The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-06-18

hioS UNI We nuu come, askllp where
she was.
John said we were to make ourselves
comfortable, and added, "She has very
bad cold, Miss Alice has,"
Goodness! that's too badr' said
Dick. and | understood his sorry look,
for he had told me she was delicate and
often had these horrible colds, which
made them uneasy, as there was con-
sumption i'll the family. "I'll Just run
up stairs" said he, and John walked
away smiling, after telling lis that sup
per would he ready III short time, and
that the gentlemen would find their
rooms ready whenever they chose to go
upstairs. 1t was gratifying to he called
gentleman, for i had several elder
brothers and had never dared make any
pretensions of being anything but boy.
Jack took no notice of the compliment,
probably being used to it. Looking Mt
him rs he stood on the rug befor, the
fire, ] had a sudden and great longing
10 he tail and entirely self-possessed,
and was confident that there was some
advantage i'll being society man. l
looked at my hands, which had been
much battered 10y base-balls during the
summer before, and had suffered recent
ly from crooks and strains received in
the gymnasium. Dick soon joined lis,
apparently i'll happy mood. His sister
had not expected lis so soon, and we
must therefore wait longer. He looked
So glad To he home again and had such
i twinkle i'll his eye.
what swell Won are Hallowcll y
said Jack admiringly. "This il beau
tiful house. Why didn't You put on
airs? Jackson's house won't hold IL
candle To this, and he is forever brag-
ging, and always Juggling i'll something
about the billiard-room.
1--WE have tirSt-rate table upstairs, "
said Dick mcekly; "well have game
after supper. Glad You like the looks of
things. hope you'll have decent sort
of Il time, I'm sure, but j wish father were
AT home. It's pleaSanter here in sum-
mcr, of course; and then the place has
gone back every way, having been shut
up So long. Wen have no end of fun if
you'll come down in summer some time.
Just now We heard u 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 i'll.
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
ut our ease AT once. She evidently had
terrible cold and could speak only i'll n
hoarSc whisper, and her brother asked
about and demonstrated with her in n
fathcrly manner for being out that after
noon III such n bitter cold wind. Sup
per was ready then, and We were as Jolly
and hungry party as ever sat down to-
gethcr. Miss Hallowell did not talk
much, but she was full of fun; and we
told one story after another, and made
ourselves agreeable, while she confessed
she never had been hungrier in her life,
and she hoped our appetitcs would keep
hers company-to which task they were
not unequal.
She devoted herself especially to Spen-
ser-it was no shock TO me, for j had
supposed she would all the time-and
she looked at him great deal when he
was not looking ut her. OF course Spen-
Ser knew it, and his worst enemy could
not lave denied that he was a handsome
fellow. II last he could eat no more, in
spite Of much urging and fourth sup
ply of fried oysters brought in smoking
hot.
We went up To the billiard room and
tried manfully to go thro' II game, but
the balls were disorderly and we didn't
succeed in getting interested; it was evil
dent that Sponsors thoughts were else
where, and ut last we went down stairs
again. Miss Hallowell had gone up
stairs with us ut first, but had discovered
that ii was not warm enough and left u.s.
1t was such Jolly house 10 be i'll; ,one
could not help having good time. The
very atmosphere was Suggestive Of com
fort and late breakfasts and doing IA you
pleased. There seemed to he no re-
straint, and everything was SO comforta-
bic and i'll such capital good taste. The
servants whom We saw treated lib with
respect enough even to satisfy Harvard
junior, and they seemed as full of fun
and good nature rs ourselves.
Presently Miss Hallowell called to us
to come into the parlOr.
You're not gong to leave me to my
self all the evening" said she persuasive
ly, "even if ain stupid? Mr.. Spcnser
plays, | have heard, and l know you
both sing; can't you give me some music?''
And thereupOn Spenser, who was
musical and who had piano in his room
at college, was delighted To play for some
time, and then we sang some of the new
tunes which Miss Alice hadn't heard and
some of the old ones which she liked, and
then she played for us-firSt some gay
music, aud afterward a plaintive tune
which made me feel forsakeu, and poor
Spcnser was quite overcome. shouldn't
like TO say for certain that he kept his
eyes wide open without winking until
the tears came; but / happened to be
watching him and it looked uncOmmOnly
like it. It's too bad to tell you that, for
he is one of the best fellows in the world;
but he WAS young and he wished to make
a good impression, and he sat with his
hand over his eyes, looking at Miss Halo
well between his fingers. Such a heaven
ly look as he gave her when she stopped
playing and he said so gently that it
was Just the kind of music that he liked.
] heard Dick say good deal about her
playing, and confess that, altho' knew
nothing about it, il didn't strike me M
being Mt all extraordinary. But she
looked like beauty, with the freight
making her eyes seem darker and her
hair more golden, and L begged her tn
play something else. Il wish you could
sing" said Dick with great politeness,
considering that she was his sister, and
then they laughed as if there were some
joke, and she answered that she was
sorry she couldn't but he could see how
hoarse she was. She left the piano and
sat in a low chair in the shadow Of n
screen, as she complained that the fire
light hurt her eyes. Jack moved a chair
near hers and they entered upon long
conversation, and finally Dick and / adj
journed TO the library for smoke, and
talked over our own affairs in sensible
fashion. ] could see Miss Holloway as
she sat opposite the door; she looked
pale and tired, and began to feel sorry
about the cold. She was certainly very
pretty girl, and i remember she had on
very dark blue dress with white ruIIIe
! round her throat aud bright yellow
gold chain Just under it. There wa
something 80 pleasant and frank about
er!-but sometimes she put on the littl,
ways most girls have in talking to gentle
men-so conscious of themselves, ant
looking at you with that devoted littl,
smile.
"Jack's in for it, sure enough, sale
Dick to me in an exultant whisper. g.
hoped there'd be Irritation. Did you
ever see anything done better in you
life ?" and he shook with laughter-ant
then began to talk about something else