The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-02-21
[From the Springfield Union.]
MOrelle and His Filtration.

MOrelle and His Filtration.
oThat was ten years ago-ten?-bless my
soul, it was nearer fifteen, for it was before
the war, and before fell in with Madamna
over there. Good gracious, Kitty, what old
stag rs you aud are getting to be-"
Fred Wright shook the ashes out of his
cigar, and glnted with his brown eyes across
the piazza at Mrs. Fred. who was seated sew
ing under the purple bloom OF the wistarla
vine, and in. some kind of low, wide, wicker
chair. I don't know that it signifie, specially
but always remember Mrs. Fred in one OF
these chairs; also in white dress, her dim
pied face with its sweet-pea tints, bent above
her work, stitching away as demurely as
though she had not brought her husband the
handsomest fortune and the handsomest chill
dren in Marina. The baby, a gorgeous fel-
low, was tumbling about on deep red rug,
pummelling his mothers slippers. 1t was
June morning. was in the hammock and as
for the master of the house, he occupied two
chairs. He had divided between them the
responsibility of his support-Fred was wax
ing obese, and such responsibility was becom-
ing serious matter for any chair-and there
was look in his face which was unmistaka-
BILE, the look OF a man about to favor the
world with story. syAs
Il was clerking it in those days." Fred pro-
ceeded, s'for firm on Broadway, Dyce &
Dil.on-you don't know them, Mantor-for a
season. Dillon is dead, and Dyce is gone to
Europe. But they were well enough known
then, for they did brisk business, retail, and
we fellows behind the counter didn't take
maps in working hours, can tell you. Jove,
but we were a jolly set" Fred sent laugh
ringing up among the elm-boughs, and set the
baby Growing in response. IL say. Mantor, /
wonder sometimes if clerks in these days
laugh and grow fat the way we used to. 1t
can't be they do. They have too much seri-
GUS business in the way of kid gloves, plug
hats, and silk embroidered braces.-the young
cubs. But speaking of kids, etc., that's what
Twas going to tell you about. Our boys
enough. Dyce & Dillon rather made spec
ialty of common sense. Their clerks were ex-
pected to present themselves after respecta-
bic fashion. but it wasn't the thing to look
smart. We used more cold waiter and less
patchouli than the counterjumpers of this
day and age Of the world, suppose, and that
was the reason why Johnny made such stir
when be lighted down in our midst kit.
don't let that boy swallow your foot. 1t
might strange him. though you do make be-
lieve it's SO iittle.")
'Frederick r. cried Mrs. Fred, to whom her
spouses raillery was ga deep wherein all her
thoughts were drowned" And with an i'm
movable phiz, that worthy man went on.
she was small specimen OF a fellow. this
new clerk OF ours. He oiled his curls, and
waxed something that he called his NOUS
tache. Moreover, be pnt mansard on him
self in the shape of a tall hat, INDUCED in
rainbow neckies, and went near to ruin HIM
self and his fathers house in light kid gloves,
He came to our place in the room OF Barr ey,
promoted. Barney had been family man,
grzzled and wfinkled, and a little seedy as to
rai mt hot raadQ
more glazing, when this gorgeous specimen
flashed in OH us. Dick Cheever said it was
like peacock strutting in among pack of
barndOor fowls, he all ashine like Solomon in
his glory, and we in our business suits staring
at him. For we did stare, you may be sure.
Johnny hailed from somewhere off on the
Sound, Stamford, believe, and used to come
into town every morning, on an eally train.
The governor, too, came on the same. That
was Dyce, you know, and he used to walk up
from The station, or on rainy DAYS, take a
horse-car, and his magnficence, young
Johnny, would charter a carriage. 0, that
was fun, though 70 witness his advent. 1t
was busy time with us clerks, you may be
sure, wnen we hadn't leisure to crowd to the
windows, and behold Johnny light down,
while the driver grinned and the newsboys
cheered.
''But one morning along in the winter,
Morele was late. Neutrality-suspicious. 1 tell
you that was Johnny's other name2 Morrill,,
1t used to be while the family ''made bricks in
Egypt" that is, raised horses in Vermont,
but since the pater and mater famlias bad
come back from abroad, they had bloomed
out into Morelles. Innocent enough diversion,
this Gallicising name, if it feels good to the
nominees. You remember Puss''-this to
Mrs. Fred, who answered to as many names
as German princess, and never the same
one twice consecutively-, the Riddles, who
pleased themselvs with becoming Ridelle,
likewise young Deacon, who developed into
Deconne? Our little cousin Sallie Wright,
says she is in daily fear lest some branch of
our family shall come back from other lands
a 4" Riggety."
"But to Morelle. where's Johnny ? Dick
Cheever inquired of the governor that morn
ing, and it was rare sport to watch the slow
kind Of smile that woke up on Dyce's sober
old face, as he set his umbrella iEto the rack,
and pulled off his gray overcoat. %, John
ny's charriot-whees have been delayed this
morning. he said, but he'll be along shortly. |
There he comes,' and the Jolly old man took |
a step towards the window to look. He was |
quiet man, but he was more than suspected |
OF enjoying Johnny's daily advent as much
as any of us. The sturdy, gray millionaire
would walk away after it with CLEAN in his
eye, and chuckle to himself that was a
richness to any of us youngsters who CHANGED
q
tri1e this particular morning, SO the flourish
OF trumpets was louder than usual. Cabby
descended from his perch, opened the car
riage door, also big umbrella, and Johnny
lighted down, and tripped across the side
walk under it on tiptoe, remembering his
boots, while Bert Fletcher, the wag of the
store sprang out, and flung down la Ra-
leign pig sheet OF wrapping paper, and so
our dainty young gentleman was gotten
under cover without harm to himself or hi
habilments.
''Late, this morning, eh JOHNNY? Anv-
thing up? queried Dick Cheever. Dick
wa, a bachelor, older than the most of ms
and though he was as grave as judge to ali
appearance, he lived ami moved and had his
being on the fun TO be derived at MorelFs ex-
pense.
sI was detained" replied Johnny solemn
". and then he put his hat lovingly away,
and tossed up bis curls, and smoothcd his
nlumes generally. and admired himself in
long mirror till expected to see him walk
IN and kiss bis dOubl. there represented.
He was not bad looking really, only small,
and rather of the pink and white, cream-can-
dy stvle.
"Yes, l Was detained. There was lady
on the train who seemed to be without a
protec .or-and so-and $3.50"
$50 you protected. All righ. and proper.
my son, quoth Dick. "Neyer omit an op
portuuity of ministering to the SUFFERING
Was the female old, or infirm, or crippled in
any manner?'
,."Olda Iufrm? Crippled? Why, man
alive, she was the most transcendant piece
OF human hesh ever saw in my life. Tall
and commanding, and o, such ewes! You
shoa, .hd nave ver seen her smile when put her
,litG Ihe , Sarrage Ahl' and he made sort
he was looking at something gaod a. as ~ s4o"su
Johnny, like many little fellows ~ ed,,
the regal style of women. It was a?nired
see Morele gallanting about a pr q sig s,h 70
bonnet plume waved over the top Of his M1 ts1i
hat; but ne could not see it himself. The