The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-24

Your aunt and Flo might initiate you into prices
An evenings amusement provided for you all
:. That seemed likely, to be the only agreeable
grest deal of the burden off her mother, and we
two made famous gress-considering
chroIic frtston between us OF some years
However next morning, when fairly started
behind good horse for my twelve miles drive
to Cullerton House, affairs took different com
plexiop. The business itself did not trouble NE
much; what did not know / could arrive at by
audacious guessing, and reference to Florence
on my return.EFor the rest, was not to demon.
very fact OF my tutored ability to carry off awk-
ward circumstancesY On my arrival at Cutler
ton House, place of some pretensons, sent
in my card and note my uncle had written,
speaking of me as gentleman whom he en-
ployed con 6dentally. Waiting in a well-lined
library for further directions, with new sense
of strangeness 10 such place, | smilingly re-
cured to my uncls's advice not to go quite as
for morning call. By-and-by Mr.. Guest made
his appearance, very hurried and embarrassed.
Mr.. Livesay, l believe referring to my card,
which be held in his hand. Come Upon
ah-Mr. Smith Pentlands business l bowed.
How would 1t do to begin here at onceH he
went on TO say, with the air OF n man scre wing
up his courage to taking the first uncomfortable
header, but only equal as yet to dabbling in the
water. 1T may be as well to-eXercise little
artifce. You are waiting for me here, you
ah-Understand. And II the servants come
III
There is occupation for some minutes Of
Walllng on JuCSe SlGlYes, Sir Salu 1, GrdVely.
Exactly Mr.. Ltvesay. Then here is q list for
your guidance. l will return in a few minutes
And TO get himself out OF the room so quickly
appeared an almost astounding relief to him.
Completely beaten though he was by the present
humlliating situation, one could see that by
nature he was arrogant and somewhat over
bearing. | could well understand what my
uncle spoke of as Mr.. Guests perfect inability
to keep within his income; for to him the small
but very necessary economies of life would pro-
badly seem paltry and degrading. However, he
had bought contrary experience, and was now
paying for il,
we young fellows are more apt at detecting
the aosurdities than the hardships of such
situations, and only behave well about them
because as men OF the world, we do not, in
our phras eology, go in for tue embarrassing.
But in rather an odd way was 1 to feel the pathos
also. In going through the list prepared for
me, could not fail to perceive here and there
blotch of ink, binting very sensibly at tears
spent in the writing. 1t was the work OF q
lady-one OF the guests themselves, probably.
Should see her? and how would she take it?
Was anything TO be made out from her work.
manship? ! set myself to examine it, but
whether or not have small penetration into
character, it told me little. There was clear
| arrangement certainly, and completeness, if
that went any way y-and it did, when one
thought also ofthe blurred ink spots.
Voices outside warned me to put an end to my
| speeulatons, and made haste to be ready for
| Mr.. Guests return, which was only degree less
| hurried than his first entrance. Il think, Mr.
Livesay, ifyou would follow plan Which
| plan, untolded with much hesitation and diff
| fusiyeness had evidently been prepared for him
| outside.
1t was that luncheon should be ready in an
| hour in the dlnlng-room. Mr.. Guest was mean
| while to conduct me upsta rs, as If for little
| attention to my toilet after my journey. and
| the rest you can carry III your mind as you pass
| through. very handsome bird, you remark,
and well stuffed We were now in the hall and
a servant was passing. John, are the ladies' in
the breakfast room? Come, and be introduced
| to my daughters Mr.. Llvesay.'
I a q
| to mystify the servant was bitterer work than
any. He betrayed it by the very. sharpness OF
tone, momentary as it was, IN which he imme-
! diatey after furnished me with certain informa-
! tion-as II to warn me not to presume upon an
| introduction that could not be avoided, but
! which went for nothing in the ordinary sense.
| j dare say the cautious, almost shy circuit my
! eyes made OF the room and its inmates was
! ascribed by Mr.. Guest to my sufficient sense Of
| all this. Miss Alice Guest, the younger of the
two ladies of the family, was sitting IN spirit.
! less attitude by the fire: Miss Guest herself
girl of about twenty, was writing at the table.
And, although there were traces of tears on her
face, and she could not help looking downcast,
yet she was sufficiently composed TO think for
the best, and try to be eonciatory, as the most
polite course. She was not quite pretty, but
altogether nice; had nice soft. gentle ways
which did not in the least prevent her, as was
not long in finding out, from being the ruling
power in the house Indeed with no one else
did there seem TO remain any judgment or en-
deavor. felt Tor her very keenly when, upon
her father appealing TO her for the explanation
of something in the inventory not quite clear
to either of us, she came across to us and
pointed out what We required quite patiently
and intelligenlly, although all the while her
poor hand irembled so she could scarce turn
over the leaves. l very much liked the kind
honest eyes that met mine in momentary
glance; very much wished they had been less
! troubled.
And decidedly wished myself well out of the
rom long before / had finished. The father
was querUlous, yet deprecatory the girls sat on
in an awkward silence. A young fellow of
| about eighteen looked in at the door; his
! fathers Introduction drew from him stiff,
| hostile bow; turning on his heel he went out,
| closing the door with bang; there was dull
anger shown towards me by abby all except
! Miss Guest. l grew to ieel almost as If the
aegresston was mine; said within myself tnat
whilst my uncle had undoubtedly acted wisely
and kindly by the Guests, he had not shown
much consideration for me. True, he had
protested to make it entirely optional, but
| then
Going through with Mr.. Guests programme,
| / reached the dining. room and luhcheon.
Now DO, Dick, do,' / heard Miss Guest say,
| from outside the door. He is very WELL indeed
| he is 1t can't hurt you 70 sit down TO lunch son
with him. Ips because OF the servants, you
! you 10 talk If you can't she added coaxingly-
! coming IN as she poke; Dick treating me to his
anathemas pretty freely as he followed her.
The color few into her face at sight OF me- for
certainly she had rot meant me to be OF her
| audience. / was sorely tempted to carry il with
| a high hand towards Mr.. DioB bat kept before
me tue especial reason ofmy uncle's choice and
| recovered myself 10 time. l readily forgaVe
him when h ard, as did afterwards, that he
was expecting his commission, when this unfor-
tunate crisis ia his fathers affairs put OF his
expectations indefinitely even if worse did not
follow. IL was natural he should confound me
not show herself. Alice has the headache,
| naDa. SAID Miss Guest in answer TO her father