Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-10-07

the parlor, where he glanced keenly around
and then as keenly into my face, while he
! announced in decisive tone:
81 have come to take it. My luggage IS
at the door. Be so kind as to tell me
| where to direct the man to carry it,
"But"-I began in a hesitating way,
| utterly confused by the strangers brusque.
not to say high-handed manner.
"'But me no buts,''' quoted the old
gentleman. ''l am Amos Griffin, lately
from England, where l have been living
for the past twenty years. Since 1 landed
in New York, month ago to-day, have
been boarding at the st. Nicholas. But
where's your mother ?''
| fastened to assure him that was EN-
powered to negotiate with him.
"Ah. indeed Well, then, I'll go on,
though it strikes me that you are rather
young for the business. You have never
taken ledger BEFORE am glad of it
for reasons which it is not necessary to ex-
plain. You want .liberal equivalent for
your fine room; am prepared to give it
That leaves only one thing to be arranged.
I should like my breakfast at eight pre-
cisely every morning.
but we did not propose to give break
| fast.''
Il know you didn't; but I'll give you
! another liberal equivalent for it. You
can't be very well off, or you wouldn't
fol rp 1n6r nd
aIents you can get from him the better,
| Will you be kind enough to show me tC
my room 20
| Eyes, sir;'' 1 replied, meekly, complete
ly succumbing to the big black eyes and
strong will-power of the frail-looking old
man, and totally forgetting to ask for the
reference insisted upon in the adver-
tisement. Whereupon he stepped to the
front door, and beckoned to the man out
side, who, taking the trunk upon his back
followed him, as he followed me, to the
second story front room.
"Ah,'' said our ledger, as he entered it,
''this is not bad-not at all bad.''
And it wasn't. AS have said before.
it was the pleasantest room in the house,
and l had arranged it as prettily as could
with the means at my command. Fortu-
nately these included number of nice en-
cravings and vases, and capacious bam-
| boo chair with crimson cushion, and
foot-stool of like color. And the fragrance
of the honeysuckles that stole in at the
window from the balcony, and the two OF
| hoo tbofh oI nj
through the half closed blinds, and danced
in triumph on the wall, and the half-dozen
gayly bound books (mine) on the mantel
and the ivy growing from red pot on the
bracket in one corner, all combined to
make the room pleasant place indeed.
Mr.. Griffin lad been our lodger exactly
two years, during which 1 had prepared
and superintendent the serving of his
break fasts, and taken entire charge of his
room, las we'll as though | had been
brought up to that sort of thing" as my
cousin Cleanthe remarked, and the rest OF
the family, with the exception of uncle
who became quite friendly with him, had
only met him some dozen times-at which
times they assumed their most dignifed
dignlty-when he was taken sick.
''It's an old complaint, which will carry
me off some time,'' said he to me; s'hut
hope not this time. Anyhow, Little Hon.
esty" Ia name he had given me from the
first-I hope deserved it), live or die, l
intend to remain here. Nowhere else
could be as comfortable. You must en-
gage an extra servant, and you and she
together must nurse me. 1 should Ger.
taiLly die OF professional. By-the-bye,
who is your physician 20
I told him.
morrow. l am going out now-only few
steps, meeting my look of surprise, II
want to see my lawyer. and shan't take
to my bed for several days YETI
! That afternoon, taking care not to re-
peat the old gentleman's exact words. but
putting his remarks in the form of a re-
quest to be allowed to remain, stated the
case to the family.
"Going to be Ill 20 exclaimed Alethea.
dear me! how disagreeable ~
I'm sure l don't want him to stay; he
might die here,' said my aunt, who had
the utmost horror of death.
''He's an old nuisance, anyhow" pro-
claimed Ethel, 'and always has been, and
1 blush that any relative Of mine should
have degraded herself so far as to become
his servant-maid."
Here will mention that my cousin Ro-
land. a month or so before this, had mar
ried young lady with large fortune,
and out of this fortune he generously pro-
posed to make the family liberal yearly
allowance, besides which came many gifts
from the married sisters, whose husbands
had prospered, and thereupon been obliged
by their wives to share their prosperity
with us, that we might live at least, as
Minerva expressed it, with elegant econ
omy." Aud so we were not entirely de-
pendent upon our lodger for desserts and
several other things.
But to 60 back. 'sHe is not an old nu-
isance," said I, Indignantly. HE is a |
kind-hearted old man, and Pm very fond
of him."
Good gracious!''
Eyes, Miss Ethel,'' went on, Il am
very fond of him. And if my aunt will |
allow mel am sure my uncle will will !
take all the extra care resulting from his
sickness upon myself, and no one else shall |
be annoyed in the least. After living be-
meath our roof for two years and contrib
uting so bountifully to our comforts-you
needn't glare at me; Cleanthe; he has, for
am certain no one else would have paid us
so liberally-it would be the basest ingrat-