The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-07-17
Story with Two Ends.

Miss Flutters was at home. John
said, in the drawlug-room.s Mr.. tlut-
tiers had left word that hexwould be
home soon, but had not yet returned
from his. club. ltT .ea- = h fT
That didn't matter; Miss Flutters
would do as well as her papa. John
looked doubtful. He had old-fash-
toned notions. and approved of chap
erones, and the street door was held
partly e What was to be done?
Between the, hall and the drawing
room there was. a great gulf liked; the
resolute old hangeron resembled ada.
mant. represented that to an engaged
man etiquet slightly unbends; butthis
John could not be brought to see, and
the return Of Mr.. Flutters would prob
ably have found me still lowering on
his door-mat, had / not unexpectedly
found an advocate s4a4 .5n4ak
Slowly across the darkened hall
came a little figure i nawhite pinafore,
with bright curls falling round a sober
little face and grave astonished eyes,
wondering at, the unwanted sounds
that were breaking the stiffness of the
twilight hour stew taa9 atsA 2tt Hifh
;"Conny," I said, with a new hope,
born of the little figure before, ''mayn't
[ come IMP ~
1a"John, what is this?" said my small
defender, "Why don't you let Mr..
Stevens came in? Open the door di-
rectly."
Beg pardon, Miss COMFY" said the
old man, giving way before authority,
"but Mr.. Stevens wants to see your
papa, and your papa isn't in
At this unanswerable argument
COMFY looked puzzled. why don't
you go away, them" she said, frown-
ing a little, for my behavior seemed to
her unreasonable. and COMFY had be-
gun to read Mills Logic" and was
no co%untenancer of folly.
Music was heard from the drawing
room-that drawiDg-room from which
[ was excluded-and [ became des-
perate. The minutes were slipping
by; precious minutes when spent in
the drawing-room; and she who might
have saved me had gone over to the
opposition and sided with the butler.
COMFY" | said, speaking sensibly, as
an appeal to her understanding, and
looking w%retched, as an appeal to her
heart, Il don't want to see your papa
until he comes In. but I'm tired and
cold:.maynt | come in and rest. and
warm myself ii little at your drawing
room iref"
There's a fire in the dining-room,'
said COMFY, shrewdly guessing, now
that John was protecting the drawing
room, and not feeling quite sure her
self as to the proprieties; won't that
do?" ~
Well, no, COMFY" [ said, II don'i
think it will. it's SO cold and draughty
it made me dreadfully i'll last time.
couldn't bend my back for a week"
Conny's pity began to show itself in
her eyes; she looked at John for in
struction. ready to give in if her ally
were so inclined, but that worthy was
quite unmoved. rfsF
Its all nonsense, Miss COMFY" he
said, with a grim smile; the dining
room amt draughty a bit. Mr.
Stevens can go in there if he likes
there's a beautiful fire, and I'll lei
him know when your papa comes in
In hne, John was not to be done
could by no means be got over; so
accepted the compromise, and walked
dismally in, followed by Conny, who
evidently considering herself in the
light OF my jailer, proceeded to lay
herself out to a considerable amount
for, my benefit. She shut the door
firmly, poked the fire into "a bright
blaze, satisfied herself hat the atmos.
phere was that Of a bake house, and
sat down on the hearth-rug at my
feet, prepared for conversation.
But | wouldn't speak, and soon the
pain in my back caused sundry groans
dismal enough to awake pity in Con,
ny's soft little heart.
What is it?" she said, after she
had borne II as long as she could IL
silence. Your back? Isn't the fire
warm enough?"
Warm enough [ should think il
was. COMFY must have been a sala-
mander to have mentionedthe subject
without a blush. l~u=11B3
1T isn't the fire. COMFY" groaned
its the draught; never mind, you
cant help it. Iamust bear it as well
as Lean till your papa comes in. 40
Il cant understand" Ccpny said
with some impatience at thi,, nit Of
her knowledge; ."the do fasr
closed" and she shook it as proof.
It's the chinks, COMFY" 1 groaned