Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-09-02
LETITIA'S LONG DAY.

al am perfectly certain that it must in.
evitsbly be tae very longest day in all my
life"
"Well, well you know best At any
rate you ara provided with books flowers,
piano, and d new frock-aIl that young
ladyhood most ardently desires, suppose
And you needn't see anything of Tom
How can I helpit?"
GO into the garden when he is in the
house go into the house when he is the
garden. Shut the door of the drawing
room in hia face the is not likely to trespass
in your domain, though; have your lunch.
con sent il to You on tray, if You require
absolute seclusion. can think of nothing
more at this moment"
"OH, dear it will be such long day,
auntie."
so yon said before. WE'LL l am truly
sorry. What can't be cured must be en-
dured, you know. GoOd.by, child"
Ny aunt thereupon folded me in volu.
ninous embrace, and mounted up into the
fy, musty and antique vehicle which had
been hired from the neighboring town to
convey her and her dozen packages to the
station. My aunt, a maiden lady of ma
ture years and energetic habits, was going
to spend the day with another lady of ma.
preferring the gay vortex of cathedral
town to the simple pleasures of the country.
Where's the basket of cowslips, Lefty,
snd the bacon And, oh the cream !"
''Its al right suntie cream and bacon
and all. Bat, dear me, dear me, how wish
the day were over {"
"Never mind that, you foolish girl it's
positively wicked. And you might change
your mind after all. before evening"
'0h no, indeed"
"Wen, goed-by, again good-by."
Tbs driver clicked his whip, the old
horse started, the Fly gave sundry creaks
and lurches, my aunt waived her handker.
CHIEF, and / was left, standing lonely on
the doorstep, while the departing vehicle
meandered slowly between the trees, and
was presently lost to sight
Then turned to 90 indoors, revolving
in my thoughts how best l could avoid
Tom. But ere I could solve the difficult
problem, loud, rough voice called out
from the shrubbery:
"Hullo, Cousin Lsttice, why I'm just
a minute too late ANTI? She's off, amt
she 2"
Aunt Nab has just gone" l replied
with chilly dignity. Tom in his brief
spesch had already offended me twice. /
did not like to be called Lettice could
not endure the word amt"
However, he emerged from the shrub
berry as uneoncerned and cheerful as usual.
and came up to where | stood. He was
dressed in white flannel from head to foot,
and was lazily swinging his long arms to
and fro.
81 say, Cousin Lettuce, come and play
tennis"
"Thank you, Tom; am busy, and
would you please kindly remember to call
me- Letitia? ?"
Certainly, certainly"
"My dearest love could not wish her
= more charming than Letitia'
''Or shall call you Tishy?
Little Miss Tishy
Her conduct was ishy."
Tom p
Yes, Letitia"
/ am going in, srd-and-I shall be
extremely busy all day."
"0h, indeed Well, so shall /; too
busy to talk to you, Miss Tishy | know
how to take hint as we'll as anybody, be-
iieve me"
So saying, and with a very red face,
Tom strobe away, whistlipg " La-di-da" as
he went.
What pumpkin he was, to be sure. and
what aggressively and irritatingly vulgar
manners some unkind fairy godmother had
bestowed on him It was all very well
that he pretended to study Latin and
Greek while he spent the summer with
Aunt Nab; he was far more likely to take
double frst-class in boating or cricketing,
or become a senior wraDgler with fishing.
rod, than 20 excel in any purely mental
struggle. As for myself, | was a Young
Londoner on a fortnight's visit to Aunt
Nab, and y garden party at Fuham or
Chiswick with plenty of strawberries and
cream, a couple of laburnum trees and the
Hungarian band, realized my notion of the
country far more than this silent nook in
the wilas of Devonshire, in which, how.
ever, l had already spent ten Idle DAYS.
wandering about with my aunt, making
UNBEATABLE oheeses under the supercilious
direction of the dairy maid, and perpetuaIly
squabbling with Cousin Tom.
Tom had walked away now, whistling
and aggrieved, and | went indoors, and
opened the piano, and practiced nocturne
by Chopin. ] could hear Tom in his study.
stamping up and down, aud banging the
door of his bookcase. Then all was still.
snd knew he had settled down to read |;
but practiced diligently, for reflected
that music might annoy him, and inter
tere with his medItations on Horace or Eu-
ripides.
l sistiuOtly hated Tom; must have
done so, for often longed to do him an
injury. Ii only irritated me to see that
Aunt Nab liked him, and that the vicar,
the housekeeper, the dogs aud cats, and all
the dirty little village children loved and
idoliBsd him. But, of course, in a sleepy
ana benlghted village there is nobody for
anybody else to like, and the one young
man in the place must needs grow spoiled
and oyerbearing
An hour had passed, and my fingers
grew tired and my head heavy. Had Tom
been anyone but Tom | should have almost
regretted my refusal of his offer of lawn
TERMS. Lawn. Tennis the very word was
refreshing, and suggested pleasant pastime
and good fellowship. left the piano and
turned to the open window; the garden
was cool ard green, the room was close and
decidedly dreary. Finally sailed forth.
my complexion protected by the shady hat
and gauza veil that LOndoners deem neces.
sary for rural life and carrying in basket
the latest invention of yellow. brown art
needle-woTk, intending to spend pleasant
hour in the shade.
But had not gone dozen yards before
came upon Tom, partly asleep, HIS legs
and arms stretched over half dozen chairs.
two Latin books and big dictionary living
on the gravel path, and the last number of
Psa1ch spread open on mis- knee.
"Oh, dear, l am afraid have disturbed
you" said /
Not in the least, answered Tom benig
nantly.
81 thought you were in your study"
So | was, but the internal noise Of your
piano"
81 forget you are not fond of music"
"On the contrary love music It was
music that drove me ont of the house. and
caused me TO find this deIiciously calm re.
treat Have chair 20
VI I ,,,