Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-01-29
on bread and milk all my life, and gone

on bread and milk all my life, and gone
to bed at sundown."
A brisk tap at the door disturbed her
foolish meditations. She opened it, and
Gabrielle Graham entered.
"Oh, I'm so glad to see You," said
that impetuous young lady, without
ceremony. IL should have been at the
station to meet you, only had to 60 and
take my French lesson. l hate French
don't you P-and music aud drawing and
all those things they call accomplish
ments. But think shall like you real
well. And how pretty you are and
what lovely dress! Do you know.
thought you would be sort of countyfied
but you're not bit. OF course you
won't mind any ything say. All the girls
call me Gabby Graham, because my
name is Gabrielle and talk so much"
Aaer this comprehensive introduc-
ton, Amy felt al home at once, and found
courage to confess TO Gabby that she was
unaccustomed 10 city dinners.
"Oh, you'll get along oil right" was
the reassuring response. "ThereIl be
nobody there, probably. but Pa Rossell
and Ma and Jack and you and me.n
"Who's Jack ?"
why, don't you know Jack How
funny that seems thought every body
knew Jack. He's my brother. He'sgradu-
ated at Harvard last year, ,and he thinks he
knows everything, and he tries to make
me say cont for can't; but he's awfully
Jolly, and shouldn't wonder if you liked
him ever so much. Girls generally do.
You'll like mamma too; but, oh do you
know anything about bric-a-brac ?"
Amy confessed her ignorance.
"Bric-a.brsc isn't anything in particu-
lar" Gabby explained. "It's all sorts oil
odds and ends. But mas perfectly crazy
about it. She has bones from the ruins
OF Pompeii, and piece OF stone Clipped
from Cyclops Pyramid (or was it Cheops
| never can remember those old names),
pair OF knee e-breeches-isn't it horrid 7
that General Washington used TO wear,
and piece Of the rope with which poor
Major Andre was hung. and some vases
tb at " GRE made in Peru before the discov-
cry of America, aud such lots OF porce-
lain, and, oh don't know what she
dosen't possess. We have sntiquaries
here every few nights to dinner. They
wear spectacles and look awful wise, and
they 90 into ecstacies over mas trea-
sures, but between you and me, believe
they really care more for their dinners
than they do for the bric-a-brac. JACK
says"
The dinner bell rang. and Jacks say.
ings were lost for theiLime being.
"Sure enough, an antiquary had drop
ped in TO dine. Partly in his honor. and
partly to crafty her own fine and in
creasing taste Tor rare curiosities, Mrs.
Rossell had caused the table to be sci
with some beautiful antique porcelain
which had just come into her possession.
But il was not the antiquary who sal
opposite Amy at dinner. Her rts-d ";
was q tall, athletic youth. whose general
appearance gave one the impression that
he was training tor prizefghter-haiI
close cropped like convict's. eyes thai
carried sunshine into the night. hstt
brawny as blacksmith's, legs somewhat
reduced from the model OF Colossus 81
Rhodes. a voice capable OF attuning itsel
TO wild songs or tender melodies, In
short. the postgraduate OF these las
days.
He bowed gravely to Amy on being
presented. but it appeared his mind VA
absorbed in a discussion with DR.. Thurs
ton. the antiquary. He talked with tha
easy mixture of slang, banter, and earn
estness which distinguishes the gentle
man of the new school from one OF tn
old.
"It's no 60, doctor. l believe tn
people of to-day are as earnest. as hon
est, rs patriotic. more charitable, twic
as intelligent, healthier. more sensible
and better dressed than their ancestors.
stuff and nonsense ~ said the anti
quarry; 1.-The race is dying out, tell you
my lad"
Look here" was the emphatic an
swer: "every man in my class coul
raise a forty Eight pound dum-bell aboV
his head. row two hours against win
without squealing, and make his mile o
run inside OF eight minutes. Wha
could the men of your class doP"
"Copstrue Latin verse without the ai
of pony"
The youth was staggered, but he n
covered himself.
That's all right; but you are beggin
( the question, doctor. Let Us settle ID
question OF physical superiority first, an
, we'll compare notes on the intellect ate
ward. Now what sense is all this tal