The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-07-30

Percy warning hau not enjoyed any
thing 80 much for long time ~ the
walk through the brilliant October woods
Ia the house. He had not written that
he WAS coming on this morning, and
there was no one ut the wharf To meet him;
but il was not far To The Reeds-an old
hip rooted establishment embowered III
autumn foliage-and he reached il and
went up the steps.
Some one was playing tile piano in the
drnwing-room on the right of the en-
trance, and this some one was singing II
little song with constantly recurring
burden, NJ in the poems Of William Nor
ris and Gabriel Rossetti. There was IN
exquisite sadness and sweetness i'll the
music and the voice of the singer; and
Mr.. Warning found himself asking whether
ticuuld he Jean. In order to satisfy him
self upon this point, he went quickly to
the door of the drawing room, and saw
seated ut the piano tall young beauty
Of about sixteen, with dark brown hair
braided behind the neck, II slender fig
ne, and bare arms encircled by brace
let's. She was singing us bird sings
for herself and no one else-and was 30
absorbed that Mr.. Percy Warning came
up behind her and put both hands over
her eyes before she was aware Of his
presence III the room.
"Who is it, Jean?" he said, laughing.
"Oh, it is you, cousin l am so
glad" exclaimed Miss Jean Alleyn,
turning round and rising quickly.
Mr.. Warning bestowed cousinly kiss
on the maiden, but he felt little
ubashed She was beauty; and he
took the small hands, and held her at
arms length, and looked Mt her. Was
this his little JEAN" Til. thing was
incredible. There were the very same
eyes, it is true, full of mischief and au-
dacious sweetness, the same rosebud Of
Il mouth, and the same mir Of frolic.
But Miss Jean Alleyn was not little
jean" She WIS young woman, and u
beauty too, if she ras only sixteen.
81 am 30 glad you have come.
"Well, jean, l am as glad rs you are. "
Are You, really?"
The brown head moved little To one
side, and the wicked eyes looked atiec-
tionate.
Indeed / am. How beautiful you
are!"
Was it the voice of Mr.. Percy Warning
that uttered these last words? 1t sound
ed like the voice of boy. He was still
holding her hands, and looking into her
ewes, when avoice behind him exclaimed:
welcome, Percy, my boy! and old
Judge Alleyn, with his long gray hairs
and ioyial smile, graspcd his hand.
"You ought to have written to say that
you were coming-think of no one mt the
wharf to meet you! But here you are,
Percy, and Jeans as glad to see you rs
am. Did you ever see finer boy, Jean
for an old boy?"
"Cousin Percy's not old-he's in his
bloom" said Miss Jean.
"Take care, Jean, how you tlatter
grandpa" said Mr.. Waring. "He'll
fall in love with you.
Miss Jean cast down her eyes, "It
would be IL great gift" she murmured.
That was the beginning; and when q
writer alludes to beginning, he always
means that there liz going to be IN end
ing, and the end came with Mr.. Percy
Warren very soon. Incredible rs the
statement may appear, just one week
after their first meeting, Mr.. Warren
had fallen in love with Miss jean Alieyn
1t seemeda very unlucky circumstance.
Such proceedings are serious. When O
man of forty falls i'll love, his sentiment
is different from hoy love. In the latter
case the stream dances along asking every
flower it meets to bend and mirror itself
in it. In the former, the waters, long
obstructed, break thro' with sudden
rush. Or change the figure, and say
that the light breeze is not the storm
wind-one makes ripples on the surface
that subsidies as rapidly Us they come
the other lifts the foaming surges, which
do not go down ut once. One liz comedy
the other is tragedy-and all these beau
tiful smiles are intended to describe tn,
state of mind of the unfortunate Mr.
Percy Warning. He had come to til,
Reeds in a tranquil condition.; for hi
views in reference to his city friend, W,
regret to say, were purely financial. Nov
his condition was not tranquil was
very long way from that. II was ludi
crons. Had he not bestowed his elderl.
advice on the youthful Charley Waltol
to "try II sweet sixteener," as that ag
was ensy to please? He had added,
he remembered correctly, that he did no
fancy that age himself; and now repre-
sentati of the unfedged age had cap
tured ~.
1t was fearful state of things, and
was plain that Miss Jean realized 1t. fl
had looked ut her one day in n manne
which all women understand, and fron
that moment II chill fell over the Land
scape. 1t was not killing frost, bu
there was the silver glimmer Of it o.
Miss Jeans roses. What was the mat
ter? Mr.. Percy Warning asked himself
Had she noticed the unlucky gray hairs
and did she regard him as her grand
papa? Or, finding that her sentiment
were not in sympathy with the views c
Mr.. Warning, had she determined to spar
him pain by nipping his young romano
in the bud? 1t seemed-since there wa
the frost.
Thence melancholy on Mr.. Warning
part. He determined to go away Il
once, and as duly did not go away. II
conducted himself very much like othe
male human beings in his state OF MIND
II Jean smiled and said something tia
meant nothing, his pulse throbbed; an
40 affairs continued until the last days {
October-Mr. Percy Warning having n
solved to go away ut least ten times, an
having remained. This was very III
profitable, indeed. There was certai
enjoyment in it, but still it was unsatil
factory. The best thing to do would /