The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-04-17
very long; but I'm glad you've come;
for I'm deucedly hungry. Rather good
.;r, ;cn't II loan 2H

sign. isn't it, Jean?" -,
"To be hungry? Yes; very good -
sitting down at the table and tapping
the call-bell. but it won't last very
long. I'll Venture to say that in fifteen
minutes from now your appetite Will be
considerably diminished"
VERY likely said Dick, as Sarah en-
ters from the kitchen, bearing the cot
fee-urn in one hand and dish Of beef,
steak in the other. AT any rate, Will
see how far steak, coffee and hot bis
cuits will 90 toward diminishing It"
Presently there is violent ring at the
door-bell.
"Who can that be?" exclaimed Dick,
inouisitively. Il wonder if any OF the
bows could have come out to see what
has become of me?" -.
ut sounds very like the postman, ,"
adds his sister; and the postman II IS.
Two letters are his contribution to the
Roys this morning, both of when Safnh
hands to Miss Janet, who hurrledly
reads the addresses. One Is for herseH'
the other is for her brother.
Here is letter for you, Sir, II your
name is Horatio,'" she quotes, reaching
it to him across the table. .. 90,
but my name is not Horatio," ne
replies, correctingly, rs he takes 1t.
Are YOU aware that to paraphrase is
perfectly allowable? If your name be
Richard would be much more approprl-
ate and would sound far better"
Janet scarcely listens to the prattle OF
her brother: the letter that has come for
her is edged with black, and she is
nervously tearing open the envelope in
her haste to see what i'll news it has
brought, whose death it has come to an
nOunce.
Dick notices her agitation as she draws
out the inclosed sheet, and wonders,
even as she is wondering, what can be
its message.
"Uncle Arthur is dead" she says, the
next moment, giving a sigh OF reilef.
Il saw it was in Harry's handwriting,
and so feared it was Cousin Margaret.
"Cncle Arthur" repeats Dick. I'm
Gle Arthur. He's one of my respected
great-uncles, whom | have never had
the pleasure of seeing: California mil
lionaire. | wonder did it ever strike
him that a little of his wealth would be
acceptable to his Teat-niece and great
nephew, who are battling with the
world far away over here in the East"
"Oh, Dickw eXclaims Miss Roy,
greatly shocked, chow can you talk Q.
the poor mans money when he is just
dead?"
"Poor man." says Dick, laughing.
Il always thought he was a rich one"
MAY | inquire" asks Miss Roy,
meeklv, when her brother had twice
read the epistle he holds in his hand;
and is about to begin again, what Nell
has to say that is SO rery interesting?"
A slight flush mounts to Dicks lace rs
he hurriedlv crumples the missire into
his pocket.
"Nell!" he repeats. How did you
know it was from Neli?'.
Il know her handwriting"
but it's lust like hundreds of others,
continued Dick, buttering 4 hot roll IN
continuance of his breakfast. All
ladies write in the same style nowadays.
The letters are :ll very tall and ali very
thin"
Each laay's hand has pcculi'uity'
nevertheless"
(Which nobody can deny" quotes
Richard. Some hands are pink and
some are white, some are fit and some
are lean, some wear diamonds and some
wear none" i
"How you trip one up" exclaimed
Janet. smiling. "You know very well
what | mean. Would you have ME
stumble over the whole length of CHR
ography' every time?"
"By no means. 1t would only be a
waste of breath, and would seem as
though you were Intentionally airing
your knowledge of Webster's Una
bridged."
Dick is beginning to congratulate him
self on the mastery way in which he has
turned the subject and escaped rudcly
telling his sister that the contents OF
Miss Nellie Taylor's letter are not for her
cars, when she again refers to his re-
marks.
By-the-bye," she says, as she draws
from the urn her brothers second cup OF
coffee, speaking of some hands with
diamonds and some without, Nell doesn't
wear one, does she? When do you pro-
pose presenting her with one Of the
gems?"
u was not aware" with mock gTav-
ity) THAT young men are generally cx-
pected to provide their lady friends with
diamond rings"
did the fact that there is such
thing rs an engagement ring ever present
itself to your enlig ightened intellect?"
Engagement repeats Dick; did |
understand you to say engagement?
Since when. pray, did you conclude that
YOUR respected brother had given his
heart to another? l know Of no engage
ment."
"Oh, dear" says Janet, signing melo
I 1l,- hnan
taken? And here was already conTat-
ulating myself on so soon having sister,
in-law"
DO you remember the nursery
rhymeo" asks Dick:
"'Can the love that you're 30 rich in
Build n fire in the kitchen
Or the little god Of love turn the spit, spit,
spit?
I should hesitate, I think, to ask any
one to marry me, for fear Of having that
couplet thrown in my face. Now if that
dear old grcat-unclc of ours had only
taken it into his aged head to leave us a
few of his many thousands, then perhaps
/ might think of engagements and dlac
mond rings and mothcs-in-law; and
you might begin to speculate on the com
narrative advantages Of my various lady
friends as a sistcr-is law"
Poor, dear old man. Janet con-
tinucs, kindly. Il can just remember
sitting on his knee and playing with his
long beard at the time he was on from
the West. 1t'srealfy shame, Dick, our
being so lively, and Uncle Arthur, grand
fathers own brother, lying dead"
"Well, my dear, shoul ID be lying
nIire if l said was sorry he's gone: for
while there's death there's hope, and who
knows but he may have thought of us?"
"Oh, Dickm beseechingly, please
don't Joke about it. | really do feel bad
ly, and Cousin Margaret and Harry must