Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-07-27
THAT UNLUCKY QUOTATION.
A STORY OF "PINAFORE."

picture on painted tile. as they sat on
the porch in the vivid afternoon light.
The cottage itself was as trim and COM
plete as a toy house; its color was soft
gray. The late sunshine was goldenly
clear, and all the green world was shin
ing, fresh from shower. Auntie Trib
was sitting in bright red rocking chair,
and her pretty old face was as pink and
white as a bunch of roses and as for
Sallie herselt-well, ask any critic in
Rockdale, from the oldest inhabitant
down to the finest fodder, and you will
hear msre enthusiastic comment than
any which can supply Rockdale is
neat little New England village, far
away out Of the world, in rocky, hillv-
and-daley district where the direct de-
scendants OF the Puritans still hold their
sway.
Auntie Trib's son, Free Grace Hill
called "Free" for short-made his name
good at an early age by snatching his
liberty and marching away "to town.,
never mind aCh0t town; we can call it
L.. He verified his mothers title at
the same time, for she became indeed an
embodiment Of tribulation; but Free
disappointed her agreeably, for he found
good situation, and worked in it faith
fully and steadily. He was now a never
failing source of pride and delight when
on his brief visits he dazzled RockGale
with his "town-made'' garments, his
dainty mustache and general air of
'style"
His last visit, however, proved an epoch
in the history Of Rockdale, and also in
the history OF his fair little orphan cousin
Sallie. He brought wit; him an older
friend, employed in the same house with
himself, but in more advanced position.
This parsonage, whom he dcsi gnated as
Jack Arnold, Immediately sent poor Free
into the shade, and cast him down from
that pinnacle Of fame which he had mount
eel at the cost OF many a palr of highly
polished boots and much studied elegance.
l will not attempt to describe the eff
feet which young Arnold produced upon
the simple village maidens." Every pref
ty vile which had formerly been directed
toward the fortunate son of Auntie Trib
was now leveled at his friend, with force
aAd energy that produced the effect of a
bombardment. Ere long, however, it was
discovered that the newcomer was proof
against every species OF attack. Not that
he was invulnerable-fa from it. The
truth was that he had fallen under the
very first shot. He had not been beneath
Auntie Trib's roof twenty -four hours be-
tore he had succumbed Internationally
to the force OF Sallie's charms. The little
Puritan maiden, with her cameo face and
her steadtast gray eyes, stole at once into
his heart-an honest heart, for there is
no william in this unpretending tale-and
from hencetorth he was her liege knight
tor life. 1t was not by passionate plead
ing and great deeds that he under
took to win her for his own: NO,
the task was but easy, after
all. He was fair, good-humored, tall
and handsome; Free said he was a CAPT.
tai fellow, and Sallie had great faith in
Free; he was devoted and unreservcd in
expressing his affection what more could
maiden ask: Before his vacation was
over he had bravely made known his
love, and vas shyiy but readily accepted
and when he and Free left Rockdale thew
babe tender farewell to happy little
damsel with ring upon her finger.
All this did no. happen long ago, but
III this very year of 1870. Rockdale was
nestled away far and deep among the
hills; 1T was not very near the town of
L., and L. itself was not a great
city. How should Rockdale know what
was agitatlng the world beyond? By
newspapers, of course; but women do
not often read the newspapers carefully,
and the two women Of this narrative sell
dom looked into them. Especially did
they, IN their Puritanic rigOr, neglect the
amusement columns. After all, whv
read or operas plays and concerts that
one cannot see or near? When ANYTHING
was going on III hockClaic Itself, al
the village was on the alert; but no one
cared what the fashionable folk stared at
through their opera-glasses in the great
cities. So this year, when H. NJ. S.
Pinatorc" sailed jiauntily, with colors t1v-
ing INTO American waters, many of tile
inhabitants of Rockdale rocked not of it,
and this simple fact brought consterna
ton to the house of Hill. The s'saucv
ship found its way to L, anchored
there long enough to seta few enthusiasts
to singing Little Buttercup'' and "The
Merry Maiden and the Tar (incorrectly.
OF course), and not finding quite so warm
welcome as in some Of the larger cities.
soon set sail again for more conpeniai
haven. But the mania for quoting the
llbretto - especially the "hardly eyerr
epidemlc--spread in that region as it did
everywhere. $500
Our friend Jack Arnold went to see the
performance, and Of course he THOUGHT
OF sallle all the evening, and envied
young hill, whose lady-love was in the
party. The two young men were medi.
tatlng a brief visit to Rockdale, and
hence it was, perhaps, that Jacks
thoughts were too far away to allow OF
his giving full appreciation to the incom-
parable little opera. All the tender
music filled him with thoughts Of lovo
from which the irresistible jingle of the
merry choruses beguiled him onlv for
the moment. Therefore, when the dav
came for the journey to Rockdale, and he
found himself at last in the presence Of
his beloved, his mind was quite absorbed
by the joy of it, and he had no leisure
for such triAing matters as the discussion
OF a pretty new opera. So Sallie was left
still i'll her bcnighted ignorance; she
knew nothing of 'sPinafore."
They began to talk Of mundane mat
tiers, however, on the second evening.
when they were all seated together.
THAT poor Laura Beamis?o said
Auntie Trib, compassionately. "Did YOU
know she'd got back, Free?''
"Laura Beamis" uttered Free, with a
laugh, and glancing at Jack, who looked
trife conscious. "You had a tiirt-,,
4 Eyes interrupted his mother; ssand