The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-06-13


ing into the nine hole as the player wished.
The doctor was not handsome, certainly.
| | glanced at Ernest as | made this mental
| comment, and the sight of his features
| strengthened my opinion. But handsome
| or not, felt sure that not even my lover
could have been more self-possessed on en-
| tering the room, or made his apologies to
Mrs. Welsh in better turned sentences.
The game of bagatelle came to an end.
| Dr. Browne expressed his willingness to do
anything that vas desired of him, and
soon found that was to play on one side
with Ernest, against Annie Welsh and the
new -comer. Was he Young or old? That
was n question difficult to decide. | had
heard Miss Sedgewck speak of him as 'our
| young Doctor" but that was probably in
comparison with DR.. Williams, who had died
| at the age of seventy. Walter Fardyce
| jocularly spoke of him as sold Browne"
and l could see that his forehead was
wrinkled and that he was slightly bald.
| He did not talk mich at first, but seemed
to be noticing everything around him with
an amused smile on his face. There was,
| however, one thing that struck me, and
that was that whenever Ernest placed his
hand on the edge of the board, or on the
| back of a chair, he always gazed at il in
tently, and then slightly frowned, as if
dissatisfied with something. l had always
| thought Ernest's hands rather nice; they
were whittier and softer than most mems. /
was, and soon after we went in to supper,
changing partners at Annie's suggestion.
! / wore mittens. The doctor observed it,
and soon | became aware that he was en-
| deavOring to make me remove them. He
| suggested that the knife and fork might
| injure them; also that the room was hot,
and that | should be more comfortable
| without them. This troubled me; | pre-
ferred to keep my mittens on, and found
| myself hiding my hands in my lap as
much as could He managed to get Ernest
to pass him good MANY things, and Scru-
tlnlzed his hands carefully as he did so. I
was glad when supper was over and [
| escaped to the drawing room. The doc
| tors earnest Investigations oppressed me.
But there was no getting very far away
| from him; he followed me, and | saw his
face light up as he noticed the piano.
You sing, Miss Fox, l am sure" he said.
"Wtll you not give us the pleasure?"
81 have brought only two songs" stam-
mered, land have already sung them"
| IL don't believe any one will notice if
| you repeat one; please do"
81 would much -" But here Mr. Welsh
came up to say that they were getting up
game of "person and thing" would we
! play? | consented only too readily, and
the doctor was baflied once more.
Of course, as was unavoidable in Stoke
| bourne, there was always a super
| abundance of ladies at parties, but this
fact was never openly admitted. The
subject was scrupulOusly avoided, and on
occasions when "person and thing" was
the game selected, it was carried out quite
as though there had been an equal supply
of both sexes. Gentleman and lady always
went out together and when every gentle
| man had had his turn, some one suggested
that the amusement should be changed.
Preference was always given to the older
ladies or more hOnOred guests, 50 | was
not at all surprised to find myself passed
| over. To be sure, should have liked to
! have gone out with Ernest, but there was
! always n sort of innate mOdesty in Stoke
bourne with regard to engaged couples,
and had feared a tete-a-t:te with the
doctor.
Ernest yawned all the way home and
pronounced himself fearfully bored. In
| dutitul sympathy | also tried to imagine
myself so, but couldn't. [ kept thinking
OF DR.. Brownies expressive face, and
wondering what was passing through his
mind. Ernest's thoughts were evidently
much on the same track.
And the worst of all, Trixy," he mutt
| tered, was that cOnfounded DOCTOR with
his sharp eyes forever taking stock of your
paws. Can't make it out. His are nothing
| to boast Of"
The winter wore on. had a great MANY
letters from Ernest and wrote a great
many to him. He was getting on SPLEEN
! dldly, he said and wrote enthusiastically
about next summer.
My father was fond of scientific sub
jects, and had struck up quite a friendship
with the new DOCTOR who would often
come over to our house in the evening and
have a chat and a smoke. rarely saw him
unless | happened to come across him as
he passed in or out; he sat in the study
with my father. One evening, however, [
had to go in about tae weekly tradesmen'S
books, and found the doctor there. [ had
No it1N l,t
should not have ventured near the study.
sit down, TriXy, said my father. "Dr.
Browne has been telling me most interest
ing facts with regard to electricity: Pm
sure you would like to hear them also"
obeyed, and soon forgot my dread of
the man in listening to his grave, sweet
voice as he simply explained many things
hitherto unknown to me. There was fas- |
cnation about him. | watched the large, |
firm mouth, deep-Set eyes, and short pro- |
Jectlng nose, and could not find the face so
plain as had imagined it, He rambled on |
and on; | sank down into the recesses of
the arm chair before the fire listening with
all my ears and hardly able to take my
eyes off him. Electricity gave way to |
other subjects, all equally interesting, and |
all equally well understood by the doctor, |
it would appear.
yet intelligent people," he said of the |
Egyptians. II have picked up many
strange things from them. Do you know |
anything of palmistry, Mr. Fox?"
My father shook his head and L felt my
self getting hot.
'Many people know a little" he con-
tinued. ''There are certain points con-
nected with character to which common |
credence is given. 1t is generally ad- |
mitted that there are hands whom no one |
should trust"
He dropped his voice and his eye-lds as
he spoke, but | felt that he was looking at |
me, and hid my own hands hurriedly |
under my apron.
My father rose and went to the book |
case and took down packet of pamphlets. |
"There's something about it in one of |
these" he said. "Ive had it for years"
There are a great many systems" re- |
sumed the Doctor. "They vary much in |
the details, but in the main believe them |
to be the same"
My father stretched out his hand towards |
him smiling.
"Can you tell me anything about that?"
he asked.
Its rather old and worn for character" |
replied DR.. Browne, land you surely have |
no need of a gypsy. At your age, one |
would say your fortune was made"
Come, Trixy," exclaimed my father,
"let us hear the sage expound. Put out |
your hands"
Miss Fox will suit my purpose to per-