Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-12-04
Mrs. Bland.

Rippling Beach some three years ag,
had the advantages of quiet and secIu
sion- Ii was an Out-of-the-way plac,
on the Sound, which l believed then
had almost discovered. There was ,
modest, countrified hotel, where foot
and mosquitoes might be had ut min.
imum of cost. With two weeks holi
day and an exceedingly moderate sun
of money TO devote 10 my pleasures
after due consideration. had selected
Rippling Beach for my fairing. As 1
third clerk in the bank. my varation.
were few and far between, and | had
determined to make the best of the oc.
casion. When Mr.. Howland, the as
siStant teller, whose business il was Il
pay the employees their salaries, had
given me my check, he had casually
asked me where | was going, and had
expatiated on the charms of Ripping
Beach, and its being one of the LOST
places on Long Island.
Visitors at the Beach House were,
though goodish people, not congenial.
/ was Indifferent, however, to society.
Boatmen and fisherman were my boon
companions. l had been week al
Ripping Beach when | became ac-
qualnted with Mrs. Bland. This lady
MAS late arrival. How / came to talk
To Mrs. Bland L can hardly tell. | rath-
er think that, hearing the lady express
desire TO see city paper, l had hand
ed Times, and in this way some COM
monplace conversation had commenced.
A certain pleasant way the woman had
and fairly-bred manner, a disInclina-
tion 10 indulge in tittle-tattle with the
rest of the boarders, made her society
rather agreeable than otherwise. Mrs.
Blair was diminutive, had a graceful
figure, and dressed in quiet taste.
Though Mrs. Agnes Bland was fully
thirty, she impressed me with certain
childishness of expression, in which
vague description l trust | am not par
aphrasing Mr.. Bret HarIe. The lady s
eyes were of pale blue, without fixIty
of glance. No one would ever have
been rude enough 10 even attempt to
stare Mrs. Bland out of countenance.
Ii would have been, apparently, too
easy thing to do. Without having
evasive eyes. they seemed subdued and
the least bit furtive. An immense vol
ume of fair, blonde hair which she
wore in one big braid, added most es-
sentially to her charms. For any trait
of fixity of purpose in Mrs. BANDS
regularly oval face, the only indication
of it was slight wrinkling 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 brief moment had engaged its
scattered wits. Conversationally, Mrs
Bland was fairly amusing. Educated
she was not; but having good amount
of intuitiye perception, her remarks
were cle;.r and defined. Ii was the day
after | had given her the paper, when
| said TO Mrs. Bland,
HAS your budget failed 10 reach
yous Ii is one Of the snnOyances Of an
out-of-the-way place. Mails are dila-
tory, or come in patches"
What do you know about my mail!'
asked Mrs. Bland. the little wrinkles
roughening her forehead.
why, Mrs. Bland" replied, IF
you do not receive many letters, at least
YOU have a famous collection of news
papers coming TO you every day-at
least 4 Dozen"
''How do you know that:'
1.-The only grocery man in the little
town, who sells me fish hooks, Is the
POSTMASTER. l 90 there early in the
morning, before the mail is sent to the
hotel. The grocer generally runs the
whole mail, before me, into DuShei
baskets, prior to handing me my occa-
.ional correspondence. see Mrs. Ag-
hes Bland on ever so many Journals
Have the honor of addressing lady
correspondence literary woman
Nonsense. what an idea. My hus-
band sends the papers to me. Ii Is
delicate attention on his part. In read
ing them time passes away during ms
absence"
Then there is Mr.. Bland, said to
myself. :,
II expect Mr.. Bland will be here III
a few davs. L hope you will like nm.
He is a great fisherman. Now, L no
rice YOU carry fishing pole TO the wa
ter-side every morning and bring back
nothing. Nv husband has sent MS
fishing tackle down, so if you wanlahs
hooks or lines | can spare you some.
You cone here every season, do you
not?"
NO: this is the first time IN my
life. Good morning, Mrs. Bland, ana
thanks for your offer"
"Good morning, sir-but excuse me
a-moment. Would you kindly LOOK at
this bill of mine the office clerk mas
sent mes / am an idiot about accounts.
Here arc some items which L have no
floubt are correct, with express CHAR
yes on some trunks and things paid ior
by the office, and the string OF hgures
puzzles me. Then the handwriting
is so bad. Would you, now, just
make the addition for me? On, am
not afraid of your looking at the OIL
There are no sherry cobblers oil the ac-
count, and one does not trust ,.,"'
dresses to seaside washerwomen.
Mrs. Bland bad hanging from her