Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-06-25


and as II 1 had left behind something
important, and at last / settled down
into a horrible dread that had left all
my new collars in drawer at college.
/ could see that Jack Spenser's thoughts
we're with Miss Hallowell, but being
more accustomed 10 society II evidently
caused him no feeling Of embarrass-
ment, and he was probably sure Of max
ing a good impression. The house
looked imposing, as we drove up the
avenue, and there was a bright light
shining out across the snow from the
parlor windows where the shutters had
not been drawn, and the big dog
bounced down the steps 10 meet us as
some one opened the hall door. Dick
ushered us in politely, and after leaving
our coats we went into a handsome
library to warm ourselves at a bright
wood-fre. Dick beamed with happi-
ness, and told the men to tell Miss Alice
that we had come, asking where she
was.
John said we were TO make ourselves
comfortable, and added, " She has a
very bad cold, Miss Alice has"
Goodnessl that's too bad!" said
Dick, and understood his sorry look,
for he had told me she was delicate
and often had these horrible colds,
which made him uneasy, as there was
consumption in the family. "I'n just
run upstairs" said he, and John
walked away smiling, after telling us
that supper would be ready in a short
time, and that the gentlemen would find
their rooms ready whenever they chose
to go upstairs. 1t was gratifying to be
called a gentleman, for / had several
older brothers and had never dared
make any pretensions of being any thing
but boy. Jack took no notice of the
compliment, probably being used to it.
Looking at him as he stood on the rug
before the fire, 1 had a sudden and
great longing to be tall and entirely
self-possessed, and was conscious that
there was some advantage in being a
society man. l looked at my hands
which had been much battered by base
balls the summer before, and had suf-
fered recently from crooks and strains
in the gymnasium. Dick soon joined
us, apparently in a very happy mood.
His sister had not expected us so soon
and we must therefore wait longer. He
! lOOhbu oO Hlhl W DO dI uOl1O gam anu
had such twinkle in his eyesl
"What a swell you are, Hallowell!"
said Jack, admiringly. "This is a stun
ming house. Why didn'tyou ever put on
airsP Jackson's house won't hold a
candle to this, and he is always brag-
ging, and forever Juggling in something
about the billiard room"
"We have a first-rate table upstairs, -
said Dick meekly; "we'n have game
after supper. Glad you like the look of
things. 1 hope you'll have decent sort
of time, I'm sure, but | wish father were
at home. It's pleasanter here in sum-
mer of course; and then the place has
| gone back every way, having been shut
up so long. We'll have no end of fun
if you'll come down in summer some
time"
Just now we heard a footstep on the
stairs, and our hearts beat quicker in
anticipation of the lovely vision. Dick
jumped up and rushed out into the hall,
and we heard loud kiss and they both
laughed and talked minute, and then
Hallowell and the young lady came in.
She was pretty and no doubt about it.
Tall and slender, with dark eyes and
light curly hair and fresh complexion,
and the pleasantest manner which put
us at our ease at once. She evidently
had terrible cold and could speak only
in hoarse whisper, and her brother
asked about it, and demonstrated with
her in fatherly manner for being out
that afternoon in such a bitter cold
wind. Supper was ready then, and we
were as jolly and hungry a party as
ever sat down together. Miss Halo
well did not talk much, but she was full
of fun; and we told one story after an
other, and made ourselves agreeable
while she confessed she never had beer
hungrier in her life, and she hoped oul
appetites would keep hers company
to which task they were not unequal.
She devoted herself especially tt
Spenser-it was no shock to me, for
had supposed she would all the time
and she looked at him great deal whel
he was not looking at her. OF cours
Spenser knew it, and his worst enem,
could not have denied that he was
handsome fellow. At last we could ea
no more, in spite of much urging and I
fourth supply of fried oysters brought il
smoking hot
We went up to the billiard room an,
tried manfully to go through a game
but the balls were disorderly and W
didn't succeed in getting interested;
was evident that Spenser's thought
were elsewhere, and at last we wen
, down stairs again. Miss Hallowell ha'
gone upstairs with us at first, but ha,
discovered that it was not warm enoug
and left us. 1t was such jolly house b
be in one could not help having goo,
time. The very atmosphere was sug
gestive of comfort and late breakfast
! and doing as one pleased. Their
seemed to be no restraint, and ever
thing was 80 comfortable and in sue
, capital good tastel The servants whom
we saw treated us with respect enoug
! TO satisfy even a Harvard Junior, an
! they seemed as full of fun and good ma
ture as ourselves.
! Presently Miss Hallowell called to u
: to come into the parlor.
5 "You're not going to leave me to my
| self all the evening"" said she persua
sively, seven if l am stupidP MI
( Spenser plays, l have heard, and / knol
| you both sing can't you give me som
J musicPo
= And thereupon Spenser, who was mt
} sical and who had a piano in his roor
r at college, was delighted to play fo
4 some time, and then we sang some {
= the new tunes which Miss Alice hadn
= heard and some of the old ones whic
I she liked, and then she played for US
= first some gay music, and afterward
a plaintive tune which made me feel fol
y saken, and poor Spenser was quite ovel
i come. I shouldn't like to say for oel