American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-11-01
MR.. ORLANDO GHERKEN's PARTY

Tall, thin, straight, and angular was
Miss Philomela Gherken; medium
height, rather stout, broad-shouldered,
and curvilinear was her brother, or,
more properly speaking, her half broth
er, Orlando. A sharp nose and chin,
small gray eyes, scattered sandy hair,
sallow complexion, and ipless mouth
had Philomela; Orlando rejoiced in
merry blue eyes, a large smile, hand
some aquiline nose, abundant dark curly
hair, and ruddy cheeks. Philomela
spoke in a high, shrill voice, not agreeable
at any time,which, when she was angry
twice day on an average-pierced the
ear like the notes of fife; Orlando's
remarks came from his chest, and re-
minded you of the deep bassoon
When Philomela laughed once
a week-she tee-heed; when Orlando
laughed-as often as possible-he haw-
hawed- Philomela looked after all the
odds and ends of the household, al
though her brothers income was an ex-
cellent one, and made use of them; Or
ando, had he dared, would have given
them to the poor. Philomela hated
company, with the exception of two or
three old cronies after her own heart,
and disliked music; Orlando delighted
in the one, and was passionately fond of
the other. Orlando filed the vases and
pitchers with flowers; Philomela
bounced on them as soon as
the first leaf faded, and threw
them away. Orlando loved children !;
Philomela called them (and meant it,
too) "horrid little nuisances Or
lando was strongly inclined to be neigh
borly; Philomela repealed all neighbour
ly advances with chilling GOODNESS. Or
lando thought the young girl who lived
in the house on the other street, the gar
den Of which joined his own, very pref
ty and jolly made you feel as though
there was a delightful invigorating
breeze about, upon which floated strains
of dance and martial music; Miss
Gherken said she was s'dark as a mu-
latto'' (she was several shades lighter
than cafe az taiO, So had eyes like a cat
eight brown, with glints of gold),
'.wore pounds of false hair (only the
smallest switch), 8. sang like a man. Ga
splendid alto), and was ssfast.'' And
she closed the blinds of the window
out of which, concealed by the curtain,
Orlando was watching the breezy young
woman play "tag' with some little
visitors-with a slam that came very
near being wooden-what Tom Hood
said.
How a man of your years. Che was
30, 20 years younger than his half-sister)
"can like to look at such tomboy /
can't imagine. For my part, / think
her not only fast, but insane.''
elf hers be insanity" communed Or
lando with himself, '' it is insanity of an
extremely refreshing nature, and forms
an agreeable contrast to the marked
sanity of sister PhiIomela.''
And he continued to watch Miss
Thomasina Somerset with undated
pleasure, thanking her in his heart for
making the only really bright picture in
a life spent partly in the dull monotony
of counting-room and partly under
roof where Miss Philomela Gherken
reigned supreme. And that he might
gaze upon this picture as often and as
long as possible, from late he became
a very early riser, because, Tom," as
her brothers called her, always came
bounding into the garden-the big
Watchdog rushing to meet herewith
the first rays of the sun. And yet he
was often late to breakfast One morn
ing the toast and coffee were actually