River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-05-08

ut does seem so unfair-such awful
hard lines. after coming over here and
taking a house and every thing"
bemOans Dora; ''we might have done as
we'll If we'd stayed in New York"
Better" replies her mother: 1--WE
made Lord Emtihed's acquaintance
there How unfortunate, too, that he is
away in Spain. travelling"
"Who told you that?" asks Hi, with
suspicious smile.
'You know perfectly we'll papa was
told so when he went to call on him in
London" says Dora, impatiently.
'1All / know is. | saw his name in the
Morning Post the other day among the
guests staying at somebody's country
house"
Utterly impossible!7 exclaims Mrs.
Bassett; hes in Italy-no, Spain"
''Ill tell you what" says Mr.. Bassett,
presently, with burst of enthusiasm,
why not take the bull by the horns
and call yourself? 1t will look as if you
were returning their call. Swells like
that forget who they've called upon, and
will think it all right"
Not a bad idea, assents Mrs. Bassett;
there's nothing like asserting your
self in this world. You never hear of
the keep-backs anywhere. Yes. well
call this very afternoon. Thank you.
my dear, for the suggestion"
''It's very odd" remarks Mr.. Schuyler
Van Wrinkle, that same afternoon, as he
and his wife and daughter are together
in the drawing-room at Grassland Park,
awaiting the stroke of five for tea to be
brought in. He has been coming over
long shee of paper which he holds in
his hand, and takes off his eyeglasses
as he looks up
What tsp" asks Mrs. Van Wrinkle.
"Why, that the Blennerhassetts
haven't called upon us"
do you mean the people who live at
Oakden Manor?"
Yes"
Haven't they called upon us? No, l
remember now, they have not. They
are the only people, though"
u can't at all make it out" goes on
Mr.. Van Wrinkle; every one else has
called. Why shouldn't they?"
Perhaps they have heard we are
MISS
That should be no reason" replies
her father.
There are some English people who
don't like Americans, / know. Don't
you remember those people at Cannes
last year, who refused to be introduced
TO US, or. rather, refused TO allow us to
be introduced to them? Nasty, hateful
thingsr'
Mr. Van Wrinkle winces both at the
uncOmplimentary reminder and at the
pronounced American" in his daugh-
ter's concluding words.
"Yes, remember them" he replies,
loftily; ''but don't altogether blame
them"
"Why, papa?"
''You forget the sort of Americans
they had constantly before them, my
dear Julia Vulgar, purse-proud, push
ing people. They supposed us to be the
same, no doubt. I'm sorry they did not
give us the opportunity of showing
them the contrary" he adds, drawing
himself up.
But my dear, haven't we carefully
avoided letting our nationality be
known? l thought you said we were
not to tell any one we were Americans"
says Mrs. Van Wrinkle.
Certainly l said So" says Mr.. Van
Wrinkle; after people got to know US
thought would be time enough to tell
them what we were"
''rm sure I've told no one," urges Mrs.
Van Wrinkle.
''Nor have l." adds Julia.
II feel confident that no one has
found it out from me-" says Mr.. Van
Wrinkle, proudly.
1T is certainly very strange" OBJ
serves Mrs. Van Wrinkle; 1.-THE house
agent told us they we're the incest peo-
pie in the neighborhood, next of course
to the Portcullis family"
At the moment the rumble of car
riage-wheels sounds on the gravel of the
drive.
now" says Julia, rising quickly and go
ing to one of the windows, as a carriage
drives past in the dim light without;
yes, it's a brougham and pair with
cOachman and footman, with cockades
in their hats. OF course it must be
them. Talk of the ct cGterd, ct eGtera."
Il trust you have not instructed Wat
kins to say not at home,'" says Mr.
Van Wrinkle, as he pulls down his shirt
cuffs and wipes some specks of dust from
his coat-sleeye; taking at the same time
a glance at his scarf in the mirror over
the chimney piece. Il am most anx-
ious to meet these people"
Before Mrs. Van Wrinkle can reply,
the door is thrown open and the buffers
lips move in the articulation of an an
nOuncement whose phonetic effect upon
the ears of his listeners is:
"'Assetan' SIS ASSET
"Ah.- murmurs Mr.. Van Wrinkle to
himself, as Mrs. Bassett and Dora march
maiestically into the room; ''the
Blennerhassets at last"
After mutual greetings of int nsest
British frigidity in the utterance of
''How dye dos" and the mechanism of
its hand-shakings, both sides doing
their best TO appear English to the
other party. Mrs. Van Wrinkle says:
1T is SO good of you to come and see
US"
Yes. we have been wondering why
you didn't call" Julia adds.
Mrs. Bassett and Dora exchange
glances.
''Of course il is some new English
custom for strangers to call first, Z"
thinks Mrs. Bassett; Il mustn't appear
to be ignorant of it How lucky we
camel"
"YesP' she says aloud; 'it's very good
Of you 10 say so, I'm sure. We should
have called before, but several things
prevented"
1--WE are SO anxious to see Oakden, +"
remarks Julia; Its such a fine place we
he"
''Well. yes; il isn't a bad sort of place, :"
replies Dora; I'VE should have prefer"
She stops short at glance from her
mother. prefaced by the usual sdmoni-
tory and premOnitOry "A-hemw
Il beg your pardOn?' demands Mr..
Van Wrinkle, bending forward in his
chair to listen, much to Dora's discom-
future, for she doesn't see her way out of
the faar pas she has all but made.
II don't know what it is" she says to
herself but it must be something
wrong. from mammals face"
Her mother comes to her rescue:
DO you mean to say you have never
/ been there% she asks; chow very odd"
| Mrs Van Wrinkle is vaguelv conscious