Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1878-10-24
MRS, BLAND.

Rippling Beach some three years ago
mad the advantages OF quiet and seclu-
sion. 1t was an uut-of-the-way place on
the Sound, which | believed then | had
almost discovered. There was a modest,
countrihed hotel, where food and mos
uultoes might be had at q minimum of
cost. With two weeks holiday and an
exceedingly moderate amount of money
~ devote 10 my pleasures, after due con-
federation, had selected Rippling Beach
t'r nv tairing. AS q third clerk in the
r,suk. my vacations were few and far be-
tween, and had determined to make the
4ast Of the occasion. When Mr.. How
land the assistant teller, whose business
it was to pay the employees their salaries,
had given ME my check, he had casually
asked me where | vas going, and expa-
tiatec on the charms OF Ripping Beach,
and its being oae Of the lost places on
Long 1slanu
Visitors at the Beach House were,
though gcouI>n people, not congeniai. |
'Ta> indifferent. however, to society.
BOatmen and fishermen were my boon
panions. | had been a week at Rip
bling Beach when | became acquainted
With Mrs. Bland. This lady was a late
arrival. How came to talk with Mrs
Bland | can hardly tell. rather think
That, hearing the lady express desire to
zee city paper, gave her Times, and
IN this way some commonplace CONVEX
sation had commenced. \ certain pleas
ant way the woman had, fairly we'll
bred manner, disinclination to indulge
L.
7oarders, made her society rather agreea-
Die then otherwise. Mrs Bland was
'liminutive, had graceful figure, and
dressed in quiet taste. Though Mrs.
agnes Bland was fully 80, she impressed
Ule with certain childisliness of ex-
preston, in which vague description l
trust | am not paraphrasing MIR. Bret
Harte. The lady's eyes were of pale
blue, without fxity Of glance. No one
would ever have been rude enough to
even attempt to stare Mrs. Bland out of
countenancc. It would have been ap-
parently, too easy thing to do. With
having evasive eyes, they seemed SUBJ
dued and the least bit furtive. An i'm
nlense volume of fair, blonde hair which
she wore in one big braid, added most
l. " q
of fxity of purpose in Mrs. BANDS
regularly oval face, the only indication
If it was a slight wrinkle of the fore
head between the eyes. Such burrows
had, however, no permanence. You
might see such little winrows on a child's
face when some passing matter for a
brief moment had enraged its scattered
wits. Conversationally, Mrs. Bland was
fairly amusing. Educated she was not;
but having good amount of intuitive
perception, her remarks were clear and
defined. 1t was the day after I mad
given her the paper, when [ said to Mrs.
Bland, elias your budget failed to reach
you? It is one Of the annoyance of an
out-of- the-way place. Mails are dilatory,
or come in batches"
What do you know about nv mail?"
asked Mrs. Bland, the little wrinkles
roughening her forehead.
"Why, Mrs. Bland," I replied, eff
you do not receive many letters, at least
you have famous collection of news
papers coming to you every day-at
least dozen.'
How do you know that?"
"The only grocery man in the little
town, who sells me fish hooks, is the
postmaster. l 60 there early in the
morning, before the mail is sent to the
hotel. The grocer generally runs the
whole mail, before me, into a bushel
basket, prior to handing me my occa-
sional correspondence. l see Mrs. Agnes
Bland on ever so many journals. Have
the honor of addressing lady CORE
spondent-a literary woman?"
Nonsense! what an idea! My hus-
band sends the papers to me. It is a
delicate attention on his part. In read
ing them time passes away during his
absence" Then there is Mr.. Bland, I
said to myself.
Il expect Mr.. Bland will be here in a
few days. l hope you will like him. He
is great fisherman. Now, notice you
carry fishing pole to the water-side
every morning and bring back nothing.
My husband has sent his fishing tackle
down, 80 if you want hooks or lines I can
spare you some. You come here every
season, do you not?"
"No; this is the first time in nv life.
Good morning, Mrs. Bland, and thanks
for your offer. -,
"Good morning, sir; butexcuse me a
moment. Would you kindly look at
this bill of mine the Office clerk has sent
me? [ am an idiot about accounts.
Here are some items which l have NO
doubt are correct, with express charges
on sotae TRUNK Ks and things paid for by
the Office, and the string of figures puz-
zles me: Then the handwriting is 50
bad: Would you, now, just make the
addition for me? Oh! I amt afraid Of
your looking at the bill. There are no
sherry cobblers on the account. and one
does not trust muslin dresses to seaside
washerwomen." Mrs. Bland had hang.
ing from her neck delicate chain, and
among numerous, rattling appendaget
there was a dainty gold pencil. With
as pretty dimpled white hand as II eve1
saw, she bent over and offered the pencil
The calculation was SO simple that
ran 1t over in my mind without the us'
OF the pencil, and gave the total. I
differed few cents, the advantage bein,
in Mrs. BANDS favor.
cit is a trifle in error, Mrs. Bland. bu