The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-08-20
A KISS FOR A BLOW.

"Thomas," said Miss Browne to th'
man.servant, "what is the name of th'
family living in the third house below u
on this side the street.-The house with tn,
ash trees before it? Oliver says the name
is Thurston, but children can't be reliet
upon in the matter Of names"
THAT be the name, miss" said Thomas
"Leastways, its Thurston on the door,"
"Thurston A pretty set they must be
too! That Thurston boy pummels Oliver
within an inch of his life whenever he goes
into the street. l can't keep Oliver in the
house, and I can't bear this thing any
longer. Why, the poor child came homs
yesterday with his nose bleeding and muc
on his new suit, and / have made up my
mind to send line to young Thurston':
father"
"Shall take it round, miss?'
Directly" And Miss Nora proceeded
to indite this frigid note:
"Mr. Thurston:
"DEAR S1R-You will dou btless be sur
prised at note from stranger but l fee
obliged to call your attention to the be-
haviour of your son toward our little Oil
yer, who can scarcely 60 into the street
without receiving blow from him. l have
endured this sort of thing till endurance is
no longer virtue, and must request your
early interference. Respectfully,
"H. BROWNE"
The next Gay she received this reply:
"Mr. Thurston regrets that Mrs. Browne
loc hoo,, {o hv the
conduct Of his, grandson, and begs to ask il
Master Oliver did not provoke the quarrel
and bear his part in it?'
sour Oliver provoke quarrel - cried
Miss Nora. "What an insolent old man y
and straightway returned:
II cannot believe for an instant that our
Oliver was to blams in the affair. l have
inquired into the matter, and it seems that
the blow was entirely unprovoked. l ar,
only astonished that you should uphold
your grandson in such grave fault.
"H. BROWNE"
.9..Ar. ..Thurstau- -thinks-t YOU can So
cure faithful report of the affair from
Master Oliver you will find that it is six OF
one and half dozen of the other, so tC
speak. Mr. Thurston also begs that you
will reorganize your own child's manners
before Offering suggestions to your neigh
bors."
"If I can secure faithful report from
Oliver! When will impotence cease J!
Woman-like, she meant to have the last
word:
"Mr. TRurston:
"SIR-I can rely implicitly upon our Oil
vers word. And if I fail to reorganize the
manners OF our boy, it must be because
your own furnishes him with such evil
examples. H. BROWNE"
"What an ass that Mrs. Brown is!' said
Grandpa Thurston to the person who had
been doing up this tender correspondence
for him. "Give it to the simpleton hot
and heavy this time, Luce. You weren't
savage enough in your last"
"I propose we drop the subject here
She's a born scold, and will have the last
word, say what you WILL" and as Grandpa
Thurston was paralyzed, and could only
hold pen by proxy, the correspondence
came to standstlll.
'They found my last unanswerable,'
thought Nora. "What common people
they must be, to bring,,up child SO badly
Shoddy, no doubt. Pm glad ! don't know
them-that people are not obliged to know
their neighbors in the city. They must be
insuferable."
Miss Nora Browne had been left in charge
of her sisters household, while the lady
and her husband travelled abroad, un
hampered by Master divers presence. Hel
home was some hundred miles away in
land, and her acquaintance in the city
were few and far between, while even these
few were generally out of town at thl
season Of the year. However, she was sur
prised one morning by call from friend
who, having become tired OF the mountains
had returned to the city for few days.
"How lonesome you must be, Nora =
said Miss Elphinstone. "You must drol
in upon us often; the horse cars .rul
within block OF our door. And we'll have
such larks! By-the-way, we are going down
the harbor to- morrow in Cousin Lucius
yacht-he's just home from Europe, yo'
know-and you must join U.s."
"I'm sure 1 don't know" said Nora
"never having heard Of Cousin Lucius'
xistence before"
"Never heard of Cousin Lucius! Well
tive and learn. But you'll come"
"Wild horses couldn't keep me at home
thank YOU"
The next day Thomas and old Russo
took Miss Nora down to the wharf, wher
the SunbeanEas ready to put out. Wha
day it wasN Not a cloud in the whol
wide heavens, and "Cousin Lucius" OF
deck, brown-bearded and white-handed
with great liquid eyes, and smile that Sc
the pulses beating when it beamed upon one
and that one happened to be a girl o
twenty with an untenanted heart. Th
party was quite family affair, Mr.. ant
Mrs Elphinstone their sons and daughters
with one or two friends, making up the list
"'Ihis is a regular snare, Nora,' sait
Ellen Elphinstone, when they were drop
ping down the harpor. 81 don't know hoR
you'll feel about it, my dear girl; but, yo'
see, we are not going to sail Tor the da.
merely, but out into the broad Atlantic
and along the coast, and heaven know
where, Just as Cousin Lucius pleases. W
may be shipwrecked, or cast on deser
shore. But we shall be away week, a
the very least"
".Oh, how superb! cried Nora; and the
her face heightened. But, Nell, whal
ever shall I do? I have no things"
"Providence will provide. You see,
had no time to notify you after our chang
of plan; but I packed up double suppl
of thin gs; so don't worry"
"But there's the housekeeping, and tn
servants, and burglars"
"But you've housekeeper"
"And there's Oliver, and Oh dear
it's deli -htful, but l ought to be at home
"But our nephew has nurse"
"Why, he's eight years old, Nell. 10
sure, his nurse lives with us still, and n
CARDS him as the apple Of her eye, an
Thomas looks after h:n like detective
still"
ooh, come! throw Jour conscience owe
board" begged Lucius, coming up to clos
the argument.
"Pm afraid it's 80 light it will float
laughed Nora. "But I may as we'll enjc
myself )" which she straightway proceede
to do, after the most approved method
Irritation, as Nell called it. Lucius G.
out his chess-bcard, and they played Fl