Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1883-02-28

gardeners, L suppose l should say-told me
who lived here, was very much astonished, l
assure you, and, on the spur OF the moment,
we decided to pay you a morning call, Ellen
and L.
Al am very glad you did so,n said tho old
gentleman, politely, "and lope you will pay
me one every time you are In Poughkeepsie."
1--WE shall never be here again. spoke up
Ellen. 81 shall not try to pass Vassar ex-
aminations every year." Aud she shook her
head resoluey
at is your turn now, Mr.. Partridge" said
Mrs. Larrabee. "You must pay us a morning
calln
''But you live in Chicagol" the old gentle
man exclaimed "That is quite a distance to
go TO pay morning call"
"Nothing at all for an old traveller like
YOU" cried Mrs. Larrabee; land | do hope
that you will drop In and see us some day,
just as we dropped In to see you"
az certainly shall do so IL / ever get as far
as Chicago, which | very much doubt" said
Mr. Partridge. 81 am past seventy now; my
travelling days are over. have to 90 To- New
York every now and then to look after my
estate and business affairs generally, but
hate II. ! would rather stay here and raise
cattle and sheep"
Mrs. Larrabee rose aud drew her shawl about
her shoulders. 81 think we must CO." she
said with glance out of the window toward
her sleeping coachman.
80, stay and lunch with me,n said Mr..
Partridge, sprnging to his feet as quickly as
though he were young fellow STILL LET
me send your carriage back to the hotel, and
will drive you into town myself this after
noon."
Mrs. Larrabee let her shawl slip off her
shoulders again and murmured consent, and
thereupon Mr.. Partridge went out himself 70
give the order to the coachman.
ale might have asked us before, said Mrs.
Larrabee In an undertone to her niece. snow
/ shall have to pay for all the time that the
carriage has been waiting. But, dear me
rich man never thinks OF these triaes."
Having sent the carriage back to town. Mr..
Partridge rejoined his guests, and, soon after,
luncheon was announced. The meal was
served in a small room with long French
windows opening out upon broad piazza.
Beyond stretched an expanse OF lawn down TO
the river, that to-day shone CLASSY in the sun
shine rejecting clearly the sloops and schoon-
ers that, with outspread Sails lay waiting for
breeze. Mr.. Partridge was quite annoyed
because Ellen looked out of the window too
much and neglected her luncheon.
"You can't live on view, he said. "Drink
your wine, child, and cat your outlet. Mind,
II you don't do better by your meat, you will
have TO make 1t up on the strawberries and
cream.n
"Poor Ellen She is quite unstrung," MUIR
INJURED Mrs Larrabec alphabetically.
80, no, | am not, said Ellen, looking a
trine vexed She did not like to be called un-
hung up in Jew-shop.
As soon as the luncheon was over Mr..
Partridge led his guests out upon the piazza.
81 hope you don't object to tobaccoE" he said,
taking cigar from his pocket.
"No, indeed" Mrs. Larrabce replied "My
husband is great smoker
"And suppose, Miss Ellen, that II you had
husband he would be q great smoker too,
Dundreary would observe said Mr. Par
fridge.
Ellen coored quickly and looked a little
confused. She seemed i'll at ease.
After a while Mr.. Partridge said to her:
Don't you want to go down the alley yonder
and pick me big bunch OF roses!n
"Yes, indeed" she cried, and ran down
the steps with delight. Mr. Partridge's
remark about possible husbands hab-
| its had, like many random arrow, flown at
an unsupported mark, and Ellen feared that
her aunt might be inclined to make embar-
| RAISING disclosures upon the subject. Now,
however, she was away from such an unpleas-
| ant possibility, and she wandered down the
| rosoalley, gathering the flowers and feeling
| quite like the lady of the manor After while
| she found that little old spaniel was follow
| ing her, and wagging, his tail with as much
| energy as remained to him after many years of
almost unremitting tail wagging. He seemed
very grateful to Ellen for the kind word and
pat that she bestowed upon him, and trotted
after her, painting, and with his tongue loling
out Of the side OF his mouth. Indeed, as the
day was warm and he seemed unused to such
exeriions, Ellen stopped to give him chance
to reet But rest he would not. When she
| stopped, he sat up on his launches and offered
her his paw, then rolled over, then played dead
dog, ana then began 1t all over again, by sit
ting up on his launches and Offering her his
paw; aDd this he kept up until she strolled on
again, when he trotted after her laborlously.
Meanwhile Mr.. Partridge sat in his armchair
on the piazza, listening to his guests mono
..ysNI II s..I- q I Il
In the direction Of the rose-alley, he said, $50
she hopes to be a teacher, does she."
Mrs. Larrabee raised her hands in sort of
despair as she answered; Eyes, that has
always been her expectation; but | am afraid
II will have to be given up | am sure don't
sisters child, and quite alone in the world,
and she has no money! paltry thousand or
so. Mr. Larrabee and intended to educate
her so that she could be teacher and make
herself independents but she Is not an in
tellectual girl. She is good and sweet
She failed dreadfully in her examination. OF
course Mr.. Larrabee and | would treat her
just as we do our own daughters but we have
five children OF our own, and We cannot
afford it,
"Why, thought Larrabee was making a
big fortune" said Mr.. Partridge.
Mrs. Larrabee shook her head. "Reports are
always dreadfully exaggerated We arc COM
Portable; but with family like ours it takes
a great deal Of money to be merely comfort
| able. And then Ellen is very proud and high
| spirited, and would not be willing to be a
dependent upon her uncle's charity. But
what can she do! what can she do, Mr..
| PartridgeW
"Get married." said that gentleman; ''she
would make some man good wife, even II
| she is not particularly intellectual.
| There was touch OF sarcasm in his voice
i hut Mrs Iarraheo did not noticp IN She droy
her chair little nearer Mr.. Partridge's, and
said, confdcntially; "Thc fact is, there has
been young man very attentive to her fol
more than year. II is desperate affair,
| assure you; but he is poor-a lawyer without
| clients or influential friends, and his own way
| to make in the world. OF course Ellen and
| he fell in love; such people always do, and the
poorer they are the worse the love. IL would
| be folly for them to marry-perfect folly; and
am happy to say that they have sense enough
to know 1t. Still, am afraid they may forget
| prudence and run away; che would go fast
the credit OF being high-minded sort OF
| fellow. He would think twice before he
| dragged young girl into poverty. or course
| | never could consent to such q thing;
should consider myself wicked woman II
did, although ! like Mr.. Grantley-"
| "Eh what is the name" said Mr.. Partridge,
suddenly.
| "Grantley-John Grantley. | believe his
parents were rich once, but he is poor enough
now, in all conscience. He is perfect gen.
tleman, although rather blunt and short
| spoken, and his habits are all that one could
wish; but he does not succeed as a lawyer"
100 honest" said Mr. Partridge, grimly--
| "too honest and too bluff. l know Jack
WELL In fact, he is my nephew, and he and
my son were great friends when they were
| boys. He used to come here often then, and
| i liked him; but he grew up and went to col
lege and studied law, although did my best to
persuade him TO go into the tea and coffee
trade with my old friends, Some & johnson.
| hate lawyers; there is one in New York that
is making fortune out OF me, and whetting
his knife TO cut me up when | am dead; but
have TO employ him. When Jack said he was
going to be lawyer, | spoke my mind pretty
| freely, and Jack spoke his quite as freely,
| instead OF holding his tongue. The result
was, he marched out OF my library with his
nose In the air, and / have never seen him
since. His father went all to pieces and died
not long after And so Jack is out in Chi
cago, trying to practice law He will never
succeed"
"He is your nephew" cried Mrs. Larrabee.
Certainly, my nephew. | have dozen
i neDhows and nieceS in yariOus parts of the