The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1882-10-12

.
/ jIst wished for n minute that ! was back
home, l felt so sort of uncomfortable
Gidn't know whether TO fold my hands in my
lap or let one of EN- hang down straight at my
side, and l was so dreadful afraid some one
would ask me a question and I'd have to an
sweT. But jim didn't seem to mind em one
bit. There never was no one jim was afraid
Of! ! felt downright proud OF him TO hear
him a-tai1in' and laughin so with 'em all. He
aud Miss Ehbs was sittin' real near me, 30 |
couldn't help hcarn' every word that he said
to her, uotwtstaudin' that | was prctcndin' to
listen to Miss McCaGery, who was tryin' her
best to he entertainin'. l tell you was mighty
glad that Mrs. McCafery talked right ahead
without scemin' to care whether l ever said
notbin' or not.
" Miss Ehhs" I could hear Jim a-sayin', did
you ever live down in old Pcunsylvany?"
a believe we did once when l was a child
She replies, very short, as if she didn't more'n
ua'c like his askin' her such 4 question
Then you don't remember nothin' about
liviu' thcre." he goes on.
so, Mr., Raymond, do come over here and
tell me how you liked PinaIore last night :"
she calls out just that minute, not hearin' what
jim said, most probable.
So Mr.. Raymond sits down on the sofa beside
her and she talks away as fast rs ever she can,
but every now and then I can hear Jim put in
a word. She couldn't shut jim up no way
Don't you think Pinaforo is perfectly
lovely, Mr.. Raymond?" she begins
"To be extremely candid, Mis-. Ebbs,-I must
confoss-that I, for one,--was not delighted to
the extent had anticipated-from the enco-
miums-so universally V bestowed upon this
little orera-by the press-and public gener-
ally. The plot itself think absurI-and the
music, although somewhat plcasing-is very
light in character"
"Why, Mr.. Raymond, think it's perfectly
beautiful! I've seen it three times already. l
think Dick Deadcye is just grand l told Mrs.
NcCaGcry ut the matinee, last Saturday, that I
was in love with him myself If / had been
Josephine ! should have run away with him
when he first proposed"
q presume, Miss Ebbs,-that you refcr-to
RacEstraw and not Dick Dcadeye"
"Why, of course it's Ralph, l mean! What
was I thinking of! Dick Dcadcye is the cap
tain, isn't he? l remember now! ! think the
music is too pretty for anything. You never
care for anything but classical music do you,
Mr. Raymond ?"
1 most certainly prefer-the compositions
of the great-masters, Miss Ebbs."
"Of course, l like classical music, too. I'm
just wild over the opera! l always come down
to Chicago for week or so when the opera is
here. But Pm not as particular as you are,
Mr.. Raymond. You pick everything to pieces
So Don't you ever go TO hear the light
operas?"
"I cannot say, Miss Ebbs,-that my musical
tastes-lead me in that direction. l am by no
means fond-of so-called popular music"
80, think some Of the airs in the French
operas are perfectly lovely, Mr.. Raymond! l
adore pretty little songs"
$50 do l. :" breaks in Jim. "'Put me in my
Little Bed is a right nice tune, only it's get
tin 50 kind o common. Not for Joe is
pretty good un, too. Can you sing it, Miss
Eb5s?" and he looks at her in such starin'
way, it seems 10 me.
No" she says, awful short "Mr Ray
mond, are you going to Mrs. Wilson's ball
evening""
You forget, Miss Ebbs,-that 1 never in
dulge-in the pleasures-of waltz and quad
rifle"
why, Mr.. Raymond, you don't think it's
wicked to dance, do you?"
BY no means Miss Ebbs but am con-
the time SO employed-might be
spent to greater adyantage-in perusing the
woTSs-of some standard author"
" But You don't believe in spending every
spare minute in reading, do you? / am awfully
fond Of reading myself always have some
novel or other on haLd-but | couldn't exist
without good dance every few nights We
have some elegant parties in Milwaukee during
the season. The society is just splendid there
You know. There are so many rich people,
and the ladies dress mamiiccntly! There are
very few shoddy people in Milwaukee, too
Now, here in Chicago you meet such common
persons in society. Don't you think So Mr.
Raymond" 2"
o. OF course, Miss Ebbs,-we must not expect /
the refinement and culture of Eastern cities |
Bat it has been my good fortunc-to meet in
few quite intelligent-and ap-
prccative people. They have travelled East |
and 50 have been thrown with those Of superior |
from whose society-they have de- /.
rived great benefit"
a have always been so crazy to 90 to Boston, /
Mr. Raymond! Bostonians are all so inteli-
gent and refined"
"Wen, perhaps not all, Miss Ebbs-but there
are few exceptions am happy to say. Boston
must be acknowledged far in advance-of .
oil other ctics-in respect to the culture-of its /
Well Philadelphy's good enough for me-" |
says Jim, who couldn't keep still no longer. |
There's some mighty fine people in Phila- |.
dcphy, to my thullin'. We don't 20 in for
shoddy down there, can tell you You have
to have your money left you by your father, or
else you amt no account at all. We don't /
think much Of people what makes their own
money like they do here. Boston folks amt |.
more particular than that are they?"
"In Boston, Mr.. NIiller,-itis is as much a mans /
and culture-as his wcalth-that we
consider"
90, they has TO be cdicatcd in Pennsylvany, |
too" says jim. a think a heap of learnin'
myself All MY family does. was sayin to .
my wife just before we come over Tonight that
we must buy lot of books TO read in the
evenin's."
LET me suggest, Mr.. Miller-that you pur-
,hase,-say, historical works-rather than those |
Of fiction"
"Wcil, l wasn't thnkin' Of gettin' either.
thought ia get some right nice stories;
,Omcthin' cxcitin' so rs TO keen me awake