The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1874-12-17

pies. However that might be as gen
eral fact, they were trimming now with
merriInent as, eavesdropping in her turn,
she met the young mans amused glance.
Shes got the real grit, " went on the
old gentleman, his laughter subsiding in
wheezy gasps like those one hears from
a pump running down. Makes me
think of the old-fashioned girls we had
when you and were young, sir"
His companion bowed with preternat-
ural gravity, but could not resist the
temptation of glancing backward to see
if the remark had been overheard, and,
as he turned, poor Emily, struggling in
vain for self control, burst into a hys-
terical giggle
III beg your pardon, sir, )" she pant
ed, going off into fresh paroxysm,
while the deaf gentleman, 'erenely un-
conscious, pared an apple, his lips max
ing strange contortions as they followed
the motion of the knife.
Don't apologize for An act so invol-
untary, pray, madam" said the young
man, smiling, especially as our friend )
infirmity saves HIM from being wounded
by it, BY the way, let me congratulate
you on proving the proverb false which
AYERS that listeners never hear good of
themselves"
Thank you, sir responded Emily.
mischieyously What I've overheard
iatters me vastly, I'm sure, even though
your contemporary does consider me
oldfashioned"
fashioned, Now that's a willful
garbling of meaning. BY virtue Of my
venerable years, allow me to protest
against it,"
90 ChaII ha racnarted. I rarhla "a,
MORE" said Emily, Electrically. And
then, having regained her composure, it
suddenly occurred to her to wonder if it
were quite the proper thing to he testing
50 Familiarity with stranger, and she
leaned back in her seat, settling her chin
in her neck to look dignified
Her eyes achcd from reading, and she
amused herself by studying her fellow
travellers till This became monotonous.
She was tired of seeing the old gentle
man in front MUNICH slices of apple be
tween his toolhless gums, his nose and
chin alternately approaching and re-
treating like partners balancing in a
dance, and ii he paused from this oCCu-
patton She was uneasily eXpectant of
some further remark concerning herself.
II was IA positive relief when he left the
car at Lawrence
Without, the wind blew, driving the
SHOW in whirling wrcaths against the
windows, whose frosted panes served
only 10 shut out the prospect Within,
rose "a subdued murmur of voices, ac-
ccntcd occasionally by murmur less
subdued from a fractions infant going to
grandma's Thanksgiving Through all
this jar and confusion Mrs. Prcssy slept
plaCidly on, erect as lighthouse, and,
like one with revolving lamp, little
antiC as TO her head as she made obei-
sance To the drowsy god. But when at
length the train came to a dead halt her
eyes snapped open with startling alb
ruptncss of oyerripe seedyessels, and
She gaZed about her with AN air of sleep
less vigilance.
:" Is this Berwick, think, Emily?"
We passed Berwick some time ago,
auntie"
Slightly Disconnected, Mrs. Prcssy
scraped the frost from the glass with her
seryiccable thumb nail, and surveyed the
landscape
Why, child, we're nowhere! There's
nothing in sight but stumps. Depend
upon it, something's broke"
The gentleman in front went to recon
hotter, and presently returning, set her
heart at rest on that point
" It is nothing serious, madam. The
fire is out, and we shall be DELAYED an
hour or two while they get up steam,
that's all"
Shiftless work Great housekeepers
they'd beif they can't keep even one pot
boiling"
Housekeeping is weak point with
my sex, I'm afraid, laughed the young
man, continuing the conversation with
an eagerness really tiattering To the good
lady, who was conscious of being gifted
in rcpartee. With her ar-seeing glasses
removed to rest her tired eyes, how
should she see that while he talked with
her he was covertly admiring her win
some niece?
that afternoon. This detention, annoy
ing TO all, seemed to arouse spirit of
universal friendlincss. Naturally we
like people who suffer the same affiic-
tions we do, just as the very plainest of
US like our own reflections in the glass
Undcr the influence of this common
sympathy the stationary Car soon wore
the aspect OF a village picnic, lunch bas-
kets circulating freely, and general good
fellowship prevailing
Better offer them something" sug-
gcstcd Aunt Flavilla, standing the pic
ture on end, while her bonnet disap-
peared mystcriously behind it, like the
head of turtle drawn into its shell.
With blush of mingled amusement
and veXation Emily complied, proifering
the blond gentleman pickles and sand
wlches, her aunt meantime preparing
herself for lunch by pinning her ties to-
gethcr at the top of her crown, out of
the way of falling crumbs-an excellent
arrangement for preserving their spot
lcssness, though conveying the some
what unpleasant impression that the
worthy lady was carrying her head in a
sling
Now, child I'm all ready but my
glasses. thought clapped 'em in my
pocket, but seems didn't"
1ou don't. need them now, auniie.
I'll find them when we've lunched
THE prophet Elijah was fed by ra
venS, | believe, but ! am more favored
than ne" said the gentleman, gayly, bow
ing To Emily with a complimentary smile
which might imply that he himself was
being ministered unto by dove.
3" Then you don't give black walters
the preference, sir?'
" Nonsense. OF course he doesn't
child" put in Mrs Pressv, who felt that
she had IA right to Mt least a widows
thirds in the conversation just see if
my glasses are here behind the shawl
strap, will you2'
SO the three chatted on in desutory
way to take up the time Mrs Prcssy,
won by the strangers frank cordiality,
confided to him her fears in iourneying
and the fact that this was her first ride
in the cars since her husbands decease.
ten years before, adding in an aside, dis
tinctly audible to Emily, that nothing less
than anxiety at the thought of her niece
travelling unprotected could have in
duced her to make the present trip
" There was some talk of writing to a
young fellow in Boston who's going down
TO NarransauC about this time and invit-
ing him to stop over day at our house
and SO take Emily in charge" further
explained Mrs Pressy. Her father
and his have always stood by each other
like shovel and tongs from the day they
went into jackets till now; but as to the
son, young Kenyon, | haven't much
opinion of HIM and thought I'd sooner
come myself than have him spoken to. "
And what may be this reprobate's
Christian name, pray"
Whose Christian name? Young
kenyon's? Oh, they called him John for
his grandfather, | believe Why? Do
YOU know him?
The name sounds familiar" replied
the young man, Constrainedly, as he
placed Mrs. pressy'S bag on the seat by
himself that she might ride more easily.
And now the train advanced again,
though by titful Jerks. for progress was