Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-08-27
CHAPTER II.-THREAT5.

They behaved themselves pretty we'll at
dinner. We dined together in the coffee
room, queer low-roofed old place, with
an abundance of windows looking out on
the river and with colored pictures of the
Thames hung round the walls. The only
other occupant of the room was an aus
tere and elderly maiden lady, dining all
by herself, OF whom Mr.. Humphreys
rather cr6ellyiemaTked that, considering
the number Of leap-years she must have
seen, II was curious she had not taken adj
vantage of any one of them On this Mr..
Maurice rather Indignantly retorted that
there were certain spectacles which de-
served sympathy rather than ridicule and
we all agreed with that sentiment. The
incident passed by. No bones were
After dinner we went outside; there was
still some warm color in the sky and the
smooth river caught a faint glow as it stole
away under the dark-green trees. The
woods were quiet now in the twilight
there was no sound but the soft rushing OF
the water over the weir; one began to
wish that these young people might sing
in the gathering darkness, down here by
the side of the rushes. They were think
ing of other things.
.'Of course, Miss Newton" says the
taller Of the two gentlemen; ''you will
go for an excursion on the river to-mor-
row? The fact is, man know of has
put little toy steamer at my disposal
could have it up here for you at any hour
you choose" ~ a.l.
ga steamer P" says our young American
friend, "what shame it would be to bring
steamer into this quiet placer
The barometer of the young mans face
falls ten degrees; that OF his rival jumps
up hundred.
"And that isn't the worst of it," says
the latter eagerly. "Oh, no, not at all.
The joys of trip in small river steamer
are most multifarious. First you run
aground. Then your waves upset n skif,
and the two men in it make use of the
most awful language. Then you take off
somebody's outrigger. And SO on, aud
so on, until you wish you had never been
born and, indeed, when you 90 ashore,
your own mother wouldn't believe You
ever had been. for your identity is com
pletely lost and smothered up in the coal
dust that has been showered on you. No,
no, Miss Newton, don't you be a - |
mean don't you 90 on the river. I'll
show you how. We shall get a big Hat
punt and moor it out below the weir. and
we shall have luncheon on board, and
plenty of books, and box of colors. II
you like to spin Cor trout, you can have all
my line. If you want to sketch. you have
all the scenery about you. Now that is
how you ought to spend a nice, idling, en-
Ijoyabie day on the Thames
Mr.. Humphreys was quite pleased with
this burst OF oratory. "Do you like the
picture P" he might have asked, in the
words of the romantic Claude Melnouc.
And sho did like the picture. She said it
was charming. She hoped we should
have that boat.
And the water-colors p said Mi
Maurice, with something OF a sneer
Where do you propose to get them about
here ?"
II brought them with me-" replied his
rival with certain majestic c,tlnI.
'Oh. do you paint, MIR. Humphreys ?"
Miss Mary said directly.
mo. Miss Newton, | don't. But
knew that you did, and SO brought the
colors."
1t was not for moment OF two that any
Of US observed how this unblushing person
had uipped. lie nau Drought colOfs iof
her But had he not vowed and sworn
that he was never so surprised in his life
as when he saw that carriage drive up to
the. door of the Complete Angler?
s.Perhaps you brought with you the
trout for which Miss Newton is to fish ?''
said the younger man, with ghastly grin
on his face.
"Oh, dear, nc. There are good trout
about here"
Never saw any"
perhaps not--not at the end of your
own line, anyway. But if you take the
trouble to look through Land and Water
for April, 1873. you will find description
of a trout taken here which turned the
scale at six pounds--there -
rcoNrIsuEp TOMORROW