The Penn's Grove record., 1884-08-23
HERvEY D~AVENANT.

brother Hervey, 1 expect a visitor, y
Miss Jane Davenant said nervously one
morning, as she handed her brother his
third cup of tea. Il hope you won't
mind, dear"
NOW, Jane. what's the use of hoping
n such thing when you know perfectly
well that | shall mind ?o Mr.. Dave
nant answered. with a grim smile and
a shrug Of his broad shoulders.
I'm very sorry, dear"
Every sorry - Mr.. Dayenant eX-
claimed. That's so like a woman,
Jane. Why do you invite people here ?
If you DIDN'T, you would have no Occa-
sion to be sorry, and so escape a very
unpleasant mental condition, he added,
in an a~Igumentative tone which his SIS
ter dreaded more than anything else In
the world for if she were once begujled
into a controversy with Hervey, her
point, whatever it might happen to be,
wa lost.
II don't like doing anything that dis.
lleases you, brother but in this in
stance | don't really see how | can help
myself. l had a letter from an old
schoolfellow, requesting me to give
her,
"There. Jane-pray do not go into
explanations. You've had letters from
old schoolfellows, requesting the same
thing, about every six months for the
last fifteen years. Have her here by all
means. III eliminate myself - Mr..
Davenant said, with a certain AR OF
resignation. 'I'll go to Wales, or Scot
land, or anywhere out of reach of your
old schoolfellows p
Now, brother, that's scarcely kind
of YOU Miss Jane declared, with the
faintest semi-tone of Indignation in her
gentle voice, andsomething su~spiciously
like a ear in her soft gray eyes. Il do
not often have any one come. and Miss
Treherne will stay only a few weeks"
''Oh, only a few weeks ~ MI. Dav-
enant rejoined sarcastically. "And
what IS to become of me during that
time ? OF course l shall be neglected /;
7 always am wien there's company"
s1 uat's not very often, Hervey."
s,No. fortunately. A few weeks in
5=sa No rest, no quiet, no study,
.ls Bregl fast, late luncheon, late din
ua .a.e everything No, no, Jane
sy your friends society by all
HafH.t.- ~ hARR9 ; ny bN"AN ~ gONA
sfr.saoas tea and mutual "reminiscences
Vi one days but I'll vanish.
THAT just what you must not do,
Hervey," Miss Jane replied, with an
unusual amount of energy. You
must remain here, brother, and help me
to entertain Miss Treherne."
Help you to entertain Miss Ire
herne, Jane Well, upon my word,
that's the coolest request I've heard for
fifteen years ~ Mr.. Davenant cried, in
comical amazement.
ITS the only request of the kind
I've made, brother, during fifteen years.
| have respected your wish for secluSion
and fallen into all your habits, and L
think you might give way TO me III
this small matter" Miss Jane sand
quietly.
True. true, sister Pm very selfish
"a perfect bear, l know ; but then |
hate women. You're the only endura-
BILE one / ever met, my dear and, in
consideration of your general good be-
havior, III make a martyr of myself
Just this once. IN stay, and endeayOr
to the best of my poor ability to enter
tain this Miss Treherne-Lhat's what
YOU vail, 10 IL llOI I-uSNOulig hoEALS |
that she Will not be vlvacious, or intel
l%ectual, or philosophical, or strong
minded. or have missionary sympathles
or agricultural tendencies, though, after
all, as boredom is inevitable, one might
as well be bored one way as another,
When does your friend arrive, Jane ~
This evening"" MISS Jane replied,
after consul ing a letter. II should
like to send the carriage to Hallsham
to meet her."
Certainly, my dear. What time do
we dine ?"
1.-THE same time as usual, of course,
brother Miss TENDERNESS presence viii
make no difference in our arrangements,
except that we shall use the large draw
ing-room instead of the small"
Where | am to present myself IN
penitential costume ut a quarter-past
SIX, to be introduced to your friend and
hand her IN to dinner p Hervey SAID,
with his grim smile. ''l'l be there,
Jane, though | would just as 500 go
to the dentist and have my soundeSt
premolar extracted. You may rely upon
me. sister. And now go and commence
those mysterious preparations which |
nave MlllleooHu HUN hiIlAb " lAhlNs 10
rass the cook, worry the butler tor
ment your maid, fdget yourself into a
fit or a fever, simply because there's a
woman coming to stay for "A few days,
Go, my dear, and leave me 10 quiet con-
temptation of the great event.
Miss Jane. in mute obedience, took
up her key-basket and left the break
fast-room, while her brother threw
down the Times and marched up and
down the apartment in a sort of comic
CONSERVATION.
A tall, broad-shouldered, deep.chest-
ed man of forty, looking much older,
with brown eyes, deeply set under
heavy brows, brown skin, brown hair,
whiskers, beard, aud mustache, save for
the streaks of silver they showed, a fine
set of white teeth, and a firm decided
china handsome, healthy, wealthy
man, with an iron constitution and per