The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1872-02-08
Kenneth's Ambuscade.
A Charming Story.

A Charming Story.
"Three girls domiciled in the yer.
next room. There's an end of m.
writing for one month at least"
Kenneth Ross pushed his papers in
to confused heap, and lighted a sega
in sort of quiet despair.
"There are my cousins Flora, Alice
Aymer and Rosa Fernall-blue eyes
| black eyes, and melting gray. By thu
way that monkey Rosa isn't bad look
ling. l rather fancy that peculial
shade of filbert brown hair, and big
gray eyes, and cheeks where the BLOOD
/ ffutters like pink pennon. Ross
Fernell would make tolerable study
for my next heroine-I may as wei
kput her to some useful purpose
HeigholD
Kenneth Ross paused q moment a:
the peal of girlish laughter echoed il
the adjoining apartment.
They are laughing at me. I'll wa
ger my opal scarf. Girls always think
bachelor fair game they've no more
respect for the dignity of man than Sc
many Brazilian monkeys"
And Mr.. Ross looked rather COM
piacently in the mirror opposite, which
reflected a oval brown face, with shin
ing black hair and mustache, brilliant
dark eyes, and a mirthful, spirited
mouth.
Tapi tapl tapl sounded softly on
the panel of his door even while he
was engaged in taking personal sur
7ey of himself, and he had just time
to take his feet off the table before
Miss Flora Edgeworth put her sum
shiny little head into the room.
:" Cousin Kenneth, are you there %
8, Yes"
g May we come in?"
g Why, you'll come in whether /
grant permission or not, and may as
well say yes"
g I just want the girls to see what a
dear little scholarly den you have got
here, all hung with pictures and meer-
schaums and deer's horns, and darling,
dismal skulls, and" .e..
Flora threw open the door and adj
ing damsels of eighteen and twenty
one.
"Here he is, girls; the old bachelor,
DIS 1lC appears III LIS udblIO w 4l0o
"Now,I tell you what, young ladies"
said Mr.. Ross, throwing his half smek-
ed cigar deliberately outof the window
" l must trouble you to be little less
unceremonious." 81
For. Alice and Flora had pounced
upon his loose manuscript, and were
already laughing over the rather illeg-
ible chirography.
little confused. and very pretty in her
bushes and uncertainty.
eAlicei Flora don'tl' she appealed.
" It's no use, Miss Rosa" said Ken
meth desparingly, Girls, will you be
kind enough to leave my writing desk
alone? There is no use looking in
that drawer, either, unless you are
particularly interested in blacking
brushes and old boots"
Chow can you, Flora" pleaded the
shocked Rosa.
"Oh, my, girlsl" twittered Miss
Edgeworth, ecstatically, .shere's bot
tie of real Farina cologne. Out with
your pocket handkerchiefs-beq quick"
But Mr.. Ross preserved a stately
silence.
sDon't be cross, Kenneth" said
Flora, sprinkling scented dew on her
yellow curls, from the slender, for
eign shaped bottle. "We're going to
the postoffice now. Rosa Fernall has
written a twelve page letter to her
sweetheart out in Canada-"
"Floral" exclaimed Rosa Fernall,
turning scarlet.
Z" And pursued the relentless Flora,
we're going to post it.. Come, girls,
the sun is getting more oppressive
every minute" s.
And the next moment Mr.. Ross was
left alone in the summer silence of the
room, with heavy musk roses nodding
at the open easement, and the dreamy
murmur of Maple boughs and far-off
bees in his ear.
g A twelve page letter to her sweet
heart ]" pondered Mr.. Kenneth with
a very ominous contraction of his eye
brows. She must have something
very interesting to write. / wonder
who he is, Canada, eh2 wish it was
Van Dieman's Land"
Mr.. Ross rose from his easy chair,
and began to walk up and down the
floor. is
g It's too confounded hot to breathe
herew he said, impatiently taking up
his straw hat, " III go and take tramp
in the woods. Twelve pages what
could she have found to fill up twelve
pages"
Flora Edgeworth had succeeded in
planting thorn in her cousins breast,
all unconscious though she had been.
The sun was low in the cloudless
western sky, when Kenneth Ross re-
turned from his abstraeted ramhie in
the woods, and the wide old fashioned
country house was very still, as he
assembled the oaken staircase, and went
absently along the corridor towards
his own apartment.
"Hallop
Mr.. Ross gazed vacantly around the
room with something of the bewilder-
ed feeling that might have belonged to
the eastern prince, when he found
himself transported from pole to pole
in an enchanted dream. tr1s.~
I" I'm in the wrong room 1 do be-
lieve. for there is Flora Edgeworth's
white zephyr shawl on the bed, and
Rosa's black velvet Derby hat, and no
end of ribbons and gloves, and lace
collars on the bureau. don't see how
ever came to make such blunder-
must have been in brown study !"
He balanced the coquetish little
black velvet Derby hat" on his hand
as he spoke.
:" So this is the fashionable style. of
the chapeau, eh ? 1t certainly is fact
that women borrow their dress ideas
is just a fac ssnlile of my last summers
4 kIx-k Il. L L a..