The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1891-06-27
PHILIP BROWN.

NY name is Brown-Philip Brown.
My fathers name Is Joel: my mother
rejoices in the old fashioned cognomcn
of Hannah.
Last summer friend OF mine, en-
thusiastic and just out OF college, went
to Laneville, TO rusticate and visit n
bachelor uncle. He came home in
raptures with Laneville and more par
ticularly in raptures with one Bessie
Blake a resident OF that fortunate
town.
My mother being OF an inquiring dis
position, questioned young Gurley in
regard to this particular Bessie. and
learned that she was the daughter OF
Moses Blake, and Moses Blnke's wife
was third cousin to my mothers
uncle's wife's brother-in-law. So we
were quite closely related. My mother
had once known Mrs. Blake, and Moses
was man OF wealth. Bessie was his
only daughter.
Here was an opening!
My mother ought to have been a
president or prime minister, she was
such a sharp one at planning. and be-
fore many years she had decided that
was out OF health and needed country
air. She wrote an affectionate letter
to Mrs Blake stating the affecting
circumstances, dwelling on her anxiety
for her only son, and asking that early
friend II she would not receive the In
valid into her family for few weeks.
In due time n letter arrived saying
II - L. A. \
cile OF the Blakes.
..Deary mel" said my mother, ad.
justing her spectacles to get a more
accurate view, lit seems to me that
Betsy Ann Blake has neglected her
spelling dreadfully. Why, scarcely a
single word is correctly spelled, and
Betsy Ann used to be good scholar"
1t was decided on the spot that
should go to Laneville and recuperate.
My wardrobe was soon put in order.
and l set forth for the home OF Bessie
Blake.
"Be very careful, Philip" said my
mother, at parting, 'and keep on the
right side of old Mr.. Blake. He's an
old stick, II / remember, and can't
bear to be crossed. And recollect, my
son, that he is worth fifty thousand.
and Bessie is all he's got"
Perhaps you were never in Lane
villeP II not, then of course you do
not know that all the houses are as
much alike rs the peas in bushel bag
full of peas, and the man who could
tell one from another would be a
genius.
The village Is surrounded by brick
yards, and the Lanevillites believe in
encouraging home industry, SO all the
houses are brick. There is patent
roofing factory in tho place; and so,
for the same reason cited above, all
the houses are patent-roofed. Green
window shades are manufactured here,
and OF course all the shades are green.
II was nearly dark when / arrived
ut Laneville, and it rained. 1t always
does when anybody goes anywhere
inquired for Mr.. Blake's, and boy
agreed to pilot me thither for ten
cents. How the little wretch man
aged to single out this house from all
the other houses just like it / do not
know; but seeing the name Blake" in
large letters on the door-plate, / gave
him his hard-earned pittance and rang
the bell.
They were delighted to see me, had
been expecting me for month, old
Blake said, and remembering that he
did not like to be crossed, / refrained
from contradicting him, though knew
well enough that my mother had writ
ten them only fortnight before.
was shown into the parlor and the
presence Of Bessie.
This is my daughter" said old
Blake, indifferently enough, as IL such
angels as Bessie Blake were too COM
mon with him to merit much notice.
And felt that il my pantaloons were
not new, and / was sure the carpet
had been swept that day, it would be
happiness to kneel down by her feet
nd-and-well, / didn't exactly know
what.
Mrs. Blake was q fat old lady, and
she was knitting a. gray stocking.
Sweet domestic employment.
/ shook hands all round, and sat
down on the sofa beside Bessie. The
ursb opportunity BO1 5quccZcu ueT
hand, and received an enchanting smile
by way Of encouragement.
Mr.. Blake got out his spectacles,
wiped them, and put them a-straddle
CT his nose. Then he Strengthened back
IN his chair, and took a good look at
me.
"Hum!" said he. 'Tolerable tall
and well built! Six ieet amt YEP"
/ assented, knowing that he did not
like to be crossed, but / am only five
feet SIX"
II used to be six feet two myself"
said he, that was when ] was young.
A hefty man, too. Takes after his
father-eh, Marthap" nodding to his
wife. ..All that tribe was tall. Got a
nose like his grandfather's-no, let me
see; it's more like his grand-mother's.
There's good deal in noses-eh,
Marthap"
Yes" said Martha, absently, count
ing her stitches, especially when a
body has cold"
! noticed that the old gentleman
made mistake in calling his wife
Martha, when her name was Betsy
"a 4. y