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

"Oh, goodness gracious" cried Mrs. Patty
?arkman, dropping the open letter from her
hand in dismay What will be done? and
the best rocking chairs limb is broke, and the
looking glass OF the toilet bureau is lii frag
meats! Mercy mel"
What is it, MAJ" queried her two daugh
tiers, Hannah and Angelina, in chorus.
What is it," cried Mrs. Parkman, indig-
nantly: "Oh heavensl what isn't it.'
Il don't see that the house is on fire!' eX-
claimed Hannah with irony.
Daughter, beware how you address me!
Only hear this epistle read, and then decide
if there isn't cause for disInay. 1t is from
your second cousin, Charles Eastford-the
Philadelphia lawyer-hear what he says;
DEAR AUNT PATTY-The physicians tell me
that my health requires a change and as the
warm season is now approaching, and the quiet
OF your little village looks enticing, purpose TO
inilict upon you my society for couple of
months, if agreeable 10 you and your family.
Probably | shall not be out before the first of
June Please drop me a line on the subject at
your earliest convenience. Present my love TO
the girlS-tell them not to engage themselves
until Come-and accept for yourself my most
dutiful and afTectionate regards. Your obedient
nephew CHARLIE EAsTFoRD.
There now! who ever did hear the like of
it! Not but what | should be delighted to see
Charles, for he is almost millionaire, and of
such an old family on his fathers side! The
Eastfords were so genteel! Why, his grand
mother Easttord never combed her own hair
in her life, and his father always kept SER
vant to open and shut the door after him! |
should be charmed to receive Charles, but
Our house is 80 old fashioned, and the furni-
ture SO much the worse for wear! And the
strawberry preserve is all gone, and the car
pet faded under the windows. And, oh, dear!
there's the napkins! | never thought of
them before! they are literally in rags!
What will be done?"
Cut up a tablecloth" suggested Hannah
Thank you, my dear; 50 we can. You
and Angelina can make them up this after
noon; and girls in a mysterious whisper
II want you to do your best toward capti-
waiting your cousin Charles, for he is rich,
and will not care 50 much for a wealthy
wife as for a genteel one. And, Angelina.
dear, don't call your sister Hannah; it is a
horribly vulgar name! your father would
have the poor child ruined with that name,
because it was his mothers Call her Anna
that is more proper. And Anna, do try
and break yourself of that dreadful habit of
you are spoken to; it is terribly ungenteel
And, as | said, want you to look your pref
tiest, girls, to captivate this fine young city
arjStOcrat."
Both of US are to marry him, them"
questioned Hannah, sententiously.
Anna, you are disrespectful. OF course,
Charles will have some choice, and | advise
you both to hold yourselves in readiness to
accept his proposals"
when they come. But what is to be
done with Katie Glenn, l wonderg"
Katie Glenn! Child, you astoniSh me!
Why, Katie will do the work as usual, and
keep in the kitchen out of sight. Genteel
families don't have their servants in the par
lor"
Yes, but Katies pretty, and these nice
young gentlemen, like cousin Charles, are re-
markably prone to discover all red checked
Cmderellas, even if they do snuff ashes in the
lower regions of the cuisine"
'NonsenseI Katie looks well enough, but
she is destitute of style, and her dress is so
ungenteel! And her family are mere no
bodies! Her father was q blacksmith and
her mother was seamstress."
And your mother was a washerwoman,
and grandfather was a cooper, u said Hannah,
unCOncernedly-wltn her niger In her mouth
and her eyes fixed on the face of her parent.
The latter rose in all the majesty of offended
dignity.
"Child" she exclaimed, repeat those
words and | disown you'll"
Hannah subsidized, and Angelina, shocked
and overcome, retired to the sofa with a fan
and the last word, while Mrs. Parkman set
about devising ways and means to give the
expected guest a reception which should do
honor to the gentility of the family
Katie Glenn, the pretty little brown eyed
orphan girl whom Mrs Parkman had chart
tably % adopted, was called to the council,
and if there was anything specially tasteful
in the arrangement Of the guests chamber it
was due to Katie.
The spare chamber was over the Kitchen
an arrangement which Mrs. Parkman was
never weary of rcgretting-aud the floor vas