New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-06-13
WHICH MR. BROWNE

VentimIgio. and the sound OF its linHnng pei is
came TO MS unsteady sottsned through the stlii
bright air. Down the broad slopes where onve
woods and gardens were interviewer, the scaueieu
villas. tier upon tier. lay sparkling white uhoer
va" 0f ali this however. my cousin Nora and took
little heed. The beautiful in those DAYS had i''.o
attraction for u.s. the ludicrons was wnat We
delighted in. We were on the search LOT IL no"'
and apparently not in vain ,,,;,s On
DO look Cissy.r said Ora. suddenly ieanine so
far ont of tie window that clutched instnctyeiy
ut the folds of her gown There Is an ; %
evidently just arrived by the MIDI tram, coming up
the road What fright saw mn, uis.inc. ~
A nlain COMMONPLACE looking kngiishlnan, VINO
lacked about thirty -five. HIS red whlskers ana
somewhat ungraceiul carrlags were 'ne In, n bo0e
trout of his offending against beauty. but III lhos'
DAYS Nora and | cultivated taste Tor the ruc-
ulous "a wiser people cultivate taste ,or ine
beautiful and had brought the art OF detecting
ahsurditics to a very high and dangerous pltch:
What an old guy!" i responded. lie is
evidently looking ont for pension or hotel See.
the porter behind HIN is carving his poTtmanteau'
Oh Nora. if he were coming here. sc
aWhat fun! cried Nora. But fear it's too
good to he true" We writhed with satisfaction, as
our countryman entered the brightly Kept garden
of the highly recommended pension where we llved.
AS he walked up the trim grave lS11 s we "one aS
increased rather than diminished OH ciosei III
spection.
A commercial traveller probably. vi,
Nv dear girls don't talk of such a thing as
commercial traveller mere dId nope ana tfus,
that if this place had not much else to recommend
it, 10 was at least beyond the reach oil anything 30
lie looks like a grocer" observed Nora, not
without malice prepense
nterinc the room, come away from the window.
r hold !, parasol over Your heads | obeved the
first injunction. relnctantiy Nora sun continued
TO crane eag erIy forward
Nora. do Won hear me 7" said her mother in her
still. cold voice.
lie is going 10 stay here" cried Nora. in accents
of supreme satisfaction. as she drew back into the
tempered hight of the sitting-room. 8, .o;, Am,
" How childish you are, Nola! SAID Aunt
Caroline IN chill disapDroyal, as she took up her
knitting. .,o;o,y o,sor,,oo
Uncle Augustus, impressvely, you'll find the
London season very different thing, can tell
you Nora listened to these parental adnonltIons
with the usual urdisurbed placidity which left her
small face unrntiaby pretty. She seated herself
ut the centre table where our writing materials
we're arrar ged, and taking MP a pen and some
oaper hogan sketchng something with short. qnick
strokes | stood yawnng and lingering volume
of rauclnitz, while my uncle continued 10 read
~ do hope be will be at deeuner." said Nora
presently. with something like real feeling in her
aOf whom are you speaking 7" asked her mother.
"Of terrible Englishman who has just arrived.
Eco" She he Id up at arms length for the general
edlfcation a clever caricature of the person in
question 1t was almost impossible to look at 1t
without laughing. Even Aunt Caroline smiled
"Ah, Nora.n said Uncle Augustus, as he exam
ined the sketch more atcntivey, with the corners
of Ills mouth still twitchlng How well you could
draw If YOU chose TO work 40 1t
AYES. and III much less dangerous STYLE
renal ked Aunt Caroline.
The dcenner bell hogan to ring.
"No~ Cissv," whispered Nora, we walked
down behind our elders. There is q vacant place
near us. Perhaps he will take that" At this
suggestion subsidized into laughter, for in those
DAYS was blest with more sense of fun than had
mind or heart enough TO manage.
Come. girls, come" said Uncle Augustus in an
authontai,ye voice o Don't let US have e any
protected from possible contact with undesirable
ncighhOfs bv Uncle Augustus on the one side aud
Aunt Caroline on the other. The remaining inhab-
Itants OF the pension filed in and took their places
Aunt Caroli, acknO wledGed their several greet
ing, With frlgId dignity. Uncle Augustus's careless
nod il less repellant was even more contemptuOus
rney were all Engsh' and he knew the socsl
status OF each Not one belonged to any higher
grade than tie lower middle class.
The chair ner Uncle Auustns still remained I'M
filled. Just rs the fish was being handed round,
the new inmate Of the pension entered and took
the vacant place. lie thrilling fact
necessarily Impressed upon m by an almost
painfully distinct pressure on my toe from NOras
slender foot. responded by a SYMPATHETIC move
lnent. The interchange OF signals aid not escape
Aunt Caroline. who eyed Us severely.
DO yon see the likeness ?" sand Nora calmly.
turning her great blue eyes slowly upon hcI father
who bit his lip and frowned.
WAS not the ll:l5 very late to-day, sir 2" said
jovial looking person opposite to MS, who never
lost any time III entering into conversation with
al believe it WIS" answered our nciebbor; al
arrived nearly an hour later than expected to-"
The answer tor which waited byeathcSs with
expectation was rather Disappointing when it did
cone Neither in the voice nor the accumulation
vas there anything groicsquc OF vulgar. On the
rontrary. they proclaimed AT once that the oddly
vas a gentleman. The other went on to make
ONE mteTogatOry remarks. The newcomer
answered them courteously bnt moi dusely. as
ne who. though not anxious to converse will not
bsoluteiy decline to DO so. Nora and l. secretly
eyOuIing all that Tell from his lips, gathered that
g had been ordered abroad for the winter months.
fter illness, and that lie wandering
inil,sNv alonc the Riviera. not wing decided
WOul lp at
'0rdigheIa.
As we pa sed back through the hall, on oar wav
rooms Nora stopped to bend over the largo
Ook wherein the Inmates OF the pension were
lvited to write their Dames Uncle Augustus
dcul ling this idle curiosity, looked over her
hOuidcl.
&C II. Prown" he read aloud in hirbly con-
'mptuous tone. Brown-l think have heard
nat splendid name before" At the same moment
h.. owner of the name passed and went quickly
p-stairs. For an instant Uncle Augustus looked
l,concerted; the next, he raised his eyebrows and
tughcd.
"Fortunately," ho remarked. "the feelings in
nat class are not usually very sensitive" Nora
galked upstairs before us, initiating Mr.. Browns
ocular cairage with conbihed accuracy and
arcaturc that was irrcsist6y funny Uncle
augustus laughed heartily, and such was my
muscmcnt that Aunt Caroline seriously TeprOvcd
ne for making 20 much noise upon public
'tairca~e.
All wellr7 said my uncle as we entered orr
ittugI Dom. " no wonder they are getting into bad
orn, living among such a set OF snObs. | wish to
iieaycn am's would answer my letter.
Uncle James r asked Nora afterward with mv
usuai oDtuseness as we were collecting drawing
materials in the bedroom We shared
"Oh, because we are hard up, rs usual" answered
Nora, and We can't move on TIL he sends n
check Come along. Don't forget the water. |
wish Uncle James WOuld WRITE" she continued as
we went into the corridor. For TIL he does we
shan have to wait il this dull hole. | dont know
what J should do If il were not for dear Mr..
Brown
"Tahe care Nora, Won will drop your paint-bo
You had better not initiate Nh Brown inst now"
81 can't get my shoulders quite like his" an
swered Nora, looking back at me. / frowncd a1d
gesticuiated in vain; she could not understand
that the model himself was coming along the
gallery toward her. The next moment stl
mnliching Mr. Brown. and still looking rognshlv
back az me, to see how liked 1t. she straight