Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1873-09-20
Six at Once.


cestral home, is quiet little village
some two hours from the city. The
house had descended to me from my
grandfather; it is large, commodious,
and old-fashioned. Built of stone, the
interior corresponds with the exterior
in being comfortably furnished, with
but little attempt at either luxury or
style. The library, the principle room
on the ground-foor, in addition to the
usual assortment of books, contains sew
eral curiosities. Prominent among
these are a collection of shells, and a
Fee-jee war club, ornamented with q
Jagged row of sharks teeth, trimmed
with feathers. A melancholy inter
est hovered around this weapon, ow-
ing to the tradition that by it was slain
a nephew of my grandmother, who had
been stuffed with cloves, roasted, and
served up piping hot at Il grand long
pig barbecue.
Here / passed an uneventful existence
until the time drew near for my twenty
fifth birthday-the day on which by
the terms of my fathers will. 1 was to
come into full possession of my proper
ty. l was wondering how I should
celebrate the occasion, when I received
letter from my guardian great-uncle:
"MY DEAR BoY--I have often re-.
preached myself with the thought that
perhaps l have not done my whole
duty in exercising SO little control over
your actions, but my conscience assures
me that l have acted wisely. When
very young, you evinced SO correct q
Judgment that l deemed you capable
of caring for yourself. Events have
justified my opinion. 1t is but right,
however, that on your birthday--now
so near at hand--we should have u
final settlement, at which I can former
ly relinquish my trust. For that pur-
pose, | take the liberty of inviting my
self to pass Il week with you, when you
come of legal age. You may expect
me on Monday morning, the 21st of
October. Your atfec.ionate uncle,
JOSIAH SNATFLEs.
" Mr.. AUGUST INIIvENs.
p. ST suppose it will make no
difference if I bring the girls along;
they will be delighted to see you"
Here was Il celebration with q ven-
geance. was aware in vague man
ner that "the girls" amounted to at
least six in number; but whether short
or long, fat or thin, fair or dark, ugly
or pretty, having never seen them, I
knew no more than the man in the
moon. My uncle himself was a man
who had managed to make decent
living by trading in tallow.
BY Jove" 1 thought " what must
it be to buy false hair for six girls!'
The day arrived. AS the hour drew
near, my courage failed, and catching
up my gun, fled to the woods; but as
the meeting could not be avoided, l
soon returned to the house. On the
way I revolved many half-formed
speeches; but vainly did I endeavor
to think of a fattering one sufficiently
comprehensive to embrace the six.
They were double the number of the
Graces, and only two-thirds of the
Muses.; it was impossible.
AS reached the dwelling, there was
my uncle with his fluttering brood
grouped around him. He returned my
.stlutation warmly, and presented me
to his daughters seriatim- Alice, Grace,
Mary, Louisa, Francine and Lizzy.
The names came in such torrent that
they fell unheeded ON my benumbed
ears. 1t was only later; by sad expe-
rience, that I learned to know them
individually.
Luncheon passed off pleasantly. In
order not to cause any heart -burnings
or jealousies, had resolved to begin
with the Oldest, and be impartially
attentive to each one in succession.
So, in the afternoon, I took Alice out in
my dog-cart, unluckily dispensing with
the groom.
She was about twenty-eight. Black
hair, black eyes, dark complexion,
massive chin and mouth, with suspi-
cion of down on the upper lip, COM
blned to give her quite an expression
of determination.
Now" she said, after time. 81
am going to Call you Augustus, and you
must call me Alice. 1t is too absurd
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