The Press., 1885-01-01
THE COUNTRY COUSIN.

THE COUNTRY COUSIN. r "Wal, good-by, now, Edwiny Try and not get lonesome, an mebby me or Uncle Pete will give you call fore long som'ers about Christmas or New Years"
 Good-natured Abner Overcup was es- corting his pretty cousin, Edwina Alden, to the station, where she was to take the Iron Mountain accommodation for St. Louis.
 ''Oh, do, Abner ?" cried Edwina, bright ly, as her cousin lifted her out of the wag- on, and tied Bally and Dobbin, the two sleek chestnuts, to the hitching- post under big elm tree. "Do come New Years day, if you can, Cousin Abner. I've heard Eva and Ermengarde tell what nice time they have then receiving calls. They have table of refreshments, with ham and chicken-salad, and coffee. and all sort of confectionery, iced pound cake, you know, and chocolate cream, and-oh, everything nice! Come then, won't you, Cousin Alb ner ?"
 Cousin Abner smiled indulgently, show ing row of not very ornamental teeth, wide expanse of mouth, and butternnt- hued moustache.
 s'I'n try, Edwiny," he promised, oblig- ingly. If Uncle Pete don't git h's head sot on coming hisself. If he does, of course kain't you know"
 And after helping his cousin find seat in the car, and depositing her satchel, basket, etc., at her side, Mir. Abner Over cup wended his way to the village store to get a supply of coffee and sugar in ex- change for the box of fresh-laid eggs he had brought down.
 Edwina. meanwhile, sped rapidly along on her way to St. Louis, whither she was going on visit to her cousins, Eva and Ermengarde, who, finding it convenient to spend their summer at the old Alden farm house, had invited her, with show of cordiality, to pass the winter with them in the city. ..as.
 ''Of course she'll never come, though" they assured themselves, cheerfully.
 And now here she was, and what to do with her was the question. For Edwina was quite too pretty with her yellow tress- es and Hebe like complexion to be intro duced among the eigibles of their set. >
 The Misses Eva and Ermengarde would cheerfully have hidden her under bushel if they could. ~
 tsI met friend of yours in the car,"' an- nounced Edwina, dimpling and blushing in very aggravating manner. "That MT. Jermyn who came to visit you once at our house, last summer
 ''Royal Jermyni How fortunate P
 The sisters exchanged glances of dis
 ''What did he have to say, dear?" asked Eva, sweetly.
 ''Oh, nothing much He showed me my way here, and carried my satchel for me. And he-he said he would call to- night" ....,..
 And Edwina blushed pinker than ever as she thought of the look which had ac- companied the words.
 Royal Jermyn did come that night and admired the little Hebe, as he called her, more than ever.
 But after that, although he called quite frequently, he never had the luck to find Edwina in.
 The sisters were so sorry but really their cousin was sad little gadabout and of course they did not pretend to control her actions
 And thereupon they redoubled their get, if possible, all thoughts of the little rustic, as they dubbed her between them selves.
 For Royal Jermyn was an 'seligible of the eligibles," and the Misses Eva and Ermengarde Alden had resolved that he should succumb to one or the other of them before the winters campaign was over.
 .*
 New Years day, and the streets and pavements were covered with carpet of snowy white, its feecy pile softer than the choicest velvet of Turkeys looms. Eva and Ermengarde were resplendent in new cashmere dresses, their pale tresses carefully banged and frizzed, and their faces pearl-powdered and vinegar r-rouged, till their natural complexions would never have recognized themselves in the gus lighted mirrors, from which they were re- hected. ,..
 The refreshment tables looked very tempting with their array of crystal and silver, fruit and confectionery, while an appetising odor of French coffee and chick en-salad dlffused itself through the ryom.
 ''I do hope Edwina won't venture to as she shook out her train and took last glance at herself in the dressing-room mir TOT. t,-.,s.. - 'sNo danger" laughed Ermengarde. ''I settled that matter. Our little rustic is sitting in state in the sewing room, waiting for summons to make her debut in the parlor. She'll wait long time, though, before any visitor calls for her P
 "But that gawky, overgrown Abner, you know" persisted Eva. "Edwina expects him to call to- day"
 "Abner, indeed! I'll soon settle that. came near forgetting 1t, though.
 And calling Susan, the girl who attend ed the door-bell, Ermengarde showed her 8 photograph recently purioined, for the purpose, from Edwinas little velvet al- bum. -l9 t~s afHt.st,3
 ''Snsan, would you know that man if he should call to-day ?'
 Susan took good look at the photo graph.
 s'Sure, an would, mem P she respond ed. s'Td know the big yaller mustaehe an wide-open black eyes in the ould coun- thry, mem."
 ''Very well, Susan. Now if he calls to- day, want you show him into the little sewing-room where my cousin is sitting. She will receive him. And, Susan, don't on any account, bring him to us P ssVery well, mem" 2.a | And Susan retired, to answer the first peal of the door-bell.
 | All day the callers came and went, while