The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-07-10

self willing to engage in a second mat
rimonial scheme.
How did you leave your brothers
people?" inquired Mrs. Holmes, when
her guest was seated amid great flut-
ter of ribbons and laces.
"Very nicely, indeed; it is one of the
pleasantest places / know. Sister Lucy
has two servants, and they set the most
luxurious table one could think of.
Have the girls improved any in cooking
since was with you, Cousin Mary?'
"Oh, L don't know; my daughters are
both very good cooks. can not think
what / should have done if my girls
had not helped me as they have done. y
"a mothers partality." returned the
pleasing Mrs. Mason, glancing with a
smile at Mr.. Jewett.
IL can speak of the girls proficiency
in cooking myself" said Mr.. Jewett,
smiling. "Having been here 80 long,
L know what experts in the art they
are.
Mrs. Mason smiled rather uneasily,
one of her studied points being the art
of making other people feel small, and
she had hoped Mr.. Jewett would agree
with her sentiments in regard to the
girls.
When the dinner was finished, Mr..
Jewett followed the ladies into the par
lor, saying:
Il am going to drive five miles this
afternoon TO inspect a bridge, and L
would like the company of you ladies,
if agreeable to you BOTH
Mrs. Holmes gave him a reassuring
smile and bow, and Mrs Mason made
him very polite reply, in a very
grandiloquent manner, and the gentle
man then departed, after informing
them that he would drive around for
them at about 8 o'clock.
Before the time appointed, Mrs.
Mason had made another ostentatious
toilet. and joined Mrs. Holmes and her
daughters in the sitting room.
What an elegant man Mr.. Jewett
| is, and how kind of him to plan that
drive on tho very first day of my visit.
for, of course, he saw that would be
very lonely here"
"Mr. Jewett is very kind man." re-
piled Mrs. Holmes, while the girls
winked of each other behind their
elders backs.
"And he thinks of all the proprieties,
too" sighed their visitor, "for he
thought, of course, that L would not
accompany him alone at this very early
stage of our acquaintance, and so in
vited you to act the part of chaperon
for me-"
Mrs. Holmes found that her thimble
was missing at this moment, and Clara
attempted to turn the subject by asking.
How do you like our new house,
Cousin Martha?"
"Quite we'll, ii it was not where it is,
and OF such hideous color, and so
very, very old"
"Now, think the color is very nice, :"
was Clara's reply, "a very delicate
color for this old gothic stone house.
1 should feel very proud of it, if it was
only little more out of the way of
obnoxious visitors"
Mrs. Holmes gave her daughter a
look, but their cousin went on calmly.
al have been overlooking the upper
part of the house, but could not find
the third-story stairs, or isn't there
any,"
II believe not" replied Clara, who
was at that moment thinking over a
place for her meddling visitors benefit
How odd" said Cousin Martha, but
at that moment the elderly beau drove
up, and the middle-aged three departed
ON their pleasure drive.
After they were well gone the girls
! looked at each other and laughed
heartily.
II decl re, Clara, she is worse than
ever, said Belle.
"And she thinks Mr.. Jewett is after
her." cried Clara, with tears of laugh
ter in her eyes.
81 thought L should die when she told
mamma that Mr.. Jewett asked her for
chaperon for herself.
DO you know what / should have
done had L been in mammals place
then?" asked Clara
Something awful, I suppose; what
would you?"
IL should have told her distinctly to
pack her trunk and L would send her
to the depot in the morning."
at would be the very best thing to
do; but mamma won't say n thing, SO
we shall have to put up with her the
whole living summer"
She'll try her best to cut mamma
out"
"And she will talk so about the cook
ing that all the boarders will leave.
"Now, Belle" said Clara, solemnly,
"if you will promise not to say one word
to mamma 1 have plan by which
think we can make Madame Martha be-
take herself to her brothers, where
they have everything so luxurious, and
who is indeed three times as able to
take care of her as mamma is.
"But you will have to look out what
you do, or mamma will be very angry
at us both, for she always lays half the
mischief to me-"
"Very uriustly, too; but she won't
find us out this time. Let's make
Martha believe the cottage is haunted.
How could we do that?"
Easy enough; you know she said
she had been searching around for the
third-story staircase, and could no
find it. Well, you KIN W as well as
do that there are two, one opening into
our room with curious sliding panel
and the other opening into hers will
another. Now she wi never find on