Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1888-01-26

41uWtS1tbA- We 184 more t04U OUGe
induced him do-so before, though
his pzFxezsa tempsr gsasrally made
hiG uhzbis 8 % more thaa avert an
instant sseppegs . ne supplies. but
to-nisEt he - obsslnate. ana even
spOks a Il he vers lie aesrisvsd pr
tY, and biz moe ne enc 10 lsske adj
vaness.
"H G. OF fool cares to be civil"
be sssd iieseely ..then there's an end
of itgaad 4 not. there ! m end 100.
- lirsd n hunariug him.
/ An he spoke. the '.old FOOLS" heavy
tread was heard on the stairs; and in
another minute he entered. He was
a big. strong. red-faced, coarse leOk-
ing fellow. with sandy whiskersaBd
grizzled hair, who nodded awkwardly
to Us and gave .suriy greeting to
his nephew. who sat stili in his arm
chair, loekiag iato thsfre with half
shut eyes.
Mr.. Duncan Macdonald seemed dis
concerted by our presence, and Of
fered TO withdraw, but Macbane would
not let Us.
"You see. uncle" he remarked, still
keeping his eyes averted, and using
the familiar title solely, am con-
WINGED, because he knew the uncle
did not like it, "these gentlemen know
all about our little affairs, and they
had better hear your version of the
matters now than my version after
ward. Besides, one of them is going
to be a literary man, and write tale
with Scotch characters in it; and you
will be quite a god-ssnd to him, as
raw material for a study. If you
want to swear at me, pray don't mind
him; there is nothing that tells more
in literature than little aboriginal
profanity, properly accented.
This vas . bad beginning for an in
terview, and would have been worse
still had Mr.. Macdonald been able full
ly TO understand his nephew speech.
What he did understand, however, OBJ
viously offended him; and he began
to address Macbsne in 20 gery con-
ciliatOry tones. though at:.frst with
forced moderation Of language and
strained English accent. Then, as
Maebane did not answer, but sat still
looking into the fire, his uncle began
to lose temper. HE language grew
broader and stronger, both as Scotch
and as reproach. He addressed US
with q sort of rongh eloquence on the
subject of his nephew's miserable la
illness, shiftlessness, effeminancy-
pointing at him and showering down
vigorous epithets on him. In the
midst Of his TRADE, as he paused for
breath, came low sound of scratch.
ing at the door.
There that COMPOUNDED rat again."
cried Standish, glad of any pretext for
interrupting the miserable business.
"Dead as a duck, this time r He
dashed opened the door as he spoke,
but there was nothing to be seen.
Only the gaslight in the passage, flick
ering and, aaring in the draught, sent
strange shadows fitting across the
walls.
Frank came back and sat down, and
busted himself in uncorking his bottle
Of whisky, and setting the kettle on
to boil. / took up book, SO as not |
to seem to observe a scene which / |
knew must be so painful and humilia-
ting for Macbane. The uncle again
plunged into the stream Of his invec-
tive, and | kept my eyes on the neph-
ew. l knew that he was really quite
as passionate as the elder man, and I
was afraid of what he might do if be
once lost his self-control; but though
little shiver passed over him sorne-
times, he was quite silent, leaning
back in the armchair with his head
resting on his light hand and his left
arm hanging hstlessly over the side
of the chair. Presently he began to
move the hands languidly to and fro,
with the fingers ontstre.ched and the
palm horizontal and slightly hollow
ed, keeping it more than foot from
the carpet. It was curious gesture,
but he had many odd tricks of the
kind.
At last Mr.. Macdonald, having
spent his store of abuse without any
response, began, ] fancy, TO feel lit
tie ashamed Of himself, and became
more eonCiliatoryio letting fall some
hints as to the terms on which he
might even yet receive his prodigal
nephew back 10 favor. Tia manner
of his overtures was far more often
sive than their substance, and to one
who could make allowance for the
mans coarse nature there WAS even a
trace of teelingthsa raightbe called
kindness. But Macbane was always
far more sensitive to exterhaR than
other men. and his uncle 5 condescen-
sion. could see, irritated him far
Il - 4 = = - VI e E.