Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-08-21
Miscellany.
A CONFUSION OF TONGUES.
1.-THE WOMAN NARRATEs.
BY EDGAR FAWCETT.

1t is absurd Of Mrs. Ramsey; and I tell
her so, while seated at her little nonpareil
Of breakfasttables right opposite her dear
old bright-eyed face almost as blooming
under its gray waves of hair as the plump
pink peach | am about to excoriate.
The idea" | rebuhe, {" of your fancy
ing that shall be bored here in this love
ly spot for the next six weeks to come
indeed, / enjoy every moment"
: But Whitebeach isn't Newport" epi
grammatizes my hostess, with a doubling
smile " 1t certainly was very good OF
YOU, Gladys, 10 give up Newport, and le,
Eva 90 in your stead"
Not at all, :" I contradict, with sharp
stress. :" Aunt Ellen could only take one
Of us; why should it not have been Evas
| had gone for two summers; Eva never.
Poor girl, She deserves to see the whole
inhabited globe from end to end. If we
We're rich, Mrs. Ramsay, how | would
make them feast her eyes for her with
every inch Of Europe that she cared to
look at, throwing in as much of Asia and
Africa as she wanted, too"
But she is never the least saddened by
her atffiction," muses. Mrs. Ramsay
Last summer, when she stayed with me-
her slim white fingers were never weary
Of telegraphing to me her gay thoughts.' y
am about TO answer, when one of Mrs
Ramsay's maids enters the room with the
morning mail. Each of us has letter.
Mime Is from Eva. She is enjoying her
self Unspeakablv, and would be quite
happy but for the thought that | have
given up my Newport trip at the very last
moment, just because | fancicd that she
would relish going.
As soon as | have read nv letter,
glance toward Mrs Ramsay, and discover
that her face is wreathed in smiles, while
she levels fixed looks at her own letter
through the gold eye glasses she has late
ly dOnned.
You seem in a seventh heaven of
amusement" | remark.
She promptly lays down her letter and
accomplishes the mellowest little trill of
laughter
And so will you be, Gladys, when YOU
hear. 1t Is from my nephew, Eric Pal
mer" Then she takes up the letter and
tosscs it toward me, with another mirth-
full rouiade. Read for yourself Iasked
him here, you know, never dreaming tn at
he would come"
| Immediately read aloud the following
communication from Mrs. Ramsay's rela.
tive:
New YORK, August 8, 49,
Ny DEAR AUNT EDITH: Rumor has for once
p. ed herself not to be an exceptional falsi-
tit.. If you have heard that my engagement
is broken Off, you have heard correctly Last
week, Miss Brooke and declared a dissou-
ton of partnership, having previously OBJ
tanned the fun consent Of the contracting par
Don't scream with surprise when you read
that ! am coming to Whitebeach Mother
declares that 1,-iII INT b,l;n,.o
invitation has set before me, so to speak, the
most alluring social prospectus of any plan
which | can hit upon for spending the next
fortnight. had meditated Maine; | had pom
dered the Adirondacks; l had considered Lake
superior; but Whitcbeach offers me, just at
present, greater charm than all Viewed
from purely social point, perhaps ! shall
prove about rs enliyening to you as a skull
on the parlor table would be, or a chronic
wceper on the doorbell. Nevertheless, you
have brought me upon yourself; you have
caught me like a cold; YOU shall have me like
The measles. | shall take you at your word
and come.
while my resolution was forming, mother
suddenly recollected that YOU have the poor
deaf and dumb Miss Garthe at present staving
with you, during her sisters absence Mother
mentioned this fact, as though it might prove
an obstacle 10 my coming Obstacle for
sooth Had she told me that the articuIate-
speaking Miss Garthe was there, matters
would have reached an abrupt settlement
But assure YOU on the word OF gentleman
and cynic, that | consider, just now land
don't know whether / have not ALWAYS con
sdered lil1cwise(, the attributes of deafness
and dumhneSs in youthful woman to be two
Uf Natures most engaging possible gifts
! anu sure that Miss Garthe and | will be the
best Of friends. | don't talk with my fingers,
hut perhaps YOU will teach me how to make Il
digital request for the butter, or signaize cor
diaily that it is a nice day Let me beg of
you, oy-tAc-by, 10 prevent the young lady
from polIng any tablets at me; | don't want
10 be rupoltc, and don't want to be cruel
hearted, but-wen. | had hest nause here. or
YOU VIII rapidly dcnouucc me a. both. only
mean that your nephew is no more scribe than
Pharisee, and that if he has To be literary on
the subject OF whether il is going to rain or
not, and make little essays about the pleasures
OF saltwater bathing, his stay at Whitebeach
viii narrowly miss being stupid
pardon these condolences. and don't he
traitreSs enough TO let Miss Garthe read them,
L can't help them; / am too permeated with
the sweet hope of meeting dear gentle.
pretty (mother says she is pretty fellow-visit-
or, tabletlesS as well as tongueess. \ creature
who will come downstairs looking fresh and
happy IN the morning, and not require to be
told that she looks either; beautiful, silent
enemy OF nonsensical Small-talk; a fair flesh
aAd-blood eNterminatOr of trivial firtations; a
ulyne veto upon reckless scandals; a chaste
level OF womanhood set in golden silence
MAal glorious, gossipless earthly paradise
lhs world would be were we all deaf-mutes,
no more Wordy than the trees, the flowers. the
o!rds, and the sunshine.
:" shall probably arrive at Whitebeach be-
&een five and six on Wednesday evening,
III then. please believe me-
Your nephew and friend,