Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-09-02

| hated Tom
! | meditated on revenge, however, an,
when the luncheon hour approached, de
! termlned to follow out my aun5s sugges
| ton, and therefore / gave orders that
| should be served on a tray in the drawing
room. Five minutes after | had given tn
order. there came knock at the door, an,
Tom walked in.i
"You are i'll, he said abruptly.
| "Not at all
"What is the matter them"
" May not wish to be alone -
"Oh, certainly"
| AS red as fire, Tom retraced his steps
but, equally suddenly, he changed his in
! teutiou. and recrossed the room rapidly *
where sat.
8. This is all nonsense, Lefty. Yon ar,
really ill.
81 am not i'll"
Either you are i'll, or you must be able
| TO walk into the dining room. shall senc
for doctor at once"
You will no such thing, Tom / will
| not have it."
Il shall do what think necessary. In
my aunt's absence am the only response
bic person in the house"
on are not my keeper.
g am so long as you require one, and
when there is no better person to watch
over you. Come, Lefty, don't be silly.
Let me feel your pulse.
81 will not ; l am perfectly well, as.
sure you.
Then you have been humbugging."
81 don't know what you call humbug.
ging'"
Lefty, Lstty! But these are London
manners, suppose, or what people used to
call the vapors"
In the time of Queen Elizabeth ?"
"No, later than Elizabeth. Now come
to lunch"
81 will not"
"You will not' Why, you can say
nothing else and you are half crying
These are hysterical symptoms l mus.
certainly send for doctor"
Tom sat down at the table, squared his
elbows, and proceeded to indite in large,
bold hand the words !: My dear sir"
He wrote no more; unable to contain
my rage and Indignation, seized the sheet
Of notepaper on which he had begun to
write, and, crumpling it up in my tremb.
ling hands, l threw it violently in his face.
The devil q he began, and then, with
sudden GOODNESS, Il think you are quite
right not to come into the dining. room,
cousin Lettice," he said, and thereupon he
stalked out and banged the door.
burst into a passion of tears Anger,
shame and humiliation were swelling my
heart. Suddenly dried my tears. Had
not Tom, SO to speak, forbidden my pres.
ence in the dining-room? Without paus.
ing even to smooth my disordered hair !
rushed into the room where luncheon had
been served, and where the substantial
repas5 still graced the table, though TOMS
folded napkin and unused knife aud fork
bore evidence to the fact that he had not
yet eaten. Nor did he apparently intend
TO do so, for through the open window
came the sound of strident voice that
said
"Put jerry in the dog.cart directly,
Wilkins; | am going to drive into Ends.
combe."
had rather have died than have owned
to it, and yet l felt myself vanquished.
Tom was a rough countryman, and | was a
civilized London girl. He was, of course,
unused to the ways and wiles of women.
while at balls and kettleirums | had
boosted many conquest. Somehow, how.
ever, | could not manage Tom could not
even prevent his managing me. Farther
more, a sense OF depression actually came
over me at the thought of his going out for
the afternoon. Surely, in aunt Mab's ab-
sence 1t was his bounden duty to be my
squire-nay, my slave.
| ate my lGncheon, however, as 7 was
very hungry, and sat on feeling cross and
lonely, modify slipping my eunt's home.
made ginger beer with the melancholy re.
Fiction that it was not more fat than all
the world beside to me, this long, long day,
of all my DAYS the latest.
Down, Ssmbo ; down, down, Chloe, "
quoth my cousin to the big dogs that &C.
compsnied him, barking vociferousIy and
jumping on him with delight
81 say, Lefty Hetitia, meanl, I've or.
dered the old trap around. I'm going to
drive you to Eidiscombe."
''You are?"
I'm sorry, you know" began Tom in a
buugling sort OF way, "that III lost
my temper, but couldn't help it,
You were extremely rude, | answered
with dignity.
'Aud you? what were you?" asked
Tom with a laugh. "You'd better accept
my apology with grace, Lefty, before my
humility dies out altogether. It's safe not
to last long. Go and put on your hat and
tipDet."
"My whas?"
Your bonnet aud cloak, if you like
that better. OF course, Tshy, know that
it is simply idiotic for man to lose his
temper with a woman"
That is true"
GA woman may dc what she likes it is
all silly chIldlshness, like the scratching OF
kitten, or the anger of young canary
A man shouldn't mind, If he is anything
of a fellow, and, Of course, he doesn't
mind really"
My dear Tom," I asked with some
sarcasm, why DO you seek my society il
am so silly ?"
"Why do You seek mine?" retorted
Tom quickly.
"Why did you come into the dining,
room, Mics Lefty p"
81 didn'5 seek"
GOA, yes, Won did. Well, you are q
dreary, lonely child, and-don't contradict,
Tishy and pity you and want to cheer
YOU NJ. Besides, you are not bad-looking,
though you are ny cousin. There's soft
sawder for you! Why, you have been
Taught in books. Lstitia, that woman's
beauty is the handspring of mems crest
deeda. What poor little weak hand il
is !" added Tom. incoherently, taking my
feeble member into his large brorzsd palm.
81 don't want it kissed, though" said I,
angrily sDatching it away just in time to
avert the catastrophe. How dare you,
Tom? 2"
{" laredo all that may become mar, ="
replied Tom, grsudiioquently. DO go and
dress, Lefty. Better drive with cousin
aud the bitter herb of tobacco than dull
afternoon and only the stalled OK of cold
beef to comfort YOU"
"Who is silly now? But you have eaten
no cold beef yourself
"I stuffed myself with late breakfast.
Besides. you are ike sanity vision-I see
you better when l am fasting. Down,
Ssmbo, down, sir. Now sit up and beg
of course you must put On your best man.