San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-05-29


Parkman mansion had once been dry goods
store and the spare chamber had been rented
as shoe store. Mrs. Parkman mended the
fracture" with couple of clapboards and
the carpet covered all deficiencies
The bedstead was newly varnished-the
chairs ditto. The window curtains were en-
bellished with fringe, two nail boxes were
converted into ottomans the rocking chair
with the broken "limbn was mended with
glue and brought up from the parlor for the
accommodation Of the visitor, n speckled pud-
ding dish covered with green tidy did duty
as a flower vase, and on the night of the last
day of May everything was in readiness.
The first day of June brought Charles East
ford to Beech Ridge.
Mrs. Parkman saw the depot carriage driv-
ing down the road and ran to acquaint her
daughters of their cousins arrival
"Now, girls, remember 10 receive him cor
daily, but genteelly. Don't hold out your
whole hand to shake hands. 1t is vulgar!
Two fingers will be sufficient And don't ask
him how he does, but inquire after his health
And, Angelina, it will be well for you to
bring out little Of your French occasion
ally. French words are so distingey"
And Mrs. ParkIpan, having delivered her
admonition, shook out the hounces Of her
black silk dress, and, followed by her daugh-
tiers, went out to welcome Mr.. Eastferd.
Charlie was a TAIL fine looking young man
of eight and twenty, with fair complexion,
clear blue eyes and light brown hair. He
kissed the ladies all Notwithstanding Mrs.
Parkman's collar sadly in the operation, and
overcoming Angelina TO such an extent that
she swooned, and fell into his arms.
Dear child" cried Mrs. Parkman, sprink-
ling her face with cologne, "she is so delicate,
and has such refined sensibilitiesI And she
has been brought up so carefunyi"
Charles felt very much as if he had COM
mitted the objectionable sin, and when Miss
Angelina recovered he begged her pardon for
his rashness so gracefully that she was fam to
graciously accord forgiveness.
Dinner was excrusiatingly genteel; it was
postponed until s. and in the meantime Char
lie had a vivid idea of how a death by starry
alton affects one; and when, at last, lie was
invited to the board, everything was on 50
gerte1i scale that he absolutely feared to
touch tho miniature dishes of edibles lest
there should he nothing left to tell the tale.
Don't set our hero down for a gluten: he
was only very hungry gentleman who had
been twelve hours without food, and was
| conscious of a shocking vacancy in that I'M
| genteel region known among vulgar people
as the stomach.
Well, two days of torture passed. Charlie
was nearly done for by the agonizing polite
ness of his relations and when he retired to
his chamber at night he determined to cut
short his visit. But what plea could he urge!
Business? Humph! They would know bet
ter than to believe him
"By Jove! the very thing! I'll get letter
from somebody at the point Of death without
delay" cried Charlie and, elated with the
brilliancy of the thought, he sprung up,
struck his feet together, and came down on
the very spot in that floor where the clap
boards were doing duty under the carpet.
He ought not to have INDUCED in such a
manifestation, but his peculiar situation must
plead for him when they learn that the clap
boards bent, cracked, broke, colapsed-and
down went our hero heels over head into the
room below-where he brought up in tub
of soapsuds, with which Katie Glenn was
scrubbing the floor.
Katie's brown eyes opened wide-she let the
mop fall in her scattering the
water all over her neat blue gingham dress.
aud Charlie, after lying quiet moment Won
iering if he was Baptist of the Free VIII
| order or not, scrambled out and confronted
the little maid
'Well," said he, at last, I'm here And
wonder where am after all?"
You are in the Kitchen" answered Katie,
demurely.
And who are your
II am Katie Glenn"
Charlie eyed her a moment, then approach
ing her close he inquired in a sort Of conf
Dental whisper:
Are you genteel"
I'm afraid not
"Theu give me your hand. want to fra
ternize with somebody who don't know the
meaning of that horrible word, =" and Charles
hand closed unnecessarily close over the little
trembling fingers of Katie Glenn.
From that time the idea of the sick friend
in need was rejected The letter from that
unfortunate individual did not arrive, and
Charlie resigned himself to the wafer like
biscuits and shrunken pies with Spartan
philosophy.
Three weeks afterwards he delighted Mrs
Parkman by informing her in confidence that
he had really made up his mind to get mar
ried, and that the lady was a member of her
own family Further revelations he did not
make, but Mrs. Parkman drew her own con-
illusions, and as soon as Charlie had gone out
for his customary morning stroll she delivered
the important tdings to her daughters. OF
course, she argued, Angelina was the chosen
one-the dear child! She had seen how
things were going on from the very moment
when she tainted in his arms Her daughter
was to marry rich man, and keep up the
honor of family which had always been I'M
mistakably genteel. And now for the wedding
rlo% IL 4 - l. 7.