Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1890-05-10
have called Before, but so,eral things

remarks Julia; 'ft's such fine place wo
he"
"Woll, yes; 1t isn't bad sort OF place."
replies Dora; 1--WE should have prefer"
She stops short at a glance from her
mother, prefaced by the usual admoni-
tory and premonitory "A-hem"
az beg your pardon?" demands Mr..
Van Wrinkle, bending forward in his
chair to listen, much to Doras discom-
fiture, for she doesn't see her way out of
the fdWp pas she has all but made
~ 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 Winkle is vaguely conscious
that Julia's remark was an inopportune
one, and favors her daughter with a
glance in accord with her feelings in
consequence.
Least said, soonest mended," Is her
mental conclusion, and do you think
SOP" is all she says
"Why, certainly" begins Mrs. Bassett,
and then suddenly recollecting herself,
not without the aid of Dora's elevated
eyebrows, turns very red and coughs,
Mr.. Van Wrinkle takes the remark as
an intentional bit OF quizzing. He IS
angry at what he is pleased to consider
an affront, and vexed that his national
incognito should have been so unsuccess-
fully maintained.
sit couldn't be any thing Zee said"
he says, comfortingly, to himself I've
said nothing but How dye do?' and 4
beg your pardon since they came in.
Any Englshman might say as much
Perhaps" he ruminates further, ''she's
picked it up on the continent some-
where from some Americans she has
been thrown with, and feels ashamed
of herself for using the expression to
us. / shall take that view of it, at all
events
Meanwhile Dora endeavors to help
her mother out. A silence has ensued
which is painful to all parties, and in
nervous anxiety to break it, she says
the first thing which comes into her
head:
81 don't believe you would think
much of OalSden. In my opinion there
are dozens of old manor houses on the
Hudson much prettier."
''There again!" exclaims Mr.. Van
Wrinkle; lit must be intentional this
time. One can't resent it in ones own
house except by snub, and there is no
greater snub than ignoring remark
and changing the subject, no matter
how apropos of nothing the introduction
of the new topic may be. Bye theoye,"
he says, aloud, ''how is Sir Roderick?"
"Sir Roderick?" asks Mrs. Bassett,
hazily; ''do you mean"
"Sir Roderick. 1 trust he is quite
well?"
"Ye-es, believe so. 1 don't know"
answers Mrs. Bassett.
''Then he's away from home?" says
Mr.. Van Wrinkle, in a painfully disap-
pointed voice.
"Oh, yes; he's away from home" re-
plies Mrs. Bassett laughing. How
fond the English are of chatting" she
says to herself; II must enter into it,"
What the dickens can there be to
laugh at?" thinks Mr.. Van Winkle; lit
is the one great fault-the only fault,
indeed-I notice in English people.
They turn every thing into subject
for their levity."
"Are you going up to the drawing
room?" asks Mrs. Van Wrinkle, anxious
to say something and forgetful that
there are no court functions in the win
ter. In the correction of her mistake
by the others, the conversation assumes
q congenial tone and flows on without
check or hitch until tea is brought in.
pray stay and have tea," says Mrs.
Van Wrinkle, as Mrs. Bassett and Dora
rise to go.
Thanks, awfully," answers mother
and da lighter in breath, and sit down
again.
"Five o'clock tea is such charming
CUSTOM" observes Dora, taking her cup
from Mr.. Van Wrinkle and helping her.
self to the cream and sugar he hands
her. ''We are awfully fond of it,"
$50 are we," Julia says; Il think it
makes such a delightful event, es-
pecially when the days are short and
there is nothing else to do"
SIT has become quite custom in
America" goes on Dora.
This is more than accident" men,
tally exclaims Mr.. Van Winkle: 'it
is the third time. They must know, or
suspect at all events, and are trying to
catch u.s."
Neither Mrs. Van Wrinkle nor Julia
speaks. 1t is one of those occasions
with them when silence is golden.
Eyes, indeed" continues Dora, who,
conscious of an ominous "A-hem," does
not dare to look at the frown which she
knows is puckering her mothers face;
81 can remember the time when you
| never"
"Dora, my dear. we must be going"
and Mrs. Bassett stands up abruptly.
$50 sorry you have to 60" smiles
Mrs. Van Winkle; sit is so very good of
you to have come to see u.s." ("What
charming manners the English aris
tocracy have" thinks Mrs. Bassett.) 81
hope we shall see good deal of each
other"
Thanks awfully," thus Dora and her
mother; goodbye"
II can't say that care very much for
| them," Mr.. Van Wrinkle saws after thew