Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1885-05-01
Eve -chestsI's Hospitality,
BY BERrHA BERToN.

On the steps of nm elegant mansion O,
Arch street stood an elderly gentleman
with small travelling. bag, and, wait
ing there, . passer might have though
that he had mistaken the mum ber, for b,
seemed no. In keeping with the aristo
cratic air that prevailed tho grand mau
sion :; VI any rate, he was plainly and
almost shabbily dressed.
His pleasant blue eyes looked ou
beneath heavy brows, and his long. flow
ing gray beard gave him a somewha
patIiArchal appearance, while the gen
eral expression Of his foAtu res bespoke 8
nynn who would not beeasily crushed BY
adversely.
Only an instant was 1t before the
summons was answered by q trim aid
who, as she awaited his errand, noted
at glance his threadbare clothes and
well-worn travelling. bag.
Ha inquired for Mrs. Chester and
learned that che was absent, hut her
daughters were ut home.
Could he see them? and he gave the
name OF Ashford. Nora would ascer.
tain, and she left him on the threshold.
Maud Chester, the elder daughter, was
en- Joy Ing q morning call from her lover,
aud made plea Of being engaged; &C
Nora went In search of Eve, Maud's
younger sister, and inadvertently she
left the parlor door ajar.
"a shabby old man." and Maud
repeated NOra's words ''indeed, bave
no time to waste on him. A tramp,
perhaps, or 1t may be IN invalid clergy.
man, " hose sands of life have nearly
run out. and also the contents of his
purse" ard her careless words aud
s!lyery laugh reached the ears Of the
old gentleman at the door.
He smiled at her conceit, but waited
still and when Nora returned he fol.
lowed her TO the library, where little
Eve had all the morning been curled
up like kitten In tie luxurious depths
of great armchair, with an enter ain.
ing book for q companion.
She arose respectfully at the old
gentleman's entrance, and wheeled
forward q comfortable chair; then,
seeing how fatigued he looked, she
dispatched Nora tor a glass OF wine,
and the venerable stranger mentally
contrasted the two sisters.
called 70 see your mother, Miss
Chester" he said, as he leaned back in
bis chair with sign that little Eve Gid
no. understand. Long ago l knew
her well, but have spent much of my
life abroad, and many years have passed
since We last met"
My mother il away from home"
Eve replied; "but as a friend OF her.
you are welcome to the hospitality Of
her house, aud you shall. be our guest
until her RETURN" she added Daively,
for som ethiDg in The old gentleman,
l,k 1t a IL,
seemed strangely winning, and little
Eve could not know that in her brigb,
young face he saw perfect copy OF one
he had held In memory since his
youth.
Then the yoxag girl called maid &c
show the old gentleman to bis loom,
and that room was OF an attic, nor q
dark back chamber, but the worry
best the house afTorded--the one sci
apart for tho com fort of honored
guests.
Eve Chester was as impulsive as she
WAS generous and Eospitabie, and rs
the younger daughter che had been
petted and ind ulged until Maud declar-
ed that she would he completely spoil.
ed; however. 1: had not ct been accom-.
plished, and she was sweet sixteen.
Rosychet ked, bright eyed, gleeiul,
Eve was the sunshine Of the household ,
30 said tho servants, for she was pleas-
ant and kind to them, thoughtful OF
their feelings always, and there ives not
one of them but would have gone
Though almost al, thing FOR the gentle
girl.
After the old gentleman had gone TO
his room, Eve sat for few moments in
q reverie.
He's a nice old gentleman, know
and ha IL mammals friend, too" she
so.iloquized, "but Maudie will be
dreadfully angry with me, I've no
doubt. There che comes now" che
said, as Maud entered The library. She
was in scare of q book, and thinking
1t best to have the matter over at once,
Eve spoke:
We have q guest, Maudie dear.
did you know ?" and Eve lookeA up 10
her stately sisters faco, to mark the
effect of the intelligence.
A guest ? Who NAV It be ?"
An old gentleman" Eve replied,
who has come from abroad. He used
to be fiiend of mamma"
Eve Chester, have you taken In
that old tramp who came to the door this
morning: Speak 70 she said Gngrily,
for Eve hesitated an instant least her
hAshy temper should get the advantage
of her judgment.
He is not tramp, but nice, re-.
spectacle old gentleman, and you shall
not talk so of mamma's fricnds!" Eve
excla med with spirit.
" Friend, indeed how dc ron know?
he may be n professional burglar, who
has taken this way of t,ing into the
hOu-e TO steal the silver :" and Maud y
voice had grown 20 earnest that through
the doors, left ajar, her angry tones
fioated back to the parlor ana the ears
of her lover tones IL ut wera shrill and
discOrdant. and conveyed the impress
sion that the angelic Maud " AZ still of
earth, ltill subject to the SOL fish passions
which sway humans, ard Wallace
Leslie had thought Maud Chester the
very embodiment of earthly perfec-
ton.
"Whero have you put your Moo old
gentleman ?" she won't on sarcast.cally;
and, when she learned that Eve had
given him tho guest chamber, her in
dignstion knew no bounds, and, de.
claring that she would send despatch
to her mother, she went back to the
parlor with the volume Of poems.
II was Tennyson's "Msud," and
Wallace Leslie had requested her 10
fetch 1t that he might read some pas
sages.
He was fine reader, and the dtreer
of name and sentiment scented quite
suited to his ardent mood that cruiac |:
but, alas through his acute sense Gi
hearing, the glamour that had en-
veloped his ideal was suddenly dis.
PEELED, and he remem bered, oil at once
an engagement for that very hour,
which fastened his departure without