Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-03-02

But here is Mr.. Herbert wanting to SO
out waiting too"
"Mr. Herbert" says my landlady, sur
prised in her turn
eyes, Mr. Herbert" repeats Crumms
and his laughter bursts out again like
smouldering fire.
| Immediately begin to enlist Mrs.
| Crumms on my side. She is amerry, good
natured woman, with rather partiality to
"wild young genis,' as she calls them,
and is fond Of telling tales about the
Young fellows round Newford when she
was at the Crown hotel There isn't any
thing particularly wrong in my going out
waiting with Crumms, but his wife seems
to think there is, and il puts her in mind
she says, of Mr.. Somebody at her old
place.
at is Just what he would do, sir" she
! continues: land did think you were such
a quiet young gentleman, Mr.. Herbert.
Law, Crumms," she adds, turning TO him,
"you wouldn't spoil a bit of fun like that,
/ know"
/ "But Mr. Domville--" begins her hus-
band.
! "Nonsense! Mr. Domville," replies.
:" He needn't know; and if he does, why,
he'd laugh as much as any one"
"But you will be careful, sir, won't
you.' says Crumms, yielding to the two
of u.s. "You won't let Mr.. Domville
know. There isn't any one likely TO be
there as will recognize you hope"
l satisfy him on these points; then Mrs
Crumms, with due regard for her position
among our neighbors, raises one nearer
home. ct won't do, though, sir" she
says, for you and Crumms to go out to-
gether The people about here all know
that he is going out waiting; and may be,
if they saw you together they might think
you were a waiter too" / don't see that
il would matter if they did, but TO my
landady such a mistake seems to repre-
sent some dreadful calamity; so it is ar
ranged that Crumms shall go first and
send a cab, and then wait for me IN the
crescent a little distance off
Three O'clock Crumms and are in the
cab on our way TO Bedford Square The
whole time he is either laughing at my
going out with him or nervous as to the
result. In the latter mood he is almost
piteous in bis entreaties to me 10 be care
| full, and repeats over and over again his
directions how to wait. We stop the cab
at the corner Of the street leading to the
| square, and walk on to the house
1t is big house with large hall.
There is window by the street-door at
one end, and broad staircase at the
other. The dining room is fair sized, the
walls are painted and hung round with
pictures. 1t is rather dark and heavy
looking, however, and the furniture is old
and massive. There are three servants
going about with trays and piles Of plates,
busy laying out the table. They stare at
me as | stand by the side Of Crumms, and
| he introduces me as q young friend who
wants to see little genteel waiting, and
whom he has made bold enough to bring.
| Then, as If that settled the matter, he goes
| off into business, and asks several ques-
tons as to the number and names Of the
| guests / notice that the servants all
treat him with great respect, and he, in re-
turn, is condescending and polite TO them.
With me, when they are in the room, he
assumes an authoritative air, and all the
time he is very grave, and looks as if the
cares of his position were too much for
him. He smiles once, when we are alone,
as hand him Jelly; and then, his mus
Giles being relaxed, his old fit of laughing
suddenly breaks out again. He cannot
laugh aloud, but he laughs inwardly, and
shakes so tremendously that the Jelly rolls
and trembes to an alarming degree; and
il is only by the means of promptly tax ing
il under my own protection, that Lsave 1t
from being shaken on to the floor.
90, Lor' p TO think Of you being here"
he mutters; and the next instant is gray
ity ITSELF as Mrs. Domvlle's voice is heard
on the stairs.
She is a middle-aged lady, and speaks in
a friendly manner to Crumms, and is par
ticular in her inquiries after his wife and
children lie points me out as young
friend of his, who had come to help him;
and Mrs. Domvile seems quite satisfied,
and goes upstairs again to the drawing
room.
-Four o'clock.-Tbe dinner is ready, and
all the guests have arrived. Crumms sta
tons me behind the door, and goes himself
to the head of the table, and l watch the
people as they come into the room and
take their places.
They are mostly middle aged, like their
host and hostess, and evidently old friends;
for several nod to Crumms, and one gen
tleman is quite hearty in his greeting, and
saws II would not seem like Christmas
dinner without him. Mr.. Dbmville
laughs, and asks after Mrs. Crumms; but
! Crnmms refuses to be thawed, and replies
in tone as If such trilling questions inter
fered with the responsibility Of his posi-
! ton.
So far everything has gone right. Then
comes slight mishap. just as everybody
| is seated and silent, and Mr.. Demviilc go
ing to say grace, Crumms gives me sig
nal and step forward quietly to close the
door. The movement attracts the atten-
ton of young Lady, who is sitting with
her back to me, and she turns round. She
evidently has not noticed me before,
and her laughing eyes scan me with sur
prise. Ny face Is a new one to her among
the many well-known faces round the
table. l suppose she thinks am guest,
who has arrived late and just come into
the room, and, seeing me standing there,
and no one taking any notice OF me, she
says, courteously:
"Isnt there chair for your" Then
turning round to Mrs. Domville, 20,
aunt here is gentleman left outside in
the cold"
Mr. Domville, instead of saying grace,
looks up, stares, and half rises from his
chair, while the company all turn toward
me. It is certainly an embarrassing mo-
ment; but Mrs. Domville comes to the res
| A. t. x.,,st ~.