The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1870-01-14
Aunt PlyMtOn's PigcOn-I'ie
BY SUSAN ARCHER WEISS.

El SUSAN ARCuEK WEISS.
! 1t was the most charming place i'm.
aginable, the little country inn wherc-
at my Aunt Plympton and I were
spending the summer, "for the bene.
fit of her health,' as she expressed
it. Standing just within the pretty
village, in the cool shadows Of elm
and linden trees, its white walls, and
queer little windows, and steep gable.
roof peeping through a mantling of
ivy and Loneysuckle vines, its aspect
was the very ideal Of a country inn.
Nor was it less pleasant within. The
coolest, and neatest, and most airy
parlors and chambers, the whitcst OF
floors, the purest Of linen draperies,
and the most inviting Of lavender
scented beds-all these left us moth
ing to wish for in the way Of accom-
modations. Then the cuisine was
excellent-equal, my aunt admitted,
to that of any city hotel that she
had ever scen--and so neatly and
tastefu;ly served. This excellence
might be accounted for from the fact
that our host, Mr., or, he preferr-
ed to be called, Mons. Verdict, was a
Frcnchman, though the past thirty
years Of his life had been passed in
this country. His father, he explain
ed with some pride, had been 'cuisi;a-
Ter en- chef to a frst-class London ho-
tel, and from him he had learned
zone lcetle, one very leetle" of the
art which rendered his house so at
tractive to visitors. 1t was even, he
assured us, preferred by many to the
new rival Hotel recently opened
in the village, and at whose table of
"plain boiled and roast" he sneered
in polite and we'll bred manner as
became Frenchman.
| For the rest, Monsieur, a brisk,
talkatiye little man, was exceeding
| ly polite and attentive to his guests,
and especially so to my aunt, whom
he understood to be rich, and whom
he consequently overcharged in every
item of the numerous "extras" which
in her character of invalid she was
accustomed to order. For these,
though more than suspecting the ex-
tortion. she paid ungrudgingly. She
was capricious. and accustomed to an
unlimited indulgence of her fancics
and caprices, having only herself to
provide for, and ample means of do
irg that. And Monsieur, our host,
being as l have said, obsequious and
attentive, and everything as perfect
in it's way as could>be expected at a
country inn, my aunt, generally rath-
er difficult to please. admitted her
self as satisfied"
"Indeed,' said my aunt, as in an
unusually amiable mood she sat be
side an open sitting-room window en-
joying her first peaches and cream,
(my aunt was something of gour-
mandy "!ndeed, one ought to be con
tent in a place such as this. Here
is all that one can reasonably desire
-neatncss, comfort, pure and healthy
air, beautiful scenery, excellent cat
ing, and a kind and obliging host
Yes, | know very we'll that he over
charges me, but we must not expect
perfection in human nature. and cs.
pecially not in an inkecper. / am
willing to pay for what l get and feel
that in that man | have a friend.--
He likes to see me gratifed, though
he turns it to his own interest also.
If he charges higher than the real
worth of the thing, he yet.supplics
ME with the best. Upon that point
can trust him.
Her eye roved mcditatiyely over
the distant landscape, as she slowly
swallowed her cream aud peaches,
mouthful by mouthful, with lingcr-
ing relish Of their flavor. Then her
gaze travelled as slowly back, till
they rested on NJ. Verdet's old gray
parrot, which had stalked along the
balcony rail, and now sat inquisitive-
ly eyeing US at the window.
II do hate parrotts," she remark
ed sharply, land Of all tho birds
ever cav this is the most disgusting.
Why, it has lost all its gray feathers
the only attraction these creatures
possess.
| "Ah, madame" said NJ. Verdict,
who, entering the piazza at the mo.
ment in search of the bird, h~a caught
my aunt's remark-"Ah, madame
be pitiful to my poor bird-my ol.
friend. She was the friend of m,
wife, madame, now no morc!" ant
tears started to the eyes of our host
"Ah, indced!" said my aunt pani
tently; "then Of course she is priced
monsieur.
''Ah, SO priced, madame so priz
cd!'' said monsieur, hugging tn
creature to his breast. ''Not fo
gold would exchange my Isabelle
the long-past friend Of my wife de
ceased"
sIhat man has a GOOD heart - ra