharp appetites! I'm sure," s&id Miss Marthai, "and dinner is just ~n.ing to be pu/t on tlia table."

They all moved into the living room. It rain flic full width of the cottage and had a wide, deep fireplace opposite fine door. A round centre-table covered with books aud periodicals, a<n upright piano, and numerous aaCmchairs as comfortable as they wteire lighjb, furnislifed the rocm*. ■ • .

"How charming!" exclaimed Sylvia, 'loofking from the rugw on the floor to the ousihion.s in the window seaits.

"Yes, it is," said Bdna. 'Ws a jine port in a slorm, fomfc in all decent weather we scorn it." •

Sylvia went to a vip-dow1; A rooky pathy led. 'between the symmetrical firs down tawmds khe shore where far below baoinieid the noisy surf.

"And how is the boat, Sylvia " askied Msss Martha.

"It's a joy," replied the girl, looking around brighitly. .

"Oh, yes, your boalt," said Edna. "Fm going to invite myself over on purpose to row with you. MSm Lacey has told me ail about it and it's mysjterioius namie,"

Her eyes twinkled at Sylvia. 'It is—very. mysterious," returned the latter, laughing. ■ Miss Looey gave a quick nod. ."I'm going to ask Judge Trent what it means -when He comes," she declared. .. , "Fie, Miss Martha! 1 How indiscreet 1" laughed Edna. "CWt he hatvti a little undisturbed flirtation -with biß b*t girl " She was surprised at the suddenness and depth of Miss Llafaey's blush but the little woman bustled out to the dining-room' and shortly announced dinmeay It seemed to Syhia that she had never been so hungry and that food had novfea' tasted so delicious. She rranarked upon it somewhat apologetically, and Eidna laughed at her. '.'My dear girl, it's the way of the place*" she said. "Of course we eat nioth,lng proslaio Uprle. Thfese ppKjatoes grew at the Mill Farm, these loibsters were swimming this morning. This lamib, I'm afraid, was skipping around only a few 1 days ago on Peaooa Island,, This salad grew! just over the fence from that daisy, field we passed through this morning,—and sjo on." For desert they had a deep huckleberry pie. "Bow's this, Sylvia), eh?" asked Thinikright, sifter the first joiray mouthful. "I thought Mlrs Lem /was pretty good at it." "It is perfect," retumied Sylvia, "but how- we shall look?" she added.

"Don't Worry," said Edna. "1 always keep a' box of tootL-bmshes upstairs for -wanderers trapp&l just as you are 1. Of course it is a good pie. These ibame< were growing on the shore of 'Merricianeag Sound yestadfiy, and Mfis& La<joy and I picked them ourselves. Weren't w? a happy, disreputable pair. Miss Martha. Ouf d'rtesses - v-iere staineil, our- fingere -were a sight., and our lips—i»u draw a, veilt We both would have done so then if *ed had .any." [, SyMa listened, smiling. In, ihet. pi-eoccupaition slie lot her fork veer away from her plate. ; "Oh!" sh<\ fcjaciulated regretfully. "See what I have done!" A drojp of tlie rich dark juiue had fallen; on the spotless cloth and seemed! to spread misdhiCTiously. "Deai'j, • I meant to be so careful." •;

"Not a bit of harm." returned Ednial "That is a feature of j the huckleberry season. The rtain I vanishes under hoib ■water. j

Sylvia's eyes clung to the spot." A thought had suddenly con* to her like a lightning flash." She mew vaguely tha* lien* hostess was saying pleasant things, but she oould not follow thiem. :

I "Bat your pie, Sylvia)," said her aunt. '^We always ha-ro a sedond piece. Jemny'B feelings would be hurt

if we dldn/t."

The girl doromenced eating again, mechanically. "You picked these yojrsel/vlas?" die said. "They grow for anybody to pick " "Yes, indeed," xeplicd Edna. "I enjoy it. I think Miss Lacey donsiders a berry expedition a good deal of a pleasure exertion."

"They always ripem first in such shut i* fields," objected Mss Laccy. FJdna fluuglhed. "Tlie 'kind Mta Lem would call ho* as Topet." "Oh, I'd love to pick them," said Sylvia. "Do they grow around the Mill Faim, Thinikright?" Her eyes were shining as she a^ked her question.

"No. Nowhere ai-ound us, —that is, nowhere near. I've often wondered at it."

"Stay here, and go with me, Sylvia," said Edna cordially. "We'll let MKss Martha off, and —i and I will take Benny and mialk* a day of tt."

; "Oh, I'd love to!" exclaimed Sylvia. "I'll try to come ■over' soon."

"Not at all Always miake the most, of a bird in .the hand. You're here now. I'm going to keep her, -—oh, as long as I can, Thinlcright." He smiled ait Sylvia, wlio smiled badk, still with the eajedted shining in her eyes. "She seema willing 1, T must say," he rfemairked, pleased at the prospects of the two 1 girls thus btejcoming aaquattnibed.

The hour before he had tbi start, badk -was spent by them together, at first on the rocky ledges below the house where the caldrons of foam and fountains of spiray made the finest shc>\v"i and then roamingl through tlief fragrant woo.ds At each new vista- Miss Martha noted the narrowing of her niece's eyes end the absorption of Her jjasse. * I "I guess you have some of your poor "father's: alrtistia tas^e," sihle said to her at one pause 1. "I wish my faither oould have seen this platoe," wias Sylvia reply. When the time came for Thinkriglit to malke his adieui she clung to 1 him.

"I declare I believe she's homesick at the parting," said Miss Lia«ey to Edna. They two were standing on the piazza and the others a little way off on the grass; w!as whispering to her ciousini: "I'm staying for a/ reason, Thinikright;" she said. "I've had an, idea; I blelieve it's__a good one." He patted her shoxdder. "That's right, that's right." He gestured towaird the rolling expanse about them. "Fo* every drop of' water in thait ocean there are thousands of possibilities of good for e\'ery one of God' children. The shutters ate open, little one. Why shouldn't the blessins flew in 1?"

And sor 'began for Sylvia the visit whicih always after Wards stood Oiul in her memory xilnique in the poignanfr.y g{ it novel impressions. Despite the Eimplic'ty; of life at Anemiouo Cbttage, therb was an* order aiid smoothness in the mlanagemenit of details which, constajaily atoacted and ohivrmed the guest. The poetry of the wild enchanting surroundings was ever sounding a new note in sky or sea or flower,. and the oompuionship of 'Edna Doi^ent was uri eKpSrienoa whiicih iSlylvia "seiaed upon with an eagerness wholly devioiid of worldly considerations.

.., It was on a Friday that Thinkright had left he* at the island. During the uighfe a north-easb wind sprang up, and on Saturday a, etorin prevented the expeditioni after berries. It was a wonderful day to I Sjylvia.; , Torrents of rain beat upon the windows, the atmosphere was a blur which the surf thundered mysteriously. Logs blazed merrily in the gr«at fireplace. Sylvia found a feast °f many courses in the illustrations of the magazines. Edna was interested to see her discrimination. "Oh, I remember," «he vdd. "Miss Iracey told me your father wae an artist. ■ Miss Martha was sitting by the fire darning stockings, and at this she gave an involuntary alert glance at her niece where she sat with Bdna by the round table, her head bent above one of the periodicals. "Mjy father never learned to apply himself. He was not deeply interostested in his work," replied Sylvia. The b;lue eyes looked up into Edna's dark ones. "No one ever taught my father how to think right," she added.

"I see," returned MSaa Derwent; "but your interest must h*Ye been a great help to him." , "No, I was. never any help to him. As Tlook back I Mim to my self to hare been only a chryialis. T had eyes and saw not, and ears and heard not. T only began to life when I came to the lfil! Farm. Poor fathwP