The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-07-15
DAILY LEADER.
From OhAmbers' Journal
A DINNER By &.

GOnly one poun'-ten q week, sir, and no
extras; and 1 may say you won't find such
cheap airy lodgings anywhere else IN the
place; not to speak of the ses view /" and
the bustling lsndlAdy threw open the door
of the tiny sittiDg-room with an air which
would have become q Belgrsvian lsekey,
Il certainly was 8 coy, sunny little apart
ment with Just such q view of the sea,
snd.of nothing else Whatsoever, as is the
delight of an inland heart Twas reVolv-
ing in my mind how to make terms on the
most important point when she again
broke forth: IL can assure you, sir, l could
have let these same rooms again md again
in the last two days, if L had not given my
promise TO Mrs. johnson thss she should
have them next Friday fortnight, and /
would never go from my word, sif-never |
though this month is our harvest and it's
hard for me 10 have the rooms standing
empty. As L told my niece only yester-
day, 1 won't let forward again, not to
please anybody, for il don't answer, and it
worries me out of my life. And I'm sure,
sir, If you like 10 come for the fortnight,
Tll do my utmost TO make you comfort
able; and I slwsys have given satisfaction /;
and you could not find nicer rooms no.
where"
WNo," said I, taking advantage of her
pause for breath "these are very nice,
indeed. II suppose you don't object to
smoking p
The good womsn's face assumed E severe
expression, though / detected a oomical
twinkle in her eye. HWhy, sir, we al.
ways do say-but if it's only 9 cigar and
not one of them nasty pipes" -
smiled. ITO tell the truth, il gener-
ally is 8 pipe"
dis it noW2 Well, sir, if you please, we
won't say anything about it now. We
rave q lady ledger up stsirs, and if she
should complain, 1 can bat say that it is
against my rules, and thst I'll mention it
to you. And SO sir, il you please, I'll go
up nov, and see 10 your portmsntesu be-
ing taken ups" and thersupon she van
ished, leaving me in possession.
l threw my bag and rug on the sofa,
pushed a slippery horsehsir arm chair up
to the window, and sat down 70 rest and
inhAle the sea breezes with satisfaction at
being in hsrbor.
There we're fine bold cliff, Just precipi
tous enough TO make a scramble to the top
almost irresistible; there were long stretches
of yellow sand and shallow pools glitter
ing in the sunshine; and there was a breeze
coming straight from the north pole, which
quickened my blood, aud cent the color in
10 my sallow cheeks even as L drank it in
1 bathed, 1 walked, 1 climbed, L made
friends with the bOstmen, and got them
to take me out in their fishing smacks; but
still, with returning vigor, l began to crave
not q little for some with more
c~ongenisl spirits than those honest tars
and my loquacious lsndlsdy. l inscribed
my name on the big board at the library
1 did all that man could do to make my
existence known, but nearly a week passed
away, and still my fellow creatures held
slooL.
had bean out for the whole of one
windy afternoon, tossing on the wares,
watching the lobster fishing, and came in
at sunset, tolersbly drenched with spray,
and with terrific appetite. As 1 opened
the door of my little sitting room, I beheld
most welcome sight-the white dinner
cloth, and lying upon it a csrd-s large,
highly glazed, unmistsksble visiting card.
With eager curiosity, l snatched it up, but
curiosity changed 10 smAzemsnt when /
read the name, "Sir Philip Hetherton,
Grantham Park" Sir Philip HethertOn,
Why, in the name of all that is incompre-
hensible, should he call on me? ] hsd
never even heard his name; l knew no
more of him than of the man Ia the
moon. Could he besome country mGgnate
who made it a duty to cultivate the &C
uusintance of every visitor to LiBbeach 2
If so, he must have a hard time of it even
in this unfrequented region. My impR.
tience could not be restrained till Mrs.
Plumbs arrival with the chops; snd q pull
on the bell brought her courtesying and
smiling.
al suppose" began 1, holding the card
with assumed esrelessness between my flu
ger and thumb, az suppose this gentleman,
Sir Philip Hetherton, called here today ~
80 yes, sir, this afternoon; not an hour
ago"
"He inquired for me2"
AYES, sir; he asked particular for young
Mr.. Olifant, and said he was very sorry to
miss you. He's q very pleasant spoken
gentleman, is Sir Philip"
HAh, 1 see. Is he often at Linbeach 2
Does he know many perple living in the
place 2"
@Well, 1 don't think be has many
friends here, sir at least, 1 never under
stood so; but he owns some Of the houses
in the town, and he is very kind to the
Door. No one is eve turned away from
bis door empty-handed, and I've a right to
say so, sir, for my brothers widow lives in
one of the lodges at Granthsm. he put
her into it when her husband was drowned
at sea, and he's been a good friend to her
ever since"
All this was not what I intended 10 find
- IT I la 1narpaI ffroun avpariaDan
that Mrs. Plumb's tongue must hsve its
swing. 1 now mildly brought her back TO
the point; "Does he see anything of the
visitors?"
mot to my knowledge sir. He some
times rides in an afternoon, for Grantham
is only four miles from Linbesch but l
don't think he ever stays long"
So it was not apparently an eccentric IN,
stance of universal f~riendliness, but a social
mark of honor paid TO me- 1t grew more
and more mysterious. However, there was
nothing TO be gained by pumping Mrs
Plumb further and aslI fWas dscreetly
minded to keep my own counsel, dis
missed her. But meditating long and deep
" over my solitary dinner, l came at last
TO the unweleOme conclusion, that Sir.
Philip Hetherton must have been laboring
under some strange delusion, and inst
should see and hear no more Of him. l
was rather in the habit of priding myself
on nv Judgment and discrimination but
in this instance they we're certainly st
fault. for within three days 1 met bmfsee
to face. 1 was slowly strolling along one
of the shady country lanes which led in
land between corn6elds and hedgerows,
when 1 encountered a portly, ~grsy-hsired
gentleman, mounted on an iron gray cob
and trotting slowly tewards binbeach. he
surveyed me so iDquisitiVsly ont If his
merry blue eyes, that the thought crossed
me, could this be the Fe1itsble Sir PhllPf
I smiled st my own vivid imaglnshoni
INIT I must confess that before l had pro-
ceeded another hslf-mile, l faced rouna
and returned to Linbesch far more Driskly
han l had left it l had scarcely stepped
into Mrs. Plumb's passage, when that per
| sonsge herself met me open-mouthea, win
| a pe1ciI.nots in her hand. l
40 Mr.. Olilsnt, l wish you had come IN
rstber n Mr.. Philip hiss been here
sosin. and as be could not see you, ne
wrote this note, for he had no time to Wall.
I wss quite yexed that it happened So
Evidently the good woman was July
immersed with the dignity 81 the event
and mot a little hattered al the honor PAID
1v,anad tAbn note. and It