A RISING FAMILY

New Zealand Tablet, 12 August 1909, Page 1247

A RISING FAMILY

At first the Minturns, the head of which family was a struggling lawyer, had few social aspirations, being considered ' poor.' The Allenders, on the other hand, were persons to be looked up to ; pater f amilias was a prosperous hardware merchant. But now, ten years elapsed, and the Minturns were on a- level with the Allenders, as far as external things were concerned. N Five .years more reversed the relations between the two families. The" Minturns still -went up, and the Allenders commenced going down.' One day, about this time, Mr. Minturn came home from his office, and said to his wife : ' I've got bad news ..to tell you about our friends, the Allenders.' " * / ' What is it ?' inquired Mrs. Minturn, evincing a good deal of interest, though not exactly of -the right kind. ' He's stopped payment.' 'What?' 'He failed to meet his notes in bank yesterday, an 1 to-day, I understand, he has called his creditors together.' 'I never thought there was a great deal of life about him.' ' Where are you going, Emeline ?' asked Mrs. Minturii of her daughter, who came down,' with her hat on, one afternoon about this time. ' I'm going to run around and see Clara Allender,' was replied. ' I'd rather you wouldn't go there, just now,' said the mother. " . 'Why not?' said Emeline. ' I have my reasons for it,' returned Mrs. Minturn. Emeline looked disappointed. She was muoh attached to Clara*, who jvas a sweet-tempered girl, and felt a week's absence from her as a real privation. In the course of a few years the relations of the families were further strained by the failure in business of Allender and the affluence of Mr. Minturn, who as the most successful lawyer of the community had been elected to Congress. Removal to the capitol city was a boon to 3fl§s. Minturn, especially -now that she had a daughter approaching the marriage age. And the opportunity was not lost. A young congressman named Erskine was selected by the resourceful matron as a fit son-in-law. - Upon their* return home, the Minturns showed themselves not to have lost anyof their self-esteem. They promptly ignored an invitation to the Allender home, as unfitting a family of their raising standing. It developed, however, that this was the most serious mistake of all. For one of the guests was Mr. Erskine, whose father and Mr. Allender had been old friends. On the next day Mr. Iprskine called upon Mrs. Minturn and her daughter, as he intended leaving the city in the afternoon. „,,•»»• 'We looked for you all last evening,' said Mrs. Muiturh. ' "Why did you not call around ?' > ' I was at a select party last night,' replied the young man. 'Weje you, indeed?' - ,„•,<» 'Yes. At Mr. Allender's. Do you know the family? 'At Allenders!' The tone of surprise, not altogether

unmingled with contempt, with which this was uttered by Mrs. Minturn, put Erskine a little on his guard. ' Do you know them ?' he asked, with some gravity of manner. 'Not very intimately. We had some acquaintance in former years, Jbut we have broken it off. They sent us cards of invitation, but we did not notice them.' ' What is their standing ?' 1 Not high. I believe none of our first people visit them.' On the day after, Mrs. Mintarn and her daughter called at Mrs. Allender's, and offered verbal regrets at not having been able to attend' the party. ' We. wanted to come very much, but both Emeline and I were so much indisposed that the doctor said we mustn't think of going out ' — forgetting at the moment the tenor of the note she had written only the day before. But scarcely were the words out of her mouth, when a glance of uneasy surprise from Emeline brought a recollection of this fact, and caused the blood to mount to her face. A sudden change in the manner of Mrs. Allender was conclusive evidence that she, too, was laying side by side the two conflicting statements. ' But even,' added Mrs. Minturn, in a" voice that betrayed some disturbance of mind, ' if we had not been indisposed a previously-made engagement would have been in. the . way of a pleasure that we shall always regret having lost. You had a highly select party, I understood.' ' Only a few old and much esteemed friends, that we invited to meet a gentleman who was passing through the city, whose father and. Mr. Allender are old acquaintances.' ' The Hon. Mr. Erskine, you mean,' said Mrs. Minturn, whose vanity led her to betray herself still more. ' Yes. Have you met him?' ' Oh, yes,' was replied with animation. 'We were very intimate at Washington. He showed Emeline very particular attention.' ' Ah ! I was not aware that you knew him.' ' Intimately. He called to see us yesterday, on the* eve of his departure for New Fork.' 'Oh, mother !'. exclaimed Emeline, as soon as they had stepped beyond the street-door, on leaving the house of Mrs. Allender, ' why did you say anything at all about Mr. Erskine, and especially after blundering so in the matter of apology?' The next winter came round, and the Minturns repaired again to Washington. Emeliue^ had hoped to receive a letter from Mr. Erskine, whom *sb.e" half believed to' be in love with her; but no such desire.d communication came. But she would meet him at the capitol ; and to that time of meeting she lboked forward with feelings of the liveliest interest. On arriving in Washington, at the opening of the session, she repaired, .on the first day, to the capitol. But much to her disappointment, a certain member from New York was not in his place: "3 . ' Where is Mr. Erskine ?' she asked of his colleague, whom she met in the evening. ' Has not arrived yet,' was replied. ' Will probably be along to-morrow or next day. He stopped in your city as he came along ; and I shrewdly suspect that he had in contemplation a very desperate a(st.' ' Indeed 1 What_was that?' returned Emeline, endeavoring to appear unconcerned. ' Taking to himself a wife.' . • „ , -, ' You surprise me,' said the young lady. ' Who is the bride?' ' I don't know. He said nothing to me on that subject.* It required a strong effort on the part of Miss Minturn to keep from betraying the painful shock her feelings fyad sustained. She changed the subject as quickly as possible. On the next day, it was -whispered about that Mr. Erskine -had arrived in- company with his newly-made bride. ' Who is she ?' asked both Mrs. Minturn and' her daughter; but no one to whom they applied happened to know. Those who had seen her pronounced her very beautiful. Two days passed, and then a bridal party was given, to which Mrs. Minturn and Emeline were invited. They had been sitting in the midst of a large company for about ten minutes, their hearts in a flutter of anticipation, when there was a slight movement at the door, and then Mr. Erskine entered' with his bride upon his arm. One glance sufficed for Mrs. Minturn and lier daughter — it was Clara ! While others were pressing forward to greet the lovely bride, they, overcome with disappointment, and oppressed by mortification, retired from the room-, and, ordering their carriage, left the house unobserved. , , It pays to get a reliable firm to «move your furniture. If you have to shift, get us to do the work. We will do it carefully, expeditiously, and economically. Also, if you have parcels to send, we, can forward them. Wo handle luggage, provide storage accommodation, and pass entries for town "and country traders.-The N.Z. EXPRESS.. CO., LTD. Offices all towns....