Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1874-01-27

lent autumnal storm. Instead OF
proceeding TO the Wentworth man
sion for a mornings croquet, our
heroes found themselves reduced to
despair. David misanthropically
kept his room. Ernest lounged
around the stables till dinnertime,
play illiard, haf the afte no IN,
then took a survey from the win
dows, and formed desperate re-
solve. Immediately after supper,
at which David did not appear, he
put on heavy boots, borrowed a
heavy COAX of the landlord, and
started through a sea of mud, in a
pouring rain, and in the face of a
furious northeaster, for the Went
worths'.
Looking back at David's lighted
windows, he thought, with pardon
able triumph, that for once he had
stolen a march upon his rival; but
his triumph changed to perturba-
ton when he finally stood, a mud
bespattered and drenched individu-
al, ringing the Wentworths' door
bell. His spirits rose, however, at
sight of the cozy library, where
Mr.. Wentworth, in dressing-gown
and slippers, sat before an open
wood fire, and Miss Ella, seated on
a cricket, was occupied in popping
corn. The latter rose with a blush
and a smile of welcome.
"Please excuse papa and me. We
were having one of our old-fashion-
ed evenings"
Delighted to see you my boy"
chimed in Mr.. Wentworth, adding,
with uncomfortable solicitude,
"And where's Mr.. Whipple p
81 really don't know what Davy
is doing with himself this evening"
T responded Ernest, seating himself
on the other side of the fire, aud
, wishing Mr.. Wentworth in the arc
T tic regions. 81, for my part,
couldn't reconsile myself to leave
town without spending my last ev-
ening with you"-the words accom-
panied by significant glance at
the young lady.
"Your coming is a godsend-a
perfect godscnd!" was the hope
lessly brisk response. 81 don't
know anything duller than a Sep
tember storm. / wish your friend
was here but never mind: we'll
make pleasant evening of it."
Accordingly the hospital old gen.
tleman rang for fruit and cigars,
and gave full freedom to his gar
rulous tongue. Ernst was in des-
pair. "reminiscences and stories
and jokes succeeded one another,
while he was obliged to laugh and
take hopeless notes of the fire-light
CLEANS netted in the brown curls
opposite, the downcast eyes, the
snowy hands busy with the tassels
of a coquettish silk apron, and the
tiny slippers resting on the hearth
rug.
Periodical glances at the clock
told Ernest that it was half past
eight, then that it was nine. He
formed the second desperate resolve
of the day and began to talk about
his travels. He gave a long and
intensely prosy account of his life
in Paris, using all the French he
could think of. Mr.. Wentworth
had never travelled, but evinced po-
lite attention. Ernest, with unflag-
ging zeal, went on with Germany
and Italy. His host nodded with
waning interest. Ernest was about
to attempt Russia, when snore de-
lighted his ears.
The young lady nervously re-
sumed her corn-popping, vainly
trying to hide a smile. The fire
was dying down. Ernest fastened
to assist her, seized the topgs, and
raised heavy log; rs he raised il,
brand fell out upon the hearth,
and broke in pieces sending a show
er of fiery sparks over the pretty
figure on the cricket. Each utter
ed suppressed exclamation. Miss
Wentworth shook her curls hastily,
and Ernest shook the little silk APP
ron and much-berufred skirt. He
shook it so vigorously that letter
dropped out of the pocket, and lay
before him, address upwards; but
he did not heed the letter, for
somehow he had mistaken tho
young lady's hand for her apron.
and still held it, though the sparks
were only black specks. He was
in the midst of an incoherent but
earnest speech, saying sometime