Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-03-02
!. The greatest dif,culty | have is to

time. The greatest difficulty have is t.
keep my countenance, particularly when
hand ANYTHING to Miss Linton. She is 81
bright looking, and it is such fun to see thu
sparkle in her eyes, and the way they droI
if they meet mine, and a little represset
smile steal over her lips, that it taxes m,
powers 10 the utmost to keep from laugh
| ING, | feel that should very much likt
to change places with the young fellow
sitting by her side. He does not seem Il
have much to say for himself, and he ex
amines every dish, as it is handed to him
through an eye-glass. His inspection is Sc
long, and his nose is so close, that have {
growing inclination each time TO bob the
dish UP TO his face. For more than half TIKI
dinner he is silent, then he talks littlt
poIitics--stanch Conservatism-and Mis-!
Linton Immediately enunciates the strong
est radical principles, upholds woman 4
suffrage, and their having seats in Parlia
meat This seems to overwhelm him, aao
he rctires from the contest with sigh.
Later on, he tries again, when the mince
pies are being handed round.
Twill you have happy month"; me
asks, with a faint smile, which disturbs his
eye glass, and brings it down into his lap.
He readjusis it slowly, and, not trusting
himself TO repeat the joke, asks her TO
have some mince-pie
"No, thank you; never eat them," she
replies. 49, .,
SAYS, frowning, as if he were barrlster
cross examining witness, but probably
because his glass gives premonitory
slip.
90, yes; have tasted them, but don't
care about Them" she answers.
He has no comment to make upon her
reply, and he helps himself in silence.
SIR oclock Crumms and solemnly put
on the wine and the glasses, push the des-
sert dishes little one way or the other,
and leave the room.
Bravo whispers Crumms, when we
are in the hall. Bravo, sir With lit
tie teaching, you'd make capital wait,r.
And Miss Linton installing you for gen.
tlcman, too. What joke! At least" he
aGds, as if he suddenly feels that he has
made rather mistake himself, "of course,
that is what you are, and gent is always
gent, | say. But you understand, SIR 1t
was so ludicrous"
Perfectly. 1 understand, Crumms
What are you going to do now?"
"Well, sir" he says coming a little
nearer, II generally have something in
the housekeeper's room. Maybe you
wouldn't like that, though we should be
quite alone"
As want something to eat, and am not
particular where / get it. follow Crumms
down stairs into the kitchen. The servants
there are busy washing up the plates and
Dishes amid general smell Of dinner and
hot water, which is far from pleasant. The
| housekeeper takes us at once into her
room, where there is a cloth spread upon
the table, and row Of the good things
| from upstairs on kind of dresser.
"You are sure you don't mind, sir, says
Crumms to me, when we were alone, "be-
cause III wait till you are done, If you
like. am not hungry"
But am, and l shall not begin till you
do" answer; and we sit down together.
The soup is cold and fast becoming . jel~
ly the fish looks mangled and unsayOry !;
SO decline soup and fish. | find that the
having little something in the kitchen
after dinner Is over upstairs requires
training before it becomes really enjoyable.
Crumms evidently has had the full amount
Of training that is necessary. For man
who processes not to be hungry, and who
has had good dinner a few hours before,
he displays capability for eating that is
truly wonderful. | prefer the dishes that
have not been touched upstairs; he, on
the contrary, is on equally good terms
with all of them However, | get quite
enough to satisfy me, and there is novelty
in eating ones Christmas dinner with
waiter in back kitchen. The wine GER
tainly is the best part. Crumms has taken
care there snail be plenty of that, and
makes most liberal host with Mr. Dom
ville's port and sherry.
iSepen o'clock Crumms says he must
take the coffee up to the gentlemen, and
leaves the room. No sooner is he gone
than one of the servants comes in, appa-
rently in search of something Whatever
it is, she does not find it. She hunts about
vaguely for minute, and then stops OPP
posite to me.
$50 Miss Linton took you for gen.
tleman," she says with laugh. How
NIGEL"
miss Linton made an unfortunate mis-
take" answer gravely, initiating Crumms'
manner.
"Well, don't know about that" she
replies. There is certainly an excuse for
her doing So"
| This strikes me as being very open
flattery; hut, under the circumstances, it
| loses its point; moreover the speaker is
rather warm from standing over her tub OF
hot water, and very plain into the bargain.
| As don't answer, she tries another sub
ject:
"Iou are out of situation at present,
amt you!'
II nod -------
"Wherc were you 2" she asks.
In the country"
"Notts" she says, knowing Crumms
came from that part "And SO now you've
come to London"
At this moment Crumms shuts the
dining room door; and the girl, without
looking farther for whatever 1t was she
had pretended to come in to fetch, imme-
diately makes rapid retreat
| "Been pumping you, siry' says Crumms,
Jerking with his thumb in the direction OF
the kitchen.
Trying to-" answer.
"I knew they would" he replies. "They
are awful curious about you, them women.
l wouldn't stop here too long now. There
amt anything more for you to do, and
can say you've got an appointment to
| keen YOU know"