TER XIX.

THE RECTOR'S GARDEN PARTY.

A few days after the tennis party at the Manor, at which Bertram had
talked a good deal to Beatrice, and in a very marked way snubbed Matty
Bell, the Rector gave his customary annual treat. He gave this treat
every year, and it was looked upon by high and low alike as the great
event of the merry month of August. The treat lasted for two days, the
first day being devoted to the schools and the humble parishioners, the
second to the lads and lasses, the well-to-do matrons and their spouses,
who formed the better portion of his parishioners.

Every soul in the place, however, from the poorest fisherman's child to
the wealthy widow, Mrs. Meadowsweet, wag expected to come to the Rectory
to be feasted and petted, and made much of, at Mr. Ingram's treat.

With the small scholars and the fishermen and their wives, and all the
humbler folk of the place, this story has nothing to do. But it would
not be a true chronicle of Northbury if it did not concern itself with
the Jenkinses and their love affairs, with Mrs. Gorman Stanley and her
furniture, with Mrs. Morris and her bronchitis, with Mrs. Butler and her
adorable sister, Miss Peters, and last, but not least, with that young,
_naive_, and childish heart which beat in the breast of Matty Bell.

There are the important people in all histories, and such a place in
this small chronicle must the Bertrams hold, and the Meadowsweets. But
Matty, too, had her niche, and it was permitted to her to pull some not
unimportant wires in this puppet show.

It is not too strong a word to say that Matty, Alice and Sophy Bell,
received their invitation to play tennis at the Manor with a due sense
of jubilation. Matty wore the shot silk which had been partly purchased
by the sale of good Mrs. Bell's engagement ring. This silk had been
made, at home, but, with the aid of a dressmaker young Susan Pettigrew,
who had served her time to the Perrys. Susan had made valuable
suggestions, which had been carried into effect, with the result that
the shot silk was provided with two bodies--a high one for morning wear,
and one cut in a modest, demi-style for evening festivities. The evening
body had elbow-sleeves, which were furnished with raffles of
coffee-colored lace, and, when put on, it revealed the contour of a
rather nice plump little throat, and altogether made Matty Bell look
nicer than she had ever looked in anything else before.

The wonderful Miss Pe