Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-12-04

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some one would hear him. He's the !
butler, YOU know. He does pretty much |
what he pleases, though. Sometimes he |
wants to drive, and of course | let him. |
Mrs. Atkinson imported him. He is very |
expensive, but he Keeps Us up to the mark, |
you know. He knows everything that we |
don't know Between ourselves l wish l |
was dead. I'm not fit for this sort of thing. |
l nearly disgraced myself yesterday when |
we had Ex-Governor Jimjams to dine
with us, by asking for beer with the soup. |
Mary Ann-Mrs. Atkinson-would have
tainted if Ludovic had not brought the
sherry and pretended not to have under
stood me- Home" Mr.. Atkinson called
ont, as Ludoyic climbed on to the box.
Yes" my old friend continued, Ludo
vic is a great treasure" He said this in
the tone in which one speaks of being re-
signed to an afflictiOn. Lord BenJman
had him and he has big credentials. Mrs.
Atkinson's afraid of losing him" Here
the rich man chuckled It's about the
only thing she's afraid Of l sometimes
think that when the girls are married
but, by George hate TO think OF that
we'll be able 10 forget our duties to society,
Riches and social status are awful respon-
sibilities." He irowned gloohlily. Come,
let's have a drink. Stop at Parkins,n he
called out.
There was sound of grumbling on the
box. The carriage stopped. We were on
the road that runs along the Potomac on
the District of Columbia side, and the river
seemed in the twilight like a sword of sill
yer hung in the dark nothingness around,
for the moon shone through e cloud rift
only on the river.
Ludovic's crusty accents broke the silence.
Faith Mr.. Atkinson, you're not think
ing of giving the gentleman one Of Park
ms punches made of American whisky.
The Irish gentleman's not used TO it, and
You'll only be demeaning yourself and me
by offering him the like Ludovics face
could not be seen in the darkness but his
voice was uncomprOmising. Lord Bent
man, that owned the Lakes of Killarney,
said to me at our last parting, Me faithful
man, said he, whatever We do in Amer
lea, never put hot wafer in your whisky
And Parkins' isn't a fit place for the likes
of Mr. Fitzpatrick, whatever you may
think, sir, that hasn't the advantage-sure,
It's not your fault, sir-of knowing the
real stuff, Many's the time I've stopped
at Parkins' against me will, and | wouldn't
have Lord Bentman know for the world
that l habitually frequented tavern
where American whisky was made into
hot punch. If yell wait, l will brew a
bowl with me own hands, of the real stuff
when we get home"
"All right said Mr.. Atkinson, meekly
Ludoyic disappeared, and the carriage
moved out at a rafting pace. LudoVio is
queer sometimes"
Very" I said.
But he's taken fancy to You. Itwould
drive Mrs. Atkinson intellectually mad
to have him leave, now that we're expect
ing Sir BOYLE Roche"
Who's Sir ROvle Roche 81
"Oh, young Irish Baronet, whose rents
have been pre-empted by the home rUlers
and he's over here. Clara met him in town,
and he and she rather like each other.
Mrs, Atkinson's set on the match. No, no,
please don't smoke Ludovic doesn't like
it. 1t scents the cushions"
What next? l thought.
II.
Clarissa and Jennie looked very pretty at
dinner under the pink glow Of the candle
shades Their white gowns, just touched
with glow that bon silene roses give, fitted
them to perfection. I took Mrs. Atkinson,
busting in red satin, into the dining-room.
There was no other guest. Sir Boyle Roche
was not to come for q week. and the Mar
ouis de Creve- Comment, of the French Lee
cation, had previous engagement. Ludo-
vic in livery performed his duties solemnly
and managed the other servants with ex-
IRENE haughtiness.
"They will gobble their FOOD he whis-
pered behind my chair There's no teach
| ing them not to do that. The old man is
regular race horse for boiling his Yictuals."
Clarissa had improved. She was simple
and unruffled. But Jennie had become
| insuferable. Counts and Countesses, Lords
and ladies, foated backward and forward
| between her mother and her. The CONVEX
l,
flavor that Mr. Atkinsons Renaissance,
apropos of the punch, about the way his
father started in the junk business, had the
effect of chill, which Mrs. Atkinson par
tally removed by asking for the prairie
chickens which Captain CaYendish, her
Maiesty's Guards, travelling in the States,
had sent
They were spoiled, ma am, said Ludo-
vic shortly.
No more was said, although Mr.. Akin
son opened his mouth as if to express in
credulity.
When Ludovic had left the room Mrs
Atkinson looked severely toward her lord.
" You must not aggravate Ludoyic by con-
tradicting him. He almost gave warning
Yesterday when Clarissa asked him to bring
| in the tennis net a butler never does
| that"
/" I've never been used to buffers" said
| Clarissa, laughing. So don't know. But
/ it seems to me that LudoYic is more the
! master of this house than papa is"
Hush" whispered Mrs. Atkinson, as
the naughty mental entered. " We pay
him an awful price" she whispered to me.
" He's always threatening to leave and go
! back. I'd let him go if could give din
ner without him." murmured the poor
| woman, looking really worried.
That night Ludovic knocked at my door.
He carried a silver chatting dish and
bottle of claret. He set it down on my
! table and revealed two prairie chickens
done to a turn. Sure" he whispered,
chuckling. kept these for you, and the
rest l sent down to Mick Dooly's sick child
They with a downward sweep of his
hand, would not appreciate them"
Before [ could speak he left. This was
embarrassing. l felt, however, that the
truest return I could make for Mrs. Akin
sons hospitality would be to eat the game
and keep Ludovic in good humor
Clarissa was very gentle; she showed me
| the grounds and talked great deal of Sir
Boyle Roche. Once or twice she called him
Edward. Then she colored and was quiet.
She seldom spoke of him except when we
were alone l asked if he were related to
the famous Sir Boyle. She laughed and
said no. This was to be his first visit to
Wentworth Manor-called so after Lord
Wentworth Baron Atkinson, one Of the
recently discovered ancestors of the family.
liked her more and more; she seemed
happy, vet worried, sometimes.
oh, dear" she said one evening, as she
sat in :. low chair, her slight figure sur
rounded by puffs of tulle and satin; how
l hate all this l' The Atkinsons were hav-
ing big dinner as Atkinson pere called
| it. How l hate the fuss and the Ell
quette and the pretension of it all Why
| should we live such q sham life? Oh.
/ like good manners and nice things, but not
this strain of pretending what we are not.
Look at Jennie with her English slang
and her determination TO mary title.