Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1882-03-31
I sflfrt : tOrg.
Old Peter S Story

All WIS SAttk'ilitlll III J.Ft ItA
house on the hill, for 80 Chalmers
! Hill was knoYn for miles around.
had not served the family. boy and
man, for thirty years, without sharing
it 10 certain degree not incompatible
with nv buffers dignity, and all evl
deuce Of which ! strove Scdulousl Y Il
conceal
It WAS oCcasionrd bv no less an
event than the return Of the young
lady Of the house-tne only daughter
and sole heiress of all these broad
acres from the finishing school III
Paris. 10 make her formal debut IN
society.
/ The suit of rooms assigned 20 her
had been thoroughly renovated and
r,furni,hri IN a manner widely DIFF,
frrrnt from the solid English comfort
which prevailed throughout the house;
but To look through them vas like =
sudden glimpse into the nest ot some
hummIng bird, which had impaired
all It's own brlllIaucy 10 It's belongings
Only frw DAYS before the expected
arrival came u letter, begging lvrmis-
sion TO bring with her, her dcarcs,
frlend-a young LADY, whose father
vas an East Indian officer, and hose
return had been postponed 4 couple OF
months.
of course the pettcd daughters
wish MAS law; aad though tne fond
father, reading aloud the letter pre-.
ferrlng this request at the breakfast
table, exchanged glance OF disap-
poIntmrut with his wlic that soon the
privacy Of their lttje circle must De
disturbed. formal invitation 10 Mis-.
AlIEe Revere IL the ho>pltalliics OF
Chalmers Hall Was dispatched that
very day.
shall never forget the evening If
Miss Chalmers return. Her CHEEKY.
"'llow do YOU DO. Peter" thrilled my
old bones. as did the touch of the llt-
tie hand she kindly offered me. in
memory perhaps of my loag service
and the many rides up aud down the
broad walls she had on my shoulder,
screaming the while with glee.
She fitted about all evening, like u
bee, from flower 10 flower, and It was
AS though burst OF sudden sunshine
had Illuminated the old house. She
was fair sweet English glrl; but, as
all were seated around the dinner
table, could not but acknoH ledge the
palm of beauty must be awarded Ia
her friend had never seen - more
exquisite face. Il fairly haunted me :;
it held In It the tire Of The tropics, the
! ice Of the Arctic, the light of the
heavens, the shadow of the night
each expression IN contradiction uf the
other, each tending to produce har-
mouIous warfare.
dad not think this all out myself,
but some one, long after, IN descrIb-
| ing Miss Reyere's face, thus worded
1T, and | knew then they made clear
the enigma my old brain had so long
tried to solve. | would even then
have been enyious, for Miss hal
mbers sake, but that she seemed SO
fond, so devoted to her friend, that
her very gladneSs Wa. an unconscious
rebuke to me.
1t was not long before the house
was filled with guests-ladIcs and
ladies' maids, gentlemen and their
Wallets, coming and going, filling the
place with galety and excitement.
Then came the announcement Of "a
grand ball, with invitations to al the
county. Glad enough | was " hen
the evening it was to take place
actually arrived, aud could feel that
the hustle Of anticipation WAS at al
end
On her way down to the drawing
room, Miss Flo peeped in to see the
tables, and | thought for that once
We might compare her to Miss Aline.
She wus dressed IN white, her arms
aud neck bare, but glltterlng with
precious stones. Some OF the family
jewels her father had reset, and pre-
seut-d to her that very morning at
the breakfast table. | was not like ly
to forget the circumstance Tor the
Old feeling of half dislike, with which
| had at first regarded Miss Allne,
swept over me as | fancled an envlous
glitter spar kIed i'll the great black
eyes, as they rested on the white, gilt
te. ing gems.
"Will | do, Peter" asked my young
mistress, sweeping me mock courtesy
as she had done hen tiny girl; and
| half b 1Ieve instead of answering
her | brushed away tear.
The ball had been ii grand success
and the sun had risen ere the sound
of the wheels Of the large carriage
filled with departing guests had died
laway.