The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-05-09

SUMMERvIEw, June sS.
Ny DARLING NIECE: am to be all alone
this summer in the dear old homestead at
{ Summerview. Of course I shall have my
servants with me- but when say "all aIone'
Imean shall be without comp anion, un-
less you, dearest girl, will come and spend
the summer with me. Do say that you will
l shall be so lonely. And then, too, you
know that you promised to come some time
and ransack the old house. I know you will
lind it full Of treasures Why, the garret
has not bean disturbed for fifty years. and
such collection of antiquities as you will
lind there! Write ME by return mail that
you Will come l shall take no other answer.
Let me know the day when You will arrive
and conveyance shall meet you at the sta
tlon. Your loving AUNT MARY.
SUMMERv1Ew, July /.
Ny DEAR BoY: have settled down at
last and you may come AMI see me and well
come. No more seafaring life for your old
Uncle Zen! Here am in neat little cottage
on the banks Of pretty lake; and here I
shall stay until make the last long voyage
unto that bourne from which no traveller
returns. y hayealittle boat in which Idrift
about the lake now and then, and an old nag
that 1og to town behind. have books and
cur1osltles, gun and dog, and plenty of
fishing tackle Come down, you rascal, and
enjoy yourself. Come any time, and stay as
long as You please. shall enjoy it as much
aayou will. Your old sea-dog Of an uncle,
BEN DRUMMoND.
GEORGE MATHEWS, Cambridge, Mass.
Miss George Paine, of Brooklyn, was
in ecstasies when she received her aunt's
note. She had made no plans for the
summer. Indeed, she had not determined
to make any, hoping that Aunt Mary
would remember the promise once ex-
acted and repeat the invitation to come
to Sumnierview when she should have
taken possession of the old house. If
there was anything under the broad
blue sky that George Paine adored, it
was rummaging. In her woman's ma
ture it was akin to the masculine passion
for discovery. She could enter an old
garret or storeroom with as much ro-
mantle swelling of heart as an explorer
sailing into some great unknown bay or
lake in the midst ofan untrodden wilder
ness. Her temperament was poetic and
meditative. She was unlike most other
girls of her age, or, perhaps it would be
: more proper to say young ladies' for
George was twenty. She was not ex-
actly pretty recluse," for she loved q
little society now and then. Neither by
saying that her temperament was 'po-
etic, !" should it be inferred that she was
. writer, of very poor sentimental verse
as too many young ladies who call them
selves ''poetic" are. She loved to read
good poetry, and sometimes poetic
dreams would run in her pretty
little head. This was the extent of her
weakness in that direction. Her love
of old and curious things was natural
enough. She had always devoured his
tory, throwing about it the glamour of
her own imagination. She had read all
the historical novels she could get hold
Of, especially stories of American colo
NAL history. Allthe colonial poems in
American literature she had by heart, and
it was the crowniug Joy of her life that
she had once shaken hands with Long
fellow in company with score of her
classmates who had called upon the poet
at his home in Cambridge.
Now the very opportunity she had
always longed for presented itself in the
: note from Summerview. Aunt Mary had
taken posse sion of the Old homestead
Georges G eat -great-grandmother' orig
inally--and had invited her to come aud
srummage in it. The house was one of
Z the oldest in Massachusetts,, and for
more than hundred years it had been
= accommodating in its dark recesses heir
looms and treasures of the dark past.
Could anything be more romantic2
George sat down Immediately and wrote
1t
DEAREST AUNTIE-Of course will come =
many. many thanks for your kind invitation.
Look for me next Saturday. GEORGE
Uncle Pen's letter found George Mat
thews at Cambridge. The young man
had just graduated from Harvard Col
lege and was taking long breath after
the labor and excitement of ANIMALS and
commencement. The opportunity for
rest and amusement at Summerview was
just what he warted Besides, Uncle
Fen was the prince of good fellows-a
jolly old soul who knew more about the
round world than half the professors,
and whose knowledge. best of all, was
entirely ''first hand" So, just before
/, the GLORIOUS Fourth George delivered
the key of his room to his landlady, and
with monstrous trunk filled with books,
pipes, pictures everything but clothes,
for the young man was not at all dressy
took his departure for dear, old, sleepy
Summerview.
As it happened, the very day when
George Matthews train drew up at Sum.
: merside station George Paine had gone
fishing alone in the little lake beyond the
village. A curious thing for a young
/. lady to do, did you say? Well, George
Paine was curious girl. he didn't
give snap for the conveniinnalit.e'
For almost a week now she had beer
rummaging steadily in the dark. close
garret Of the old manse. and to-day she
longed for some fresh air and some exer
else.
s'What shall do auntie' she asked
2 s'What outdoor sport have you prepared
for my sole and special en- oyment.'
s'Why, dear child. hadn't thought O.
that at ALL" was Aunt Mary's dismayec
reply. ''In fact, 1 didn't suppose tha
you cared for outdoor sports. Mos
girls don't" -.-.. ~.
"Most city girls do, alntie, begging
your pardon. Well, now, let me see
I Is there a saddle horse, or even side
saddle, connected with the establish
ment2'
oh, dear, no! None of the womer
here ever ride horseback" -.
'sThere-I have it" exclaimed Gearg'
irrelevantly, clapping her hands. sc
saw q fishing rod and line out in th'
barn yesterday. Whose is it2"
s'SUhn's, I suppose Hc occasionall.