The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1890-08-24

$500 N e-A~ 9-N 4AAo ~ 10 . &A~t%OA " -
CHAPTER Il.
The walls OF tho dinning room had
been distempered particularly hideous
drab: the curtains were mustard yellow;
the carpet was dull brown; the mot
tied marble 1nantelpiece, for which Ella
had been intending to substitute one IN
walnut wood with tiles. still siaone in
slabs of petrifed brown; there Was a
huge mahogany sideboard, of kind she
had only seen III old fashioned hotels.
ssConnfoatable, eh:r remarked George;
sslots of wear in those curtainsf
Unhappily there was, as Ella WAS only
too well aware.
You did this room yourself too, then,
GEORGE" she managed to say. without
betraying herself by her voice.
Eyes, chose everything here. YoE
see, Ella, we shall only use this room fos
meals.
s.Only for meals, yes, she acquieseed
with i shudder; .sbut, George, surely
yon said mother had helped You with the
roomss;s
eWhat, your mother? No, Ella, her
notions are rather too grand for melt
was Jessie and Carrie meant. just
come and see what they've made Of my
dem
Ella followed; the window which had
commanded such cheerful outlook into
one Of the pretty gardens, with a pink
thorn, laburnHn tree or two, and some
sycanores, which still flourish fresh and
fair on Campden hill was obscured now
by some detestable continuance in tran
sparen5 paper initiating stained glass.
ss,That was the girls notion said
George, following the direction of her
eyes; they fixed it all themselves. 1t
was their present to me-pretty of them
to think Of it, wasn't it? call it an i'm
mense improvement, and you see it's
stuck on with some patent cement var
nish, 30 it can't rub Of You get the
effect better if you stand hero now see
how well the colors come ont in thesunF'
II only they would come outi-but
what could she do but stand and admire
hypoczitically2 Her eyes, in spite of her
self, seemed drawn to that bright hued
sham, interseeted by black lines intended
to represent leading; of the room itself
she only saw vaguely that it was not I'M
worthy of the window.
Nothing to what they've done with
the drawing rooml' said innocent George.
beaming. ''Come along, darling; you'll
scarcely know the place"
And Ella, reduced to a condition of
stony stupor, followed to the drawing
room. She did not know the place in
deed. It was a quantity shaped, irregu-
lar room, with French windows opening
upon the garden On one side and deep
bow window on another. When she had
last seen it the walls We're covered with
q paper 80 pleasing in tone and design
that she had almost decided to retain it.
The paper was gone, and in its place a
gaudy, se1ni-C Chinese pattern of unknown
birds, flying and perehing on sprawling
branches laden with impossible flowers.
And then the fElrniture-the elegant
drawing room suit, in brilliant plush
and shining satin; the cheap cabinets,
and the ready made black and gilt over
mantel, with its panels Of swans, haw-
thorn blossoms and landscapes sketchily
daubed ON dead gold--surely it had all
been transferred bodily from the stage
of some carelessly mounted farcical com
edyt
ELIAS Mortified gaze gradually took in
other features; the China monkeys swing
ing on cords, the porcelain parrots hang
ing in great brass rings, huge misshapen
terra Gotta Jars and pots, dead grass in
bloated drain pipes, tambourines berib-
boned and painted with kittens and
robins, enormous wooden sabots, gilded
Japanese fans, a woody white rug and a
bright Kidderminster carpet