Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-06-26
The Bogus Professor.

But that's nonsense, you know
mother, said Gray Clement, impatient
ly, about my staying in the house
and all that sort of thing Because
that l have been sick is not an infallible
sign that I'm i'll yet. l think fresh
air and brisk walk will do me more
good than any thing else, and I'm 60
ing to take them; Dr. Finne norwith-
standing
Gray, don't be rashp exclaimed
Gray's handsome mother, genuine
terror and alarm In her voice. If you
must go out, then order our car
riage.'
4 shall walk, said gray, in a tone
which his mother knew from long ex-
perience it was useless to combat.
Its too warm to be shut up in that
uncomfortable coupe, and to take an
airing IN the pheton will only make
me more lazy than ever
"Here are the goggles, then, said
Mrs. Clement, with little sigh of
resignation,
You know how bad sunshine is for
your eyes in their weak state.
Il am nothing but big baby in
your estimation, it seems laughed
Gray, as he adjusted the huge, green
things before the glass; The more
hideous you make me appear, the hap
pier you seem to feel.
You could never look otherwise
than like gentleman, gray said Mrs.
Clement with maternal pride. But if
you had not over taxed your brain and
eyes so much at Heidelberg last year,
all this care and worry could be dis
pensed with"
Never mind that now, mother DEAR
said Gray, feeling slight twinge of
remorse as he looked at her fair anx-
ious face. I'm almost all right now,
you know, and what's done can't be
undone.'
Then kissing her goodbye and
promising not to go far, he strobe
down the great stone steps, gaily
whlstling Robin Adair.'
1t was lovely August day, and
Gray found the air so pure and brac-
ing that he walked much further than
he intended to.
He had walked several miles out of
the city before he realized that he was
becoming very tired.
The sunshine was so warm, too, that
his brain began to reel.
He decided to ask for a drink of wa
ter at the very next bouse, and rest
there before returning home.
The next honse proved to be an ele-
giant picturesque villa in the Queen
Anna style of architecture, with spacl-
GUS gardens and orchards. Every
thing was in the most refined, ex
quisite taste.
A young girl was bending over
rose-bush, clipping the great blushing
flowers and arranging them in bou-
quet.
Gray thought he had never seen
such fair vision in all his life Her
hair hung in two shining braids down
to her waist, and was tied with rose
colored ribbons.
She was clad in the most bewitch-
ing of German peasant costumes which
barely reached the trim ankles.
If Gray had been less exhausted
with his walk, less dizzy, and if the
hideous goggles had not obscured his
sight, he would certainly have noticed
that the gown was of too rich fabric
for a peasants wear, and that it was
more of a modern aesthetic costume
than anything else.
"Pardon me-, he said, raising his
nat with his old inimitable grace;
May | trouble you for drink of wa
or? The heat has made me decidedly
thirsty.
He spoke in German, without max
ing any serious grammatical blunders, {
hanks to his Heidelberg training.
The girl looked quickly up at the {
'ound of his voice, evidently not t
,atching the meaning of his words,
he surprised look on her face was 9
quickly succeeded by one of pleasure I
md delight
you are ProfessoriVan Thlel 7 she
holding both her hands G
which you may be sure Gray was not '
ong in taking. I
She spoke in German, too, but by '
% means with the fuency of native. G
I'm ever SO glad you decided to
ome at last, even if it was at the v
leventh hour. Oh, why didn't you
ONE before ? We have been waiting n
Or you over month; but now nam. f
10 has gone to New York. I'm so s.