The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-01-19

maid would call a splendid figure of a
man
Il dare say out in the bush he is consid-
cred very fine specimen of the native raw
material"
"a very trying specimen to his relatives,
at any rate | wonder how long he means
to entertain us with his overpowering So
ciety p
Meanwhile the subject ofthis unhattering
criticism was favoring the lady of the house
with his opinion of her family.
One morning about a week later Cousin
Pat burst upon the family circle as they
were severally engaged on various branches
of dressmaking and millinery, evidently
preparing for some fes,ivity of Importance.
II say, aunt Ally. he began hastily, af-
ter brief greeting, whats this | hear
about your coming entertainment By the
merest fuke | got wind of it from Dauber
Browne last night-just after ! had prom
ised to dine with fellow at the club too.
Ii was very annoying; ven should have told
me in time, and not made me look such a
fool before Browne can't be expected
to guess these things, YOU know
What do you mean? IL don t under
stand, ! am not giving any entertain
meut, replied Aunt Ally, with n slight
quaver in her voice.
Not giving dinner. party next Tues
day ?"
"A dinuer party Dear me, no Pat
What put such an idea into your head ?
Fancy poor little me, with my miniature
appointments and mahogany, attempting
such a feat No, what, | pres lme, gave
rise to the absurd report is the simple fact
of my having asked few--a very few
old friends to join our family dinoer-circie
on that day.
We'll. but you might have mentioned it
to me, you know. However, better. late
than never. think can manage to put
of Jack Gorion and grace your board, aunt
Ally
~My dear boy. replied the lady, don't
attempt 10 do such a thing | assure You
il would not pay you TO run the risk Of
offending your friend Il viii be a very
slow affair indeed-all middle aged people.
| -
my dear aunt, don't say another werll
Don't you know Ia give up the jolliess
bachelor party going without sish to en-
joy YOUR and the dear girls sociesy any
dsy said Fat heartily
Mr. Caniwell Faiscd yexed and flush d
coauteBauco from the accounts over which
she vas pouring, and, after exchanging elo-
qaen, glanc,s with her daughters, said hes
itatingiy-
The fac, i. my dear nephew, that
'hat--our space i 50 very limited, really
IL ana afraid that
Here Kitty. wiIh rather hos checks, broke
ia unexpectedly her eyes axed steadily and
bravsly apou her cousin ; fsec.
The fact i. Pat. sc don't wan, yoa 10
dine wi,h Us on Tussday There's no roosn
fer you
..Ob. is ,ha, au Why didat you say
50 At first p rvpli,ri Pa, placidly
You s,s Pat resumed aan, Ally mere
glibly, now sha; ibe plunge was sveT--''yoa
see how We are circamstsBeesl, van know
the sire or 0ur ron. aud hos crushcsl ~
slsll t,e. although ouly two of the girss in-
tead dining But sc expect a feE more
friends ia the evening" for music snd Iha,
sort oF ghing, aud shall bn euly teo de-
lighted if yoa vii join cur lissle party uos
later than half.pas, ninc o'cloek
"All right, aunt--Iu eamc hope
your dinner viii 20 % we'll CcrtsiaIy |
shonld have becn rather in the way wiih
ny broad shoulders DaabcT won't take
up much ruou, anyway.
"DaubSr. Dauhcr FepeSsel aunt Ally
l. be dining Oh, or--yes, 20 be sure.
| remember our luggage At Brusscls--sreal
obligations 10 his father, and - We all
Mrs. Cautwell saddenly stopped, her
head dro0pcd over her book, and a rather
auusuaI hush stained the fair ma,roos
checks HcT thoughts involuaiaFily ass
back 20 the days OF iSeBty years bef0rr,
whea she. homeless. helpless, ruined
woman, With thFce sickly babies, had been
received into the already hardened home
of Phii Cantwcll aad his geasle wife Rose
the father and mother OF the boy before
her, for whom she couId not end place at
her tahle--where she and her little ones
bad been fed. lodged and soothcd with
hopeful, comforting words during the two
long years her husband lsy in a debtors
prison Il was dacidedly an unpleasant
reminisceuce-so unpleasant that the lady
peIaantly threw aside her pen aud lets the
room. irritated with herself, her surround
ings, her little dinner party, aud, above all,
wilh her lncklcss nephew
Pat Pat, ! am suing to pick Pcase for
dinner Will YOU help me3
tie turned aud beheid Kitty standing IN
the porch, a yellow pie dish in her hands.
Confess, young lady, | am the best
tempered fellow you ever met, hesAld, ad-
vancing towards her.
Kitty, blushiug slightly. led the way to-
wards the garden, where the pease were
picked in peace. Judiciously avoiding dis
turbing topics, she led her cousin away To
foreign soil. He told her Of strange scenes
and sights Of which she had read only in
books, and gave her descriptions Of the
wild exciting experiences OF Colonial lie
10 Southern Africa, Australia, and Callfor
MIA. in all of which countries he had at yari-
Gus tunes wooed the tickle goddess Fortune.
The morning passed SO quickly that Kitty
was quite startled by the church chimes
when she and her cousin We're seated in the
summer house sheliing the pease.
Two o'clock! just fancy! ! thought 1t
was only twelve"
II say, Kitty, | suppose, like my humble
self, you are invited to partake only OF 'tay
and cakes on Tuesday-eh!' said Pat,
making the first allusion to the discussion
of the morning.
III" cried Kitty. "Why should you sup
pose so? As it happens, am not only iu-
vited to enjoy the full menu, but am also
partly the origin of the whole festiyity' =
"You the origin? Explain yourself
please.
"A rather particular friend of mine has
signifed his intention of passing this way
next Tuesday, and So
'Friend'-proper noun, singular mum
Der, masculine gender, subject TO Miss Kitty
Cautwell?" asked Cousin Pat
'Bravo Pat!" laughed Kitty. "A very
neat bit of parsing indeed Go to the top
of the class at oncel'
"Kitty, Kitty, I'm disappointed in you;
| did not think you went in for that sort
of thing"
"And why should l not, pray? Am |
u II -.