The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-08-13
HER COUNTRY COUSIN.
How Nick Weybridge Got Out Of
a Bad Scrape.

D1u SCfdJ6.
You see, it all happened this way:
Nick Weybria-e had been waiting 1T
the Grand Central depot for the arrival
of the western express. by which was
due his old chum. Reggie Dell. 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 squarcly in front of him like the
jaw of surly bulldog. muttering
strong words about that Bell.
What's that about BELIEF" t,uted
forth "A sudden sweet voice. Sulky
MEX looked up and beheld two big vel
vety brown eyes smiling into hi>-cyes
belonging to ii face that tireuze would
have loved to paint. with its dainty
oval, its peach-bloom checks. and its
hair whose silken net seemed to pos
se,s magical attraction for gadding
sunbeams. The owner of the eyes and
voice was, to use the lanruage of art.
a study in black and white: to speak
plainly. young woman coquettishiy
arrayed in a widows semi-mourning.
Whats that about Belize 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
could find yon, and you look as sullSy
as a bear with Il sore head. too
Nick's only answer to all this was a
blank stare.
why. what's the matter?' she went
on. You don't seem to know your
own cousin" Thea, with charming
pout: I'm surely not grown SO very
Old and hideou>, Mort. that YOU can't
recognize me-
Here was evidently a big blunder.
Deceived by some resemblance in fea-
ture. and misled 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 a
straight walking, sober-minded young
man with "A modicum of conscience he
would have flonted the temptation and
set the lady right with polite bow
and explanatio she would have apol-
ogizea-as if there We're any need for
apology--bowed. blushed and fled; and
Nick would have seen her face no more.
which would have been great pity.
So he. who in nowise resembled the
aforesaid strait-laccd. soberminded
young man. having no conscience to
speak of. and being enduea with a fore
bead of bronze and the tongue of the
old serpent, after the first shock delib-
erately mp and spake:
We'll. my dear" as calmly as if he
had known her from child. Il waited
and waited. and not seeing You, con-
cluiea 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
III forgive You, dear Where's your
luggagea'
..oh that'll be sent on after"
SWELL, come along then; the carriag.
is waiting
..Whew..' whistled Nick, under hi,
breath The carriage is waiting. ell.
This is high-flyer and no mistake
Wonder who the deuce she is-for tha
matter who am !. too? She's a thor
oughbrea, evidently: s'pose the dear
defunct' was some bloated old bond
holder who married her for the sake o
her face. by Jove. spanking turnout
too Shall back out here? May turn
out another ease of 'vaulting ambition,
etc. No: I'll hold on. She can't ca
me. in any case: could eat her. though
she's quite sweet enough. Well, IN,
rubicon is this carriage-step, and her.
goes to cross it." and he followed tn
widow into the victoria. wonder VIII
on earth I'm supposed to be, though
Mort, she called me. Mort? Hum
Stands for Mortimer. Morton, an,
Moraus, too, for that matter Egad
an omen. Perhaps I'll wish l wer
dead when she finds out the lay of tn
land"
well, Mort. and how is everybod
ut home?" she began, as they swept II
Madison avenue.
"Oh. they're all right" answered tn
imposter, with vagueness perfect
touching in it's intinitude.
Il should SO like to see the old plac
again. l must try and get up ther
next season. How long is it, Mort
since / was last there?'
No answer from the nonplussed ont
''All right. dear; won't bother yo
now, as see you want to look at tn
streets, you rustic old thing, you"
''Ha! ha!" staggered Nick in HI
sleeve. II am evidently hayseee
New York, see, is the promised Ian
to me. So be it, my newly-acquire
coz"
And taking the hint the willy Mic