Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1881-06-02
Invited to Breakfast.

Chambers journal.
-WaIk out to my house and have
breakfast with me some morning" Such
was the invitation given me one day by
Mr.. Robertson, "a genial, iniddle-aged So
lIcitOr to whom l was articled in the
thriving town of Abbeyten. 9.
Now, l had only been articled for a
few weeks, and what had seen of Mr..
Robertson in business made me wish to
know him and his in their private lie;
hence I was much delighted to have this
opportunity OF gratifying my wish A
few days afterward, waking up and find
ing glorious summer sun streaming
into my room, speedily decided that
this was just the kind of morning on
which / should accept the invitation to
breakfast at Abbey Grove, and in a few
minutes was on my way thither.
Abbey Grove was situated about two
miles from the town, and consisted of
small cluster of villas, built in a pretti-
ly situated spot, which. generations ago,
had formed part of the grounds of an old
Abbey. The only remains of this old
ancient building, however, were few
yards of crumbling wall, with here and
been traceried windows; these, with nu-
merous mounds of stone and masonry,
were all that was now left to tell of
what had been there centuries ago.
Most of the mounds were now covered
with grass and shrubs and trees, and
thus formed a delightful secluded re-
treat, which the inhabitants of the Alb
bey Grove villas enjoyed in common.
The nvigorating charms of an early
walk on summers morning need no
description. The pure air, the genial
sun, the twittering birds, the sparkling
dew, and soft low breeze, all tend to ex-
hilerate ones spirits, ,and to make the day
pleasanter and happier throughout. All
these experiences were mine ON the day
i write of. As L approached Abbey
Grove and saw the houses peeping from
out the surrounding trees, i commenced
wondering as to what kind of resi-
dence would be occupied by Mr.. Robert
son. how it would be furnished, what
kind of people his wife and family
would be like, and tile kindred things
that you speculate upon when going TO
visit house for the first time. Last,
but by no means least, as my walk con-
tinued l wondered what kind of a break
fast there would be to appease the appe
tite stimulated by the morning breeze.
| walked down short avenue leading
to the house, and then began to wonder
which of the half dozen villas l was
bound for. This small community dis
pensed with numbers to their houses,
nor did they even distinguish them by
the ambitious and ridiculous names
which you see stuck up OIL most subur-
ban residences. No; nothing savoring
SO of the town for this group of coun-
try residences-th all called their sew
eraf houses by the common name of Alb
bey Grove; and the stranger had to take
his chance of having TO go TO each of
them in turn, before he found the par
ticular one he sought. Fortune favored
me, however, by sending across my path
a travelling directory in the shape of a
miikman, and in response to my inquiry
as to which house was Mr.. Robertson's
/ received the straightforward reply,
s'This ERE one as I've just come from,
sir Walking up path, l found the
doer invitingly open, and the heusemaid
putting the finishing touches on the bell
handle.
master is not down yet, sir" she re-
piled to my inquiry as to. whether he
was at home. which, considering the
time of day, really appeared an absurd
question t0 ask the girl; but We get ac-
customed tD use stere0iyped phrases. un-
der some circumstances.