The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1880-11-17


make UP the sofa bed in the back
parlor for our use for week or
two"
| said nothing, but ground my
teeth in silent despair; and sprang
up stairs two steps at time, to
make what changes could i'm my
toilet by the aid of ten by twelve
glass, hung over the washstand OF a
snuffy little bathroom.
The Rev. Mr.. Sparkwell was a
big man, with a still bigger voice
and limp, faded little wife, whose
sole earthly interest seemed conferred
in the four white eyed, treckle faced
children. Uncle Silas and Aunt
Milicent were a silent pair, with ex-
cellent appetites, and two tall boys
who giggled and snickered at each
other in the intervals OF the CONVEX
sation-
Cousin Joab talked necessarily
with his mouth full, and the two
Miss Wilmerdlngs served as general
echoes OF the rest; while Aunt
Louise devoured lobster salad, 0d
G6ituna, and kept on sending up her
cup for more green tea, until l trem'
bled for her nerves.
While my wife, careful and troub-
led, like Martha of old, with many
things, looked ready to drop with
the hospitable exertions she had
made, and l, sitting a mere cipher at
the head of my table, felt as if were
keeping boarding house without
any OF the pecuniary emoluments
theretrom.
"My trunks will be up in the six
o'clock train," SAID the Rev. Mr..
Sparkwell. III trouble you, Cousin
Poyntz, to send an expressman to
the depot for ,'em. And if there's
any apartment in this domicile, Cou-
Sill Poyntz, that could be fitted up as
a study for my temporary use, it
would greatly facilitate my intellec-
tual occupation during my sojourn
in the suburbs OF this great city.
And l must beg that you will keep
the house very still during the hours
which | devote to my study"
Here my wife looked at me ag
hast, thinking of little Johnnie and
the baby.
Never mind, my DEAR" | re-
marked, soto voice. ''We can
easily get em boarded somewhere.
And" went on the Rev. MIR.
| Sparkwell, 81 should deem it a favor
sas' -a--lysg,r-
cured for my daily use when going
to DIR. Dosem, in the city, as the mo-
ton OF the train disagrees with my
nervous system"
81 don't happen to own Il. car
rage" said l. "But might buy
! one.n
"Thapk You, thank you, Cousin
Poyntz," said Mr.. Sparkwell, blandly.
"And if there's any other little
thing you should happen to want"
l added, "pray dom: be backward in
mentioning it,"
mo, l won't, Cousin Poyntz,"
said the reverend gentleman, with
the utmost gravity imaginable.
And am bound to say that he
that he kept his word.
For three days endured the
swarm Of visitors which literally in
tested my home, and l made up my
mind that patience had ceased to be
a virtue.
"I'll put a stop to this thing"
said ].
/ came home one night with ira
gical expression on my face.
"Katherine," said to my wife,
'Tm ruined"
"What" cried all the company at
once,
"Those shares IN the Western
Union, You know" said l shifting
my forehead.
Eyes, DEAR" groaned poor Kitty.
"They have gone down." said |.
'Not worth a penny"
ooh, John p
81 wish I.had taken your advice
and let 'em alone," said. "But
after all it doesn't so much matter, as
if i had no friends, you know"
/ looked beaming around at my
wife's relations. They returned the
glance by the blankest of stares.
iii I could borrow 5000 apiece OF
all these kindred" said l, with OBJ
strustive cheerfulness, land request
Uncle Silas to indorse my business
notes" ...;.
81 couldn't think OF such a thing
hurriedly interrupted that gentle
man.
81 thould be quite happy to o.
lige," said Cousin Joab, "but | am
quite ont Of funds at present"