Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-07-26
CHAPTER XIII.

After The two great crimes of "remoying
the landmarks Of the constitution to pander
To tho maSso3," and not wiping ones shoes
the one an imperial, the other a domestic sin,
yet equally grave-unpunctuality at table
was the most heinOus oflense in tho ewes of
Horace and Herbert. Without being exactly
gourmnuis they liked their food cooked to d
turn. Most bachelors who have turned 40
exhibit the Same liking. The Talbcrts took .
great deal of trouble about their cuisine, and
expected to he rewarded by finding every
thing, from the salt 20 the salmon, as It
should b". Such n mntter IA a bard-hearted
potato was all but unknown at their table,
and would have formed the subject for
court Of inquiry, and, IL needed, a revision
OF kitchen utanslla
AT their refined dinner parties it was I'M
derstoOi that after n certain time OF grace no
one was TO be waited for. 1t was their theory
that keeping several guests waiting for one
laggald was breach Of poltcneSs There
We're unkind people who said that the broth
ers would leak this rule for "A lord. They
wronged our friends They would have
waited for no one under the rank OF duke
or at least II marquis.
So that whom Whitaker having struck the
resonant gong aud So proclaimed that lunch
was ready, ten minutes passed by without
beatl'iccs responding to It's bospitable sum
nous, IL II no wonder that Horace and Her
bert began to look grave. The soup was on
the table; Whitaker was waiting his mas
tel's commands. lie, who from long associa-
ton, felt the situation az much rs they did
looked absolutely sympathetic. Although he
had no reason 10 suppose her stone deaf he
vcnturci to suggest that Miss Clauson had
not heard tho gong.
The beauty of the Talberts' character was
that politcness invariably triumphel over
principle Punctuality was here tho prin-
ciple 1t was outraged, yet foroed for a while
to submit. Horace forbade a ropeatod sum
mons, aud they actually waited another five
iLlnutes before they sent Whitaker to in
quirc for Miss Clauson Whitaker reported
that Miss ClausOn, the nurse and the little
boy had gone out Immediately after break
fast and had not yet roturnel
Then the nursery dinner will he spoiled,
too" said Horace sadly, as he seated himself
and lalled out the soup. Horace, with his
kind heart, felt for any one who was doomed
to suffer from n spoiled dinner.
After a solemn lunch the brothers waitsd
for while in the dining -room They ex-
pected every moment that Beatrice would
appear, They did not OF course mean to
scOid her but We're prepared to say few
words of mild remonstrance; To show her
in fact, how the bad example of unpunctual-
ity must demoralilo an establishment.
But MS Beatrice did not appear the we'll
meant little lecture they We're tacitly pre-
pairing turned into open expressions Of Won
der rs to why her morning ramble should be
So protractcd. Perhaps she had gone some
whare 10 lunch. Perhaps something had
happened Just us they had reached this last
stage OF suppositon, Whitaker brought In II
telegram, |, was from Beatrice and sent
from Oxford Circus We aro In London-it
rau-do not bo uneasy, will write tonight
They were greatly surprised, and marvelei
On what errnnd could sho have gone 70 Lon
don't No doubt II was all right She had
most likely gone TO her fathers Perhaps
Sir Maingay was III. Beatrice might have
intercepted telegram and impulsively
started or ut once. But why take the child
and the nursei Whyi There they were
unable 10 make head or tail Of the matter, 81
could only wait Tor the mornings Dost