The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1889-11-08

compooure which he had been acquiring dur
! ing.aA that tins. d ~ -
! "Casyou spare your friend few momentsf"
said PR. Marge b Luca. II would b. glad
I to introduce him % some Of the gentlemen >
"YOu are very kind" murmured Lucia
--~ao was dying-so she Informed herself-to
reJOin some of her girl friends and explain
the awkward nature Of the intrusion. Marge
offered Fhil his arm, courtesy the young
man did not understand, ~ he took Phil's In
stead, and presented the youth ~ several
gentlemen as an old friend Of the family
, Soon, however, Marge led PHI into tiny
room al the rear of the hall--a room nOmi
. nally tho library, the books consisting Of a
dictionary and "A Bible the greater part Of
the shelf space being occupied by pipes, to-
baccO boxes cigar cases, ash receivers and
other nppurtenances Of the vice and comfort
Of smoking Placing Phil Ia "A great easy
chair, the back of which hid him from the
company, Marge took cigarette from his
own case, which he afterward passed % Phil
So small vices" snid be, ns Phi declined
"Just as well on, suppose As for me-
here Mr Nnr2e struck "A match-'Iyo ipufn
beeu acquainted with the wccd - long that
pun ! can't very well snub II when /
would"
81 think nicotine Is injurious % the brain,
tho lungs, hnd finally 10 tho digestion, said
Phil Have you seen ProfssJr Benchors
Gnnlysi1 They were printed IN the
II may have seen them In print, but I'm
sure / pa -ed them" said Marge, exhaling
smoke in such "A way that II hid bis face for
an instant Il can't afford % worry myself
with Information that ia rather not use"
But one physique said Phil
"Onc's physique becomes quite obliging
when 10 knows what is expected Of IT,"
Phil mentally sought way of passing this
unexpected obstacle meanwhile, Marge
breathcl iazIly through his cigarette IA mo
mcnt or two, and then said:
"ailas lrnmlay IS "A charming girl"
Indeed she is." Phil replied IF She only
wcro'--
"Tut, tut, my denr sir, +" said Marge, "wom.
an IS divine, md II isn't good form 10 crticise
divinity Miss Tramlay IS remarkably pret.
"; ! trust we agree at least upon that safe
ground"
"Prottyy' echoed Phil, before Marge had
ceased spnakng. "She IS radiant-angelicw
Again Mr. Margo enshrouded his face with
smoke, after which he did not continue the
conversation, except 10 remark, Yes Phil
studied the color tono Of the room, and won.
dered why paper like that on tho wall had
not been offered for sale by tho storekeeper
AZ llayutOn then no resolved he would buy
and take homo 20 his mother "A chair Just like
that in which no was sitting, for il was 50
comfortable that be felt rs il he could fall
asleep i'm it Indeed, he was already 80 Obliv-
ious to Margo and other human presence that
ho was startled when gentle rustic ushered
IN Lucia, who exclaimed:
"Phil, you must come back 10 tho parlor
Half "A dozen girls are real envious because
they haven't seen you at all, and half dozen
others want 20 see more Of you Father has
been sounding your praises until they're sure
tho Admirable Crichton has come to life
again"
Phil attempted % rise--an awkward opera,
tion 10 a man previously unacquainted with
Turkish chairs Lucia laughed, and offered
him nssistance-it was only littlo hand, but
he took IL, and as he looked his thanks he saw
Lucia's face as he had sometimes known it of
ld-cntlrcly alert aud merry AZ the same
time n load fell from his mind, lond which
no bad been vaguely trying TO attribute 20
the latcnnss of tho hour, the stranScness of
his surroundings-any but the manner
in which tho girl had first greeted him. As
she took his nrm and hurried him out Of the
library hc felt 50 fully himself that he forgot
even that hc was not attired like tho gentle
men around him
Mr. Margc, who hsd risen when Lucia en-.
tered the library, followed tho couple with
his eyes, then, when alone, he frowned slight
", bit his lip dropped the end of his cigarette,
paccd 10 and fro several times, leaned on the
unntcl, and muttercd
"'ph.lrn
Then no lighted another cigarette and
vcicd hi, face Ia smoke for several minutes