The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1883-06-01
COUSIN PRANK"

;,
| am sorry you are obliged to remain
here until tomorrow, in consequence Of
the break in the road; but YOU will find
everything pleasant here al the hotel
| have entered Your name on the books
and have also given the name and adj
dress of your father. which will be all
the guarantee YOU will require for the
best treatment they can give you.
The lady whose attendant had TINS
bowed himself out and away. was q
happy Young girl of Is. who had been
spending tho holidays with some rela-
tivcS in 81. Louis. and was now on her
way To her home in Rochester. She had
been accustomed TO travel. both in COM
pany and alone. and did not regard it
as very serious calamity when She
charge she had been placed, and who
had accompanied her IA far ~ Chicago,
that Shs would be obliged 10 remain
there u day or two.
II MAS now O clock in the morning,
and. havin" breakfasted in her room,
and while thinking how pleasant it
would he To find some one in that great
city whom she knew. she chanced to re-
member having heard her father say
that he had nephew residing there by
the name of Charles Brown. a dealer in
hardware.
The city directory gave her the adj
dress Of Charles Brown, hardware, :"
and within the next twenty minutes q
cab placed the young lady with her
satciirl in her hand. At the door of his
residence.
The bell had been rung, and steps
were approaching the door, when our
heroine began. for the first time. to
query with herself ~ To whether she
had zone into the cousinin0 business in
the most prudent way. Would il not
have been much better To have sent her
card and Informed those cousins that
she WAS at the hotel. aud would be glad
Ia see them? She ml-'t now 60 in and
SAY To the lady:
Il am a cousin of Your husband. NV
name is Agatha Ogden. and | am =
daughter Of Ralph Ogden. of Rochester,
N y
How different an awkward transaction
what il does. when thought of OF seen at
u distance,
Il Am much pleased 10 see you Miss
Ogdcn' was the form in which the
,oun" lady was received by Mrs.
Brown. Please let me take your hat
and wraps. My sister. Miss Williams"
she added. IA the lady thus introduced
entered the room. ..Aiv husband is out
of the city, but will return tomorrow.
L.
Will be- home 10 lunch. know very lit
tie Of my husbands relatives. and do
moi believe Frank knows much about
them. he having left home when no
! more than 10 years old.
Il do wish Twas back at the hotel!'
Agatha said To herself the first moment
| she was alone. These ladies seem very
| kind; but how extremely awkward l
| shall feel if the gentleman should not
be Il relative of mine after all. They viii
think. aud so shall |. that have made
very great fool of myself And even
| if they are my cousins, they will no
doubt suppose that came here to save
my hotel bill. But | am here now,
and they are making me welcome; OF
course. cannot do otherwise than re-
main until the elder brother comes home.
ito wonder if other people ever act rs
foolishly as do sometimes? How father
| and mother would scold me-.
! Frank Brown. the cousin who would
be home to lunch. was All earnest young
fellow. ~ years old. oyertiowing with
| life. and had seen just enough Of the
world 10 make him somewh hal bold and
Self-icliant.
! TO make sure of Franks company to
lunch. Miss Williams went down to the
store soon after the visitor came in. and
told him the whole story. ending with
.'She i really very pretty girl. Frank.
We are just delighted with her.
Frank Brown had never heard of any
cousin Of that name, but that only made
the discovery more interesting.
Having PIT himself through the hand.
of his barber and boot embellisher. and
| given each part of his wardrobe few
extra touches he ordered cab 10 set him
down at his door Then. after giving
himself few more touches aud scrutin
ling chances on entering the hall, thu
young man marched boldly in, and hav
ing been duly announced, said:
Il am delighted to meet YOU, cOus
in.
At the same-for the whole story may
as well be told-hc took her fondly ant
atlectionalely by the hand. and placing
his left arm gently around her. waited
second or two until he saw her fail
blue eyes looking firmly. aiiectionately
as he thought, invitingly. right into his
own. and then gave her cousinly kiss
not roughly or hastily. but in very be
coming and orderly way. lie said
again:
Il am delighted to meet you. Cousin
Agatha.
70 which the young lady responded
"And | am pleased to meet YOU. Cous
in Frank.
The Young man remained at hom
that day an hour longer than 'usual-il
fact, did not return to the store unit
one of the clerks came for him, an,
then remained only long enough to an
, swer question or two. A little bus
mess at the hotel required his attention
Cousin Agatha's trunk. the check TO
. which he had received from her, mus
, be sent over to the house. Miss Ogdel
would be their guest while she remain
J ed in the city, and she had already yer.
kindly consented to prolOng her visi
some two or three days.
"Well, my dear, said the elder Mr.
! p-ox,n On haa rinO the whole story from