Wichita eagle., 1888-09-16

| maze Hid young clergyman, admirably
adapted to leading side in croquet, and
! to the social tea and muffin, forget his
simple pleasures, and sit glower;ng In
| silence, or opening his mouth only for the
utterance Of ponderous Johnsonian sar-
casms-ss soon to be expected from him
As abSinthe from cream jug.
| Not so Inconsistent is Blake'S final de-
| termination to stay and see the game out,
at which he arrives after some minutes
| hard thinking. Then with vast sigh he
sits on the top step Of the piazza snd
smokes. When does be not smoke?
From the breakfast room now comes q
| sound Of life, and presently Mrs. Van
worst and Kate Stuart, fresh as only
girls can be when on a summer morning
they come to finish what they began the
night before. It seems improbable that
either of these ladies has any designs on
Blake. however, for after d few original
remarks on the temperature they pace the
piazza and talk about-what do girls talk
to one another about? Sometimes about
men, it Is said. Blake is not ccnceited,
and concludes that the present converse
ton has for its subject that most sacred
of all things-elothes. Not until Mrs
Vanvoorst goes into the house TO minister
to some very late riser does Miss Stuart
vouchssfe to him word. Then she al
lows herself to be beguiled into large
chair, whence she gaZes placidly at the
young man before her, and talks of many
things
"What do dc? Oh, not much of any
thing-that is what makes the place
SO very jolly, don't you know?
They don't try 10 entertain one, which
is the surest way of making one happy.
1t is such very pretty place. See down
there, MIR. Blake, you can see ever SO many
miles along the river, You are looking
quite worn out-you ought to take your
vacation What do you men do with
yourselves in New York? Go up to
ThomasT Nothing else, suppose? Run
up into the country to see your friendsg
That's SO good Of you. You ought at
least to stay here long enough to find out
what a nice place it Island what nice
people we all arc. Who is Mrs. Macken-
zie, Mr.. Blake:"
Mr.. Blake finds this coming to the point
in great hurry, but explains, to some
extent, the mystery Of Mrs Mackenzie
who she used to be principally.
We'll, said the young lady, in her
Guietest manner, she intends to be Mrs
Eanvoorst soon, that is quite evident
One can't blame her much, can one? Such
a very pretty place, AID such q nice old
gentleman-aud it would be rather good
speculation, too, wouldn't it?'
As if to show what q good speculation
it is, the nice old gentleman at this mo-
ment presents himself, and says good
morning to Miss Stuart with that mixture
of old school galiantry and paternal affec-
ton which make hirn deserveliy the ad-
nliration Of his friends, but which cause
Mr. Blake to say to himself irreverently,
"Confound the old fooi What does he
want to hold the girls hand so long for?"
The old man and TIE young one form
striking contrast Mr.. Vanvoorst meets
his age bravely, in an admirable gray wig,
and whiskers which the typical English
man might envy, and blue cravat, and a
white waistcoat, and check trousers; do
we not all know the conventional get up?
He stands, erect and smiling, saying
pretty little things to Miss Stuart about
her similarity to morning, and to rose,
and other agreeable objects; very diff
ferent being from the young man of
the present day, who, in his easy gray
clothes. and straw hat tilted over his
eyes, leans languidly against pillar,
looking calm indifference to all things
earthly. They are much the same thing
after all; and the elder, with his beauti-
full politeness and cordiality, is inwardly
as easily bored as the younger is out
wardly.
Enter Mrs Mackenzie The young
man looks feebly pleased, and remarks
disapprovmsly about the weather.
Again Mr.. Vanvoorst produces his origi-
nal SMILES about the morning and the
rose, and in the conversation that follows
shines with his accustomed brilliancy.
The household begins to amuse itself each
in his own way Mrs. Mackenzie goes
off with Mr.. Vanvoorst and a yellow UNI
brella-though there is no sun--to look
at the glass houses The glass houses
do not appear to be satisfactory; for when
Blake, ON his way with Vanvoor5t junior
to that natural haven of the Young male
of our species, the stables, meets the
happy pair coming back, the lady has an
upright and severe manner and a high
color, and her escort, who follows with q
deprecating look, is absolutely with
out a complicated witticism for the
young men-s thing unprecedented.
Our sagacious hero. in the language
of Mr. Twain. ''stand from under" and
Is soon oblivious to care In fascinating
atmosphere of horses, clean straw and
Scotch terriers.
The day grinds along, as days do at a
country house. The women keep up ali
appearance of doing something or read
novels; the men make no pretense till the
New York papers arrive. when they be-
come animated enough to bewaD the flu
ture of their country. After lunch the
tables are turned; it is now the men who
make the pretense. and assuming stu
fail asleep over books and pa
pers in various uncomfortable chairs and
places. while the feminine portion seclude
themselves with the avowed purpose Of
umbering. Oh, wretched hours Of a
summer afternoon, from 2 20 D. How
things have we ali suffered
in those three hours. 1t is better that
the sexes should separate during that
period, for man who once spent an
August afternoon with the girl of his
heart on a shady hotel piazza has assured
me that he was never so near doubling
her grsces of mind and person as when,
for the tenth time, she asked bin whether
it was o'clock yet.
No one annoys Blake about the time;
so, after reading the prospects for the
Springfield regatta, be goes to sleep over
G murder. After wearing his neck out in
efforts to keep his head from dragging
him to the floor, he returns to conscious
ness and to great discomfort and heat. Il
is still only half past 4, and he has had
enough and more than enough OF sleep.
So, to pass the weary hours. he flies 70
the athletes never failing resource-exer-
else He will take Il walk The clouds
are breaking up under the influence of 6
strong breeze, the sun hes come out,
aL IL Il