Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-08-27
HERyEY DAyENANT.

Brother Hervey, expect visitor, :"
Miss Jane Davenant said nervously one
morr; ing. as she handed her brother his
third cup of tea. Il hope you won't
mind, dear.n
Now, Jane, what's the use of hoping
any such thing when you know perfectly
well that | shall pind ?'' Mr.. Dave
nant answered, with a grim smile and
a shrsg or his broad shoulders.
''I'm very sorry, dear"
"NeTy sorry!' Mr.. Davenant 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 very
unpleasant mental condition, :" he added,
in an aIgumentative tone which his sis
ter dreaded more than anything else in
the world for if she were once beguiled
into a controversy with Hervey. her
point. whatever it might happen to be,
was 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. | had a letter from an old
schoOlfellOw, Tequsting 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. I'll eliminate myself - Mr..
Dayenant said, with certain ar of
resignation ''I'll go to Wales, or Scot
rand, or anywhere out of reach of your
old SchoOlfeilows ~
Now, brother, that's scarcely kind
of you,'' Miss Jane declared, with the
faintest semi-tone of indignation in her
gentle voice, and something suspiciously
like tear in her soft gray eyes. q do
not often have any one come. and Mss
Treherne will stay only a few weeks"
''Oh, only a few weeks ~ Mr.. Dav-
enant rejoined sarcastically. "And
what Is TO become of me during that
time OF course 1 shall be neglected !;
| always am when there's company"
THAT not very often, Hervey."
"No, fortunately. A few weeks in
deed No rest, 10 quiet, no study,
late breakfast, late luncheon, late din
uer, late everything ! No, no. Jane !
Enjoy your friends society by al
means be happy, my dear, over your
afternoon tea and mutual "reminiscences
of by-gone days; but I'll VANISH
That just what you must not do,
Hervey," Miss Jane replied, with an
unusual amount of energy. "Iou
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.. Dayenant 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 !
think YOU might give way to me In
this small matter" Miss Jane said
quietly.
True. true, sisterl I'm very selfish
"a perfect bear, know but then L
hate women. You're the only endura-
ble one | ever met, my dear; and, IN
consideration of your geneidl good be-
havior, I'll make a martyr OF myself
Just this once. III stay, and endeavor
to the best of my poor ability to enter
tain this Miss Treherne-that's what
YOU want, is it not ?-devoutly hoping
that she VIII not be vIvacious, or intel
lecuual, or philosophical, or strong
minded. or have missionary sympathies
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 consulting letter. Il should
like to send the carriage to Hallsham
to meet her."
Certainly, my dear. What time do
We dine p''
''The same time as usual, of course,
brother Miss Treherne's presence will
make no difference in our arrangements,
except that we shall use the large draw
ing-roOm instead of the small"
"Where L am to present myself IN
penitential costume at a quarter-past
SIX, to be introduced to your friend, and
hand her In to dinner ?'' Hervey said,
with his grim smile. ''l'll be there,
Jane, though would just as soon go
to the dentist and have my sOundest
premolar extracted. You may rely upon
me. sister. And now 60 and commence
those mysterious preparations which L
have witnessed from time to time. Ha-
rass the cook, worry the butler. tor
ment your maid, fidget yourself into
fit or fever, simply because there's
woman coming to stay for a few days.
Go, my dear, and leave me TO quiet con-
temptation of the great event."
Miss Jane, in mute obedience, took
L, I, laft K
faSt-Toom, while her brother threw
down the Times and marched up and
down the apartment in a sort of comic
CONSERVATION.
A tail, 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, and mustache, save for
the streaks of silver they showed, line
set of white teeth, and firm decided
china handsome, healthy, wealthy
man, with an iron constitution and per-
feet digestion by nature genial, socla-
bic, generous; with good deal OF Sly
dry humor by habit grim, sarcastic,
taciturn a man who, without any ap-
parent earthly reason, adopted misan-
thropy as q religion, and Vigorously
lived up to his creed-such was Hervey
Davenant.
At five-and.twenty he had returned
from prolonged foreign tour to hnd
both his father and mother dead and
himself heir to large unencumbered
estate. Without any demonstration OF
Joy or sorrow, he had settled down az