The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-08-18

butter was necessity and l must go
and make the best of it.
The next morning caught the train,
but missed my breakfast, and by the
time reached the house 1 was decid-
edly hungry.
Mr.. Humphreys met me at the door,
and 1 was pleased to see he did not
seem to remember me at all. He put
up his eyeglasses, and inspected me
from head to foot.
$50 you're James W. Wolcott, are
you, young man?"
I told him he was not mistaken.
1 always had that name-born,. with it, 1
believed.
"And you think you're gentle
man?"
L begged his pardon-didn't til nix
anything about it; it was q self-evident
fact.
The old fellow grinned. "Suppose
you come in and have some breakfast
You haven't had any, I suppose ?"
1 said had not"
"Well, come in and have some."
After breakfast Mr. Humphreys led
the way into the library and motioned
me to take chair, while he explained
what my work was to be. He had been
writing history, or text book, of ferns
--he was an enthusiastic botanist-and
wanted it copied for the press. The
work of rewriting the whole thing
legibly was more than he wished to un-
dertake, so he had advertised for an
amanuensis.
After this had been explained to me,
| Nh, Hp,,, ,,brayS ctorta5 ~, UGat w :,
hat, Mr.. Wolcott. 7 want to show you
around"
All through the house and all over
the place he took me, and when he got
to the farther extremity of the grounds
he paused, and pointing to a huge
stone house beyond, said: "I'm trying
to buy that house; I'm very anxious to
get it, but my daughter objects"
asked him why she objected.
"Well, you see it hasn't been occu-
pied lately, and she says it's gloomy;
says it's haunted, and she wouldn't like
to live in it."
"Nliss Humphreys can't really believe
that to be true" L answered.
81 don't know whether she does or
not. She's away now, but she'll be
home tomorrow, and perhaps she'll be
more reasonable"
The next day Mabel arrived. She
met me politely, went through the in
PRODUCTION gracefully, and acted as if
she had never seen me before. There
was not the slightest half-glance of
recognition-shee evidently intended to
consider me a recent acquaintance
With curious inconsistency 1 could not
help being little disappointed, while
at the same time l was immensely re-
lieved. l don't know what 1 had ex-
pected-a start, blush, just the shy,
pleased look of a girl toward an old
friend not yet forgotten or was it
hauRhtiuess, hardly veiled anger, dis
gust? Whatever had expected, l got
nothing at all but pleasant, meaning
less words, great politeness, great civil
ity. l had nothing whatever to do
with, and could have no interest in, the
intimacy that formerly existed between
Mabel Humphreys and James W. VOL
rott he was one man, and / was
another. and SO the days went on,
and she was always friendly with her
fathers copyist.
Toward the end of July Ned Hum
phreys came home, and brought Mr.
Butter-Scotch Steele with him. Mr..
Steele's baptismal name was William,
but he had been rechristened by his
friends Bntter-Scotch, on account of his
fondness for that particular kind of
candy.
Ned was quite boy, and capital
fellow at that, and he and soon became
firm friends but Butter-Scotch I
loathed. I really don't know why l
loathed him so much, unless because
there was rumor afoat that Mabel
was making up her mind to renounce
the bangs and bangles of single life,
and henceforth stick to Butter-Scotch.
OF course this of itself was enough to
make me contemplate placing an ex-
traordinarily bent pin on his chair, or
converting his oyercoat pocket into a
repository for a litter of baby kittens.
But independently of this rumor, had
distinct and positive impression that I
loathed the man just as he was, whether
he ever succeeded in marrying Mabel
or not. OF course it was none of my
business, but it did seem pity to stand
by and see her become the missing rib,
thereby completing the anatomy, of
such a molly-coddle.
Ono morning l was standing on the
piazza-iust finishing a very nice cigar
Mr.. Humphreys had presented me with
the day before, with the remark that
he didn't mind man smoking once in
a while, if he smoked tobacco, but he
abominated cabbage when Mabel
came out.
"Mr. Wolcott," she said, care you
going to be busy for few minutes %
81 think not" l replied. "Mr.
Humphreys doesn't want to begin for
half an hour yet"
"Then will you come to the croquet
ground and finish your cigar there?"
" Certainly" 1 answered; with
pleasure"
Over to the ecroquet ground we strolled,
and Mabel sat down on one of the rustic
seats. Without preamble of any kind,
she began:
81 know you have friendly feeling
for us all, Mr.. Wolcott, and 1 want to
ask your opinion and advice"
bowed, for she was unquestionably
right about my friendly feeling, but 1
wondered what was coming.
She went on: "What do you think of
Mr.. Steele?"
Well, that was poser What did 1
think of Butter-Scotch That he was a
fool, of course; but reflected it wouldn't
do to tell her so, particularly if she was
going to Oh, no! it wouldn't do at
all.
IT'LL L IT agg