Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1888-07-12


very sorry to have mlssd
"YOu are Uncle John. ia = she
said, frankly. e1tending daintily
gloved little hand
"Why-why. yes. BroshIE Ned's
children call me % soma4mes
staInmered. Uncle John scsaas very
! old bachelorish, some way. I didn't
fancy it. at all.
| Il AN So glad to have iaet'yon !
dislike travelling alone 20 i4uch /
quite dreaded the journey When
you didn't come to the hotel Thought
something must have prevailed you
from meeting ,ne. | dog sgthink OF
-lssiyiag sfssiss' <s1ating rooia~
AT the hotel 0, that was 80 like
Laura l thought with smOthered
eroan. She had not mentioned ho-
tel to me, and here was this charming
little creature thinking | had neglec-
ted her
IT was bad enough coming coming
all the way from Chicago, alone, she
warbIed on, IN such a birdlike voice
once ! might have called it rafting.
Tor she did talk good deal, but ah
not now. Was it possible that l, a
man of thirty.three, with an ideal, was
suhiugated by pair of saucy black
eyes, and some long lasnes, belonging,
too, to an unmistakable "girl of the
period ?"
Alas ! could not tell. Some change
had certainly come over the spirit oi
M dream.
am so impatient to see the dear
children again-I think they are the
cutest, cunningest little things Flos7
~ ID my especial favorite.
Now as my niece Flossy had arrived
at the mature age Of FIVE or six weeks
thought Mrs. Armsby had rather
strange taste. As l had never had
the pleasure of meeting my youthful
relative, and had, indeed, been sp-
prised only the day before that her
name was Flossy. I could not be ex
pected to respond very cordially to
this sentiment.
7 could not be expected 10, ] say,
but / did what sentiment wouldn' t
I have responded TO, backed by those
eyes and that bewitching little smile
"The loveliest OF them all and such
sweet name T. murmnred l. like 40
imbecile.
And Nellie-isn't she dsrling?'
Who was Nellie? Not one of Ned g
children ! Possibly one Of Laura's 3
friends; l didn't remember all their
names. 1t wouldn't be safe for me to
say that she was "a darling upon
uncertainties, but l did think it safe
to respond, with some enthusiasm,
shes very nice girl"
"A nice girl ?" And thu saucy eyes
danced. "Why l mean the little
Spitz dog"
20 yes, yes. certainly | a very nice
dog, stammered I, inwardly cusing
my stupidity in not remembering the
name OF the wretched little beast that
was always under my feet at Ned's.
She talked about good many other
people whose names didn't reneln-
ber. How l wished l had taken more
interest in Laura's friends II they
had only been more like her ! should
| have had no occasion for that regret
/ / took excellent care of her, OF SO
she said, with a bright little smile
and what delightful thing it vas tc
| take care of her
After we got over talking about oul
Rutual friends, and on to general sub
jects, gradually grew more at ease
I felt as if the hours were slipping By
in delightful dream.
I'VE are almost there r she said
suddenly.
30, Newport Is a good many mile
away vet = I said, almost wishing W
might never get there, to have AM
interruption to this blissful dream.
Newport But | am not going t
Newport. Are YOU | thought yo'
were going directly to Alices. Sh
wrote me that you were.
This was very bewildering. ! be
gan to perceive that there was mis-
take somewhere.
Il don't know Alice, said. .
am going to Newport. to meet my SIS
ter Laura, who wrote me that yor
were going there, too.
Il am going to K, TO visit m,
sister. who is married and lives there
and she wrote me that her husband
uncle would come to the hotel Tor m'
Aren't you Uncle John !?
Il am Uncle John to my brother
children, but not to your sisters hui
!. band, am afraid" said !, dolefnll.
, The black eyes danced like will, o
the-wisps.
1T is too funny for anything 81
/, declared. II thought You were ver
unlike Elias description of unc
John-so much younger than sul
e POSED he was T.
2 At this interesting moment the ca
stopped, and the conductor shouts
K
= 10 dear me mustn't get left
T said my fair companion in . flute
l 1t is such a funny thing altogethel
and am go much obliged to you
Allow me to give you my card
stammered I, as / assisted her out
= hardly awake yet to the situation. al