Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-01-24

or rather the six footmen took an hour
and twenty minutes to carry the silver
dishes in and out. Never since their mar
riage had Eustace and Augusta felt so
miserable.
II don't think that I like being so rich"
said Augusta, rising and coming down the
long table to her husband, when at last
Johnson had softly closed the door. ''It
Expresses me"
$50 it does me-" said Eustace, "and I
tell you what it is, Gussie," he went on,
drawing her on to his knee; ST won't stand
having all those internal fellows hanging
round me. shall sell this place, and go
in for something quieter."
And at that moment there came dread
full diversion. Suddenly, and without the
slightest warning, the doors at either end
of the room opened, Through the one
came two enormous footmen laden with
coffee and cream, etc., and through the
other johnson and another powdered
monster bearing cognac and other lique-
urs. And there was Augusta sitting on
Eustace's knee, absolutely too paralyZed
to stir. Just as the men came up she
struggled off somehow, and stood looking
like an idiot, while Eustace colored to his
eyes. Indeed, the only people who showed
no confusion were those magnificent
menials, who never turned a single pow
dered hair, but went through their solemn
rites with perfectly unabashed counten-
ances.
81 can't stand this" said Augusta, fee
bly,, when they had at length departed. 81
am going to bed feel quite faint"
"Au right" said Eustace; II think that
it is the best thing to do in this comfort
less shop. Confound that fellow Short,
why couldn't he come and dine? l won
der if there is any place where one could
go to smoke pipe, or, rather, a cigar-I
suppose those fellows would despise me if
l smoked pipe. There was no smoking
allowed here in my uncle's time, SO used
to smoke in the housekeeper's room, but I
can't do that now"
'eWhy don't you smoke here?-the room
is so big it would not SMELL" said Angus
ia.
"Oh, hang it all, no." said Eustace;
"think of the velvet curtains. | can't sit
and smoke by myself in a room fifty feet
by thirty; should get the blues. No,
shall come upstairs, too, and smoke there -
And he did.
Early, very early IN the morning, Au-
gusta woke, got up, and put on a dressing
gown.
The light was streaming through the
rich gold cloth curtains. some of which
she had drawn. 1t lit upon the ewers,
made of solid silver, on the fine lace hang
ings of the bed, and the priceless inlaid
furniture, and played round the faces of
the Cupids on the frescoed ceiling. Au-
gusta stared at it all, and then thought Of
the late master of this untold magnif-
| cence as he lay dying in a miserable hut
in Kerguelen Land. What a contrast was
here!
"Eustace," she said to her sleeping
spouse, wake up, want to say some
thing to you"
"Ehl what's the matterP" said Eustace,
yawning.
"Eustace, we are too rich-we ought to
do something with all this money"
"All right" said Eustace, "I'm agreea
BILE. What do you want to do?"
II want to give away good sum-say,
two hundred thousand, that isn't much
out of all you have-to found an institu-
ton for broken-down authors"
Cali right" said Eustace; "only you
must see about it, I can't be bothered. By
the way" he added, waking up little,
''you remember what the old boy told you
when he was dying? think that starv-
ing authors who have published with
! Nelson's ought to have the first right of
| election"
81 think SO, too" said Augusta, and she
went to the buhl writing table to work out
that scheme on paper which, as the public
is aware, is now about to prove such a
boon to the world of scribblers.
81 say, Gussie!" suddenly said her hus-
band. 1--WE just had dream"
"Wellr' she said, sharply, for she was
| busy with her scheme; "what is it?"
81 dreamed that James Short was Q.
| c., and making twenty thousand year,
and that he had married Lady Holm
| hurst"
! 81 should not wonder if that came true"
answered Augusta, biting the top of her
pen.
Then came another pause.
"Gussie," said Eustace, sleepily, "are
you quite happy?"
eyes, of course l am; that is should be
| if it wasn't for those footmen and the sill
yer Waterways"
81 wonder at that said her husband.
"WhyP"
| Because (yawn)-"of that will upon
your shoulders''-(yawn). 81 should not
have believed that woman could be quite
happy ''-yawn-"w could-never go to
court"
And he went to sleep again; while, dis
daining reply, Augusta worked on.
THE END