The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-11-22
Select Story.
MRS. BLAND.


he advantage of quiet and secusion. 1t q
vas an out of.the.way pla e on the Sound, {
which believed then had almost discover t
d.. There was modest, counrifed hotel, :
where food and mosquitoes might he had At
minimum of cost With two weeks holi
money to devote to my pleasure, after due
consideration, | had selected Ripping Beach
Ior my fairng. As a third clerk in the bank,
my vacations were few and far between,
and had determined to make the best of
tue OCCASION When Mr.. Rowland, the
assistant teller, whose business it was to 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 Rippling Beach, and ITS being one |
of the lost places on Long Island.
Visitors at the Beach House were, though
goodish people, not cougenial. | was in
different, however, to society. Boatmen and
fishermen were my boon companions. had
been a week at Ripping Beach when be.
came acquainted with Mrs, Bland. This
la y was late arrival. How came to talk
to Mrs. Bland | can hardly tell. l rather
hiuk that, hearing the lady express de-
sire to Sc city paper, handed her Times,
and in this way some commonplace conver-
-ation had commenced. A certain pleasant
way the woman had, a fairly well-bred man
ner, disincination to indulge in tlttle-tst-
| tie with the rest Of the boarders, made her
society rather agreeable than otherwise.
| Mrs. Bland was diminutive, had a graceful
| figure, and dressed in quiet taste. Though
| Mrs. Agnes Bland was fully 80, she i'm
| pressed me with certain chidishness of ex-
preston, in which vague description | trust
am not paraphrasing Mr. Bret Harte. The
ady's eyes were of pale blue, without fxi-
ty of glance No one would ever have been
.ude enough to even attempt to stare Mrs
Bland out of countenance. 1t would have
been, apparently, too easy thing to do
Without having evasive eyes, they seemed
subdued and the least bit furtive. An i'm
mense volume of fair, blonde hair which
she wore in one big braid, added most es
sentially to her charms. For any trait o
fixty of purpose in Mrs. BANDS regularl.
oval face the only indication of it was
slight wrinkling of the forehead between TIL
eyes Such burrows had, however, no per
manence. You might see such little win
rows on a child's face when some passin
matter for a brief moment had engaged it
scattered wits. Conversationally, Mrs
Bland was fairly amusing. Educated sh
was not, but, having good amount of intu
tive perception, her remarks were clear an
defined. 1t was the day after had give
her the paper when l said to Mrs. BLAND
. Has your budget failed to reach you 1t
one of the annoyances of an cut ot'ths
way place. Mail, are dilatory, or con
in patches.
What do YOU know about nv maj AXE
Mr.. Bland, the little wrinkles roughrnir
her forehead.
Why, Mrs. Bland, replied, if you do NJ
receive many letters, at least you have
famous collection oi newspapers coming
you every day-at least Il dozen.
How do you know that?
The only groceryman in the little tow
who sells me fish-hooks, is the post maste
go there early in the morning, before Il
mail is sent to the hotel. The grocer ge
orally runs the whole mail, before me, in
bushel basket prior to handing me n
occasional correspondence. | see Mrs. Agn
Bland, on ever so many journals. Have
,l ,f adj la1v
ent-a literary woman?
Nonsense What an idea My husbaI
seuds the papers to me. II is delicate
tenton on his part. In reading them tir
passes away during his absence Then the
is Mr. Bland, ! said to myself
expect Mr.. Bland will be here in fl
days. | hope you will like him, lie Is
great fisherman. Now, notice you carry
fishing pole to the water-sde every morni
and bring back nothing. My husband h
sent his fishing tackle down, so if you wa
hooks or lines can spare you some \
come here every season, do you not
No, this is the first time in my ii
Good morning, Mrs Bland, and thanks
your offer,
Good morning, sir; but excuse me n
ment. Would you kindly look at this /
of mine the office clerk has sent me? | 1
an idiot about accounts. Here are sol
items which | have no doubt are CORE
with express charges on some trunks p'
for by the office, and the string of figu
puzzles me. Then the handwriting is so bi
Would you, now Just make the addition
ID at the bill There are no sherry cobblers
the account, and one does not trust mus
dresses to seaside washerwomen, Nj
y Bland had hanging from her neck delci
We chain, and among numerous rattling {
pendages there was dainty gold pen'
With as pretty dimpled white hand a
have seen, she bert over and offered I
pencil.
The calculation was so simple that ! l
il over in my mind without the use of
pencil, and gave the total. 1t differed
few cents; the advantage being in NJ
iu BANDS favor.
~ 1t is a trifle in error, Mrs. Bland, but
people are honest. 1t should be S2S,67
stead on S2S,G5.
never could remember the figures pl
ne set them down. 1t will give Mr Bland
re, much pleasure To know that have my
exactly right, He is such strict man
. business.
gGEH Willingly, replied, and | wrote at
., foot of the bill, S2S67 Kerrect.
ca Thanks, said Mrs Band. What wond
ful head you have for figures. She scrut
!. lied the bill closely, Aud what a queer v
- of making sevens
Oh, in the bank am in, do little {
than add up figures for hours on a stret
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