The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1891-08-13
HER COUNTRY COUSIN.

HER COUNTRY COUSIN.
How Nick Weybridge Got Out of
Bad Scrape.
You see, it all happened this way:
Nick Weybridge had been waiting at
the Grand Central depot for the arrival
of the western express, by which was
due his old chum. Reggie Bell. The
express arrived up to time, but with no
Reggie therein. At which collapse of
plans Nick, nightly wroth, strobe for
the street, with hands showed deep in
his trousers pockets and his chin stuck
out squarely in front of him like the
jaw of a surly bulldog, muttering
strong words about that Bell"
Whats that about BELIEF" fluted
forth a sudden sweet voice. Sulky
Nick looked up and beheld two big vel
vety brown eyes smiling into his-eyes
belonging to face that Greuze would
have loved to paint, with it's dainty
oval, its peach-bloom cheeks, and it's
hair whose silken 1T seemed to pos
sess a magical attraction for gadding
sunbeams. The owner Of the eyes and
voice was, to use the language of art,
a study in black and white; to speak
plainly, a young woman coquettishly
arrayed in widows semi mourning.
whats that about Belle? Don't
you blame ME, sir! Why, it's all your
own fault, you horrid, impatient boy!
Here you are, calmly strolling off into
the street instead of waiting where l
could find you, and you look as sulky
as bear with a sore head too!''
Nick's only answer to all this was
blank stare.
why, what's the matter?" she went
on. you don't seem to know your
own cousin?" Then, with charming
pout: I'm surely not grown so very
old and hideous, Mort, that you can't
recognize me!'
Here was evidently big blunder
Deceived by some resemblance in fea-
ture, and mislcd by the chance remark
about Bell which she had overheard
and which she took as an allusion to
herself this charming stranger had
mistaken Nick for some western cousin
she had come to meet. Now, if the
tempted one-for the girl was really
uncommonly pretty-had been
straight walking, sober-minded young
man with modicum of conscience he
would have flonted the temptation and
set the lady right with a polite bow
and explanation; she would have apol-
ogized-as if there were any need for
l. l..
Nick would have seen her face no more,
which would have been a great pity.
So he, who in nowise resembled the
Aforesaid strait-laced, sober-minded
Young man, having no conscience to
speak of, and being endued with fore
head of bronze and the tongue of the
old serpent, after the first shock DELHI
erately up and spake:
well, my dear" as calmly as if he
had known her from child, 81 waited
and waited. and not seeing you, con-
cluded you wasn't going to turn up
But I'm awful glad to see YOU" Which
was true. "As for your changing, why,
never saw you look SO pretty in all
my life" And this statement also was,
as Chadband has it, herewith indeed"
"You were very impatient though,
Mort-and stupid, too So there! But
I'll forgive you, dear. Where's your
luggage?'
''Oh, thatll be sent on after
"Well, come along then; the carriage
is waiting"
"Nhew!" whistlcd Nick, under his
breath. The carriage is waiting. eh?
This is a high-fyer and no mistake.
Wonder who the deuce she is-for that
matter who am 1, too? She's thor
oughbred, evidently; s'pose the dear
defunct was some bloated old bond
holder who married her for the sake of
her face. BY Jove! spanking turnout,
too. Shall back out here? May turn
out another case of 'vaulting AMBITION
etc. No; I'll hold on. She can't eat
me, in any case; could eat her. though
she's quite sweet enough. Well, my
rubicon is this carriage-step, and here
goes to cross it." and he followed the
widow into the victoria. wonder who
on earth I'm supposed to be, though?
Mort, she called me. Mort? Hum!
Stands for Mortimer Morton, and
Mortuus, too, for that matter Egad!
an omen. Perhaps I'll wish 1 were
dead when she finds out the lay of the
land"
well, Mort. and how is everybody
at home?' she began, as they swept up
Madison avenue.
"Oh, they're all right" answered the
imposter, with a vagueness perfectly
touching in it's infnitude.
81 should SO like to see the old place
again. I must try and get up there
next season. How long is it, Mort,
since was last there?"
No answer from the nonplussed one.
''All right. dear; / won't bother you
now, as / see you want to look at the
streets, you rustic old thing, your
"Ha! ha." sniggered Nick in his
sleeve. 81 am evidently n hayseed.
New York. I sec, is the promised land
to me. So be it, my newly-acquired
co.,"
And taking the hint the willy Nick
began to examine the brown-stone
fronts of the avenue with an interest
almost suspicious in its intensity. He
particularly delighted his innocent VIC
tim by the sublime righteousness with
which he inquired, as they caught
glimpse of Central park, what that
green place was. The delight she
took in tutoring his simplicity averted
awkward questions Besides, it was
infinitely diverting to an old rounder-
old in experience-like Nick. At last
the carriage stopped before handsome
brown-stone house.
Poor, dear Edwards sister is stop
ping with me, you know, but she's out
to-day, so.we shall he all to ourselves