The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1878-01-03
AN old LOVE IN A new YEAR.

Beastly climate" calculated Mr.
Alexander Lotus, a. he buttoned his last
glove, one foot on the sleigh runner.
In the sleigh sat Ernest Lotus, his
nephew, handsome, alert, point-deyice in
costume from the new-not too new-hat
to the flower in his bUttOn-hole as be-
came young man ON round Of New
Years calls. He laughed as he caught
the word, and the odd twisted look of
dissatisfaction cast by his uncle ut the
winter sky, blue and sparkling enough
TO please any but a returned China mer-
chant. Mr.. Lotus was not English, but
long residence in the British atmosphere
Of Hong kong had taught him to swear
at the climate and Use the national adj
jectiye as one to the manner born.
Beastly" cried Earnest Why,
Uncle Alick, what would you have?
Cold? To be sure; what else should it be
ON New Years Day2 | call it :ib-top
weather for the season. Why, last year
the mercury stood at ten above all day,
with wind like razor. Jim Hemming-
way and | started with list Of hun
dred and twenty calls, and by the time
we got to the thirty-secOnd we were 80
clean beat that we gave up, and staid on
III the Eustises' warm rooms till after
dark. Sixteen other fellows did the
same thing. 1t was like party. Our
driver was stiff when we came out We
had to dose him with brandy, and rub
him and make him Jump about. or he
would have fallen asleep on our hands.
and there would have been the devil to
pay. You might have called that day
beastly if you liked, but this"
ugh" was all Uncle Alexis reply.
He tucked the robes comfortably round
his legs; then, "Where first, Ernest my
boyY'
Let's see. Here's the ist," produc-
ing formidable document. ''Its made
out by streets Green, Gray, Abernethy,
Winslow-SiXty-seve street, driver
No. l2.-1hcse are all your acquaint-
ances, uncle. Eve saved my separate
calls for the afternoon and evening"
So to Green's and Gray's and on
through the list, they went, meeting
everywhere the same unmeaning, would
bc-cordial reception, the same set society
smiles, the same salad, champagne, and
trivialities in the way of conversation.
Even the servant in white gloves seemed
the same as he opened door after door.
For the rooms, they struck Mr.. LOTUS as
produced by machinery from 4 common
model, costly, inexpensive, unhomelike.
tie was too recently returned to have be-
come used to the universally of hand
some commonplace things, and not hav-
ing much small-talk Mt command icon
versation does not flourish in the tea
gardens of British China, he diverted
himself by studying the objects about
him. Where did all those huge bronzes
come from? and those monstrous pier
glasses? Why must all the carpets sug-
gest the same general pattern? And was
1t necessary to have five sets of shades
and curtains to each window? Surely
sunshine in an American winter could
not be so entirely a disadvantage as to
require these pains to shut it out He
made these observations through an eve
glass perched astridc his nose in what
Miss Maude Jennison afterward called "a
fascinating way, SO foreign and queer,
you know" There was a tendency
among the young ladies of Ernest's circle
to admire his uncle. Uncles from India
are proyerbially rich and interesting. on
the stage and of it, and an uncle from
China, with ascertained good looks and
Api luilt, Supult ldftlN DC less 50.
Now for the Brixham's," said
Ernest, as they bowed themselves out of
Mrs. Jennisons drawing-room. You
are looked for there, Uncle Alick. Miss
BriNham was very impressive, and made
me swear to bring YOU He laughed as
he spoke, detecting Il tinge of red steal
ing over his uncle's manly cheek bone.
But why not? Youths may laugh. but
if a man of forty-threc may not ofiir the
tribute of blush when pretty girl paws
him a compliment, mjddle-age is even a
more distrcSSful state than has been re-
ported.
The BriXhams house was one of the
largest and finest in the city. Mr..
Lotus, as it CHANGED, had not entered
II before, and he was struck by its space
and air of superb luxury. Miss Brixham
was " artistic to use a word almost too
hacSneyed for repetition, and the rooms
were crowded with pictures and bric-a-
brdc of her own selection Porcelain
idols grinned from the mantel-pieces;
Venetian mirrors repeated your face in
detail from their glittering facets; Jars
and pots of every nationality filled the
corners; ivory carvings, cloisonnes,
Sevres, Limoges, illuminated miSsalS
precious pits of this and that crowded
the tables; and everywhere or the walls.
the shelves, the slabs, were plates, plates,
plates. There was all the rich confusion
and something of the discomfort of
museum in the apartment; and Mr..
loftus-who had not learned China"
in the modern sense Of the word. and
hated bric-d-brdc-after stumbling over
4
footstool, and humping his head on
fallSSy plaque, was glad To sink into
sofa corner III a safe distance from sill
curiosities, and listen to his hostess. who
looked unusually handsome that day,
and who, rs always, found plenty To say
To the quiet Mr.. LOTUS.
Gertrude Brixham, in spite of some
eNtravagancies and exaggerations. was
superior girl. She had a genuine lean
ing toward the best things. Circum-
stance and education held her away from
them, but the impulse and the struggle.
which were fruitleSs Of real result, had
the educating power which impulse and
struggle must always carry with them.
She was wider-minded than the girls
about her; read more, thought more
freshly. 1t was this which made her at
tractive TO Aljck Lotus, who had
reached the age when more than good
waltzlng and a pretty face is desirable
even in the partner of an evening. He
had asked himself once or twice whv he
shouldn't fall IN love with Miss Brix-
ham. This afternoon the question rose
again IN his mind, and with more
emphasis. He was able to marry and
desired a home. Why would not this
handsome, capable girl make him happy
1t was not quite the thing he had pictur.
ed when younger, but times were altered. /
The peaceful, old-fashioned home in his
mind was probably obsolete, gone out of
fashion with billions and spinning
wheels. Certainly he had seen nothing
Ike It since his return to America.
Miss Brixham might be the next best.
perhaps even 4 better, thing. Who
knew?