Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1873-05-08
A MEAN MAN.
nv ANY. sunnc

lot the summer, When Mr. Chester took
the attic room, and the feminine por-
ton of the Household Immediately sal
in judgment upon the proceeding.
Fan expressed heropiRion in herusu.
al curt and decisive way, and Fan was
an authority among us. She was my
first cousin, and when grandfather died
he left us each twenty thousand dollars
Fan being an orphan, and only twelve
years old at the time, her share of the
property was put in the care of Mr..
Joseph Reynolds, grandfather's lawyer
and mine was taken care of my father
We were just of an age, Fan and !,
and We had shared one home and one
room ever since the death of Uncle and
Aunt Wyatt had left Fan an-orphan at
three years of age. So one morning,
when father informed us that Mr.. Jo-
seph Reynolds had committed suicide,
after having got rid of all his trust
money, including Fans legacy, we re-
ally could not see that it made any ma
terial difference in Fans present COM
fort.
We were seventeen years old then,
and l solemnly promised Fan TO give
her half of my small fortune when
was of age, and received in return an
assurance that, were the matter reversed
she would do the same thing; and so
the affair rested for three years, dnring
which fine Fan and l developed from
gawky schoolgirls into young ladies,
were introduced into society, dressed in
the fashion, and were mistaken for sis
ters by all newly inn oduced strangers.
The summer at Cold Harbor was of
Fans planning, and we were under the
care Of old Mrs. Somers, which meant
that We were in reality at perfect liber-
ty to follow our own inclinations in all
respects.
After the feminine discussion above
referred to, Fan came up stairs to our
room, and said to me:
"Lou, met Mr.. Chester on the stairs,
and he is the same one.''
1t is refreshing to know he is no.
body else," said.
"But he is the same Mr.. Chester we
met last winter, that Charley told US
about ffa tt#
81 don't remember 1 said, truly
enough. Z % -
"You don't, You don't remember
the tall pale gentleman who used to
come to Wright's, and dressed so very
meanly?"
"Oh, yes" 1 said, with sudden flash
of memory, ''the one you abused so
roundly." @t'-Eoi- t'i-f-i-
81 didn't abuse him. l said he was
mean, and he is mean. l hate mea
ness" said Fan, with quite superflu
GUS amount of energy for such hot
day.
How do you know he is mean?"
"You provoking girl! You know
Charley told us he was junior partner
of S. 6 Co., with a handsome share of
the profits, and yet he said no one in
the concern worked so hard; he worked
early and late, and Charley said must
be saving lots of money, for lie would
not even buy luncheon, but ate crack
ers or sandwiches i'm the office. He
boards in a mean little room, and dres-
ses so poorly that one would suppose he
was living on a salary of five dollar a
week."
He is neat, amt he ?"
"Neatw with an accent of intense
scorn. 81 think a man with hand
some income, and alone in the world,
might be something more than neat.
And here, think of his taking one OF
those stuffy little attic rooms because
they are cheap, when there are two
good rooms vacant
" How do you know he is alone in the
world?"
a heard him tell Mrs. Wright he had
not a relative. Charley says he has
worked himself nearly sick, and the
doctor has ordered him out of town for
a month. l wonder what he came here
for?''
L" cannot imagine, y said demurely,
never needing the warm blush on Fans
cheek, sunless it was he fell in love
with me last winter"
"Why, l didn't know You ever spoke
to him. F
"Oh, yes. 1 have said good-evening
to him at Mrs. Wright's several times.
l fancy my blue silk was the magnet
that drew him to Cold Harbor. con-
slider myself altogether irresistible in
that blue silk" ..-- e.
"Oh!"
Then there fell upon us long silence.
Fan sat biting a palm-leaf fan and look
ing from the window, and sat sewing
and admiring Fan. As did so, it sud-
denly struck me that Fan was trifie
more gorgeous than was usual with her
at that hour in the morning. Her chintz
suit was crisp and fresh, and the pink
ribbons at her throat and fluttering
from her crop OF short brown curls
were new, and tied with an especially
iaunty care. There was a certain air
of coquetry about the whole effect that
Fan was not accustomed to bestow upon
Mrs. Somers and myself, as yet the only
other boarders at Cold Harbor.
"H'm!' thought. 'If Mr.. Chester
wasn't so mean, and Fan didn't hate
meanness so much, should really i'm
agine those pink ribbons were intended
to subdue entirely the Chester heart"
Then l studied the tall slender figure,
the perfect features, the nut-brOwn
eyes and hair, the creamy complexion,
vivid color, and pretty rosebud mouth
of Fan, marked the dainty little foot in
its neat slipper, the pretty little hand
holding up the palm-leaf fan for sacri-
flee, and | wondered If anybody could
help loving my pretty cousin. H4
1t is a pity he is miser," thought
for l did begin to reeollect Mr.. Chester
as man of pleasant manner and cul-
tivation.
Before week had passed wondered
how l could have forgotten him. If ht
wore only the coarsest linen, the cheap