Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-01-18
THE NOM DE PLUME.

nOrrOw, states MI. fOike EOrteScue, with hf-
teen-year-Old majesty. And for very good
reason"
1t is Folkes study-hour, and Folke has no
business to talk Mr.. Gorme, his tutor, seated
at an opposite end of the room, adheres answer
lessly to his newspaper. He has persuaded
himself that total disregard is the only way of
doing the slightest damage to his pupils i'm
mense loguaeity.
Sister Grisell is coming home this evening""
Pursues Folke, narrowly Observant of his tutor,
matter of hearing more. al didn't know any
thing about IL till this morning. Wasn'tit mean
of father not to tell me? He didn't want my
mind taken OFF my studies. Sweet excuse"
Silence ON the part of Mr.. Gorme, while
Folke relapses into the classic pages for which
he nas prSnI h; tpa ATM with Certain
be curious about anything.
Meanwbile, Mr.. Gorme is very curious indeed,
withoutshOwing it. He has been with the For
tesques, father and son, during half May and
all June, and in that time has heard many fond
illusions TO the absent daughter of the house.
Now she Is having q suberb time with the Some
bodys at such-and-such a place; again, her
quarters have changed, and she has gone among
fresh friends and entertainers now. Magiste-
pedestal, and pulls in his august horns, and
turns n shade more human generally, when he
mentions ''my daughter Grisell."
Besides all this, Mr.. Gorme has seen a por-
trait of the young lady that hangs in her
fathers study here at Longsbore. Her father
is like, for his own part. He believes that the
women with lily white SKINS great full threats,
small heads, whose profuse auburn hair waves
cTisPly and with limpid eyes the colored tur-
guoise, do not as a rule, exist outside Of artists
dreams and poets fine frenzies.
While he sits here in the schOol-room, seeming
10 the mind of poor Folke so complete jelly
fish of indifference, he can not help wishing
that Mr.. FOrtescue had spoken few words
that morning relative to his daughter sexpected
return. Hitherto Folke and himself have
breahfasted and dined with the master of the
house; but doubtless that arrangement will be
unpleasant to its young mistress, who viii
probably entertain many friends at Longshore
during the remainder of the summer. Mr.
Gorme has heard Folke say that she is a great
favOrite with lots of people.
..You may come and take a walk with me if
YOU Ike" he tells Folke, when study hours are
over. Z" am going down TO the marble rock. +"
"And l am going to drive the ponies down to
the station for father and Grisell,- announces
Folke. :. They are coming in the half past six y
frmness. 9. The ponies are not very safe, Folke.
can't let You drive them unless your father
gave YOU permission"
with the air of one who produces a trump-card
to his opponents huge discontinue.
MIR. Gorme is only too glad, rs he tells him
card has been played. He dislikes everything
which fayors in the least of pedagoguish oppo'
stion to Folke's wishes; dlslikes even the privi-
Icge Of possible CONTROL disikes all that relates
10 his tutOrship, except Latin and Greek, which
is paid for driving into that handsome blonde
he sd so bitterly against its own owners will, And
charm for him, since he is dead tired of Virgil
fine as he thinks it, and the recurrent intelli-
nrmv Of King CYRUS. fails keenly to interest his
Mr.. Gorme leaves behind him the great, gray-
stone house. and passes downward through its
woody, trim-sw arded grounds to the The
marble rock glmmers whitley from mHltitudes
of others that In noblest turmoil of picturesque
ness, edge this beautiful, heavy-foliaged shore.
He perches himself upon the marble rock, pro-
duces a vast meerschaum, and, while smoking
il, lets himself passionateiy enjoy the murmur
flto cn1o nj nf hiS a ffar-
noon beside the sea.
But the endowment does not last Ions for
certain nameless discomfort draws him away
from this happy lotus-feast and makes his lus-
ciOus yiands unpalatable. Nameless he might
deceive himself by calling it, but not nameless
Fortescue is coming TO Longshore. Until now
he has almost felt, as times, as though this de-
lghtful pleasure-land were his own. When
freed from his duties with Folke, he could wan
der where he listed, smoking in the summer
house, writing in the library from the great
bronze family-inkstand itself, scattering his
books about the sitting and altogether
behaving with a sort of wild proprietorship by
no means unweicome- The coming woman
must put an end to all this. Until now he has
..but fed on the roses and laid i'm the lilies" of
futorship. He Is going TO be taught his place,
cor, rather, 4 am going to learn IL without the
teaching" he suddenly mutters, while he rises
AFTER that, he goes home. 1t is about six
O'Clock as he enters the house. Folke has said
that they are coming in the half past-six train.
sent for after the servants have paid their re-
sPects thinking this thought with little satiric
He dresses. The operation Is rather labori-
Gus, for the reason that he has made no elabor-
ate toilet since be came to Longshore, content
ing himself with loosely comfortable summer
clothes, not to specify irresponsible neckties. A
short. curly, chestnut beard, the growth of the
past two months is made to suffer rigid inspec-
ton. He concludes that IL is mature enough
rot to extermnate with razor-and rather be-
coming, he also cannot help but conclude.
Going downstairs, he meets FOlke in the hall
Sister Grisell has come, he Is informed. Sister
Grsells dressing for dinner, Folke farther vol
unteers. Mr.. Gorme walks library-ward. gets a
bcoklfrom one of the MANY book cases, and tries
therein Ia absorb himself. Presently he throws
the book aside. rises and re-enters the hall
wanting to find Folke ana ask him how he is to
be about dinner Folke must know, aud surely
IL were far better il he himself should know as
vel little while beforehand.
lie has almost reached the library threshold
when something makes him paese. That some
thing II his own name in lips feminine
- Gorme-oh yes; remember you wrote me
when he came"
Lips masculine take up the dialogue
"A quite nice sort of person. Not over
twenty three, should suppose, and good-loOk-
weeks when 1 took him. 1 really think Folke
improves rapidly under his charge"
Twenty-three, lis the reply. " That seems
horribly young for a tutor.
Silence Mr. Gorme waits a little while.
then he appears In the hall. Mr.. Forteseue anu
ais daughter are both standing i'm the doorway
tooking out upon me Avn now. MT. rortcscuc
hears Mr.. Gorme's step on the resonant haiti
fittings. rs mods with great cordiality-the
sort OF cord atty that has wrung an inward
groan from his sons tutor many times before
now; Language in which Mr.. Fortescue en-
deavors TO make IL evident how civil he really
can be 20 Tom. 20 Dick. and % Harry, n0txith-
standing whole CULTS Of worldly ami social diff
ference. --- -.--
But Mr.. Fortescue attempts nothing more
than this beAning RoSi; he tsrns his head i'm
mediately away and goes on talking with his
daughter,
Nj. Gorme. however, persists in coming for
ward. since the introduction must take place,
IL had best be gotten over as SOU As possible.
He draws nearer. nearer, and finally Is near
enough 10 touch Mr.. Forteseue's shoulder II he
70 desires.
HAS Il been warm in the city to-day, sr'''
he wants 20 know, q little awkwardly.