The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1892-05-27


bills were paid and cab engaged. and
at 3 o'clock Aunt Paulina saw her nieco
into it and sat down herself, and draw
ing sigh of relief folded her hands.
Ripley, Mrs. Dawson writes" she be-
gan cheerfully, lis liveliness itself. The
Cheevers are there, and the Longs. Henry
Cheever, you know, has just returned
from abroad-a very pleasantyoung man.
And that young Long must be twenty
six OF seven by this time. And there
will be others, OF course. am sure you
will be glad 1 thought of going. All
young girls have their foolish moments,
Marion, and you have had yours; and
you will be grateful"
The station was close at hand, and
Aunt Paulina's reassuring remarks were
Interrupted.
"The 3.10-is it on timer" she said to
the station agent, as she sat down in the
waiting room.
"The 3.09, do you mean, ma'am?" he
responded "It's just gone, ma'am, this
minute. The 8 so is the next, ma'am."
"Who told me it was .,3.10?" said
Aunt Paulina, sternly. But nobody had.
"Forty minutes! What an aggravationl
Sarah, get the tickets. p"
She settled into displeased silence
displeased and uneasy. Her brow was
furrowed, and her eyes roved toward the
door apprehensively. She was ill at
ease, quiet Marion reflected, for fear poor
John Gordon would put in an appearance.
John Gordon did not, but what was al.
most as bad, Mr.. Lamb did.
+ Mr.. Lamb, in very thin suit, but per-
spring still with the combined pressure
of heat and a hundred and eighty pounds
came putting in, bought ticket. and sat
down and famed himself with his hat
and newspaper.
"Ah, Mrs. Field and Miss Taylor!" he
exclaimed. "Whither away? Pm
bound for the city for half an hour. Hot
day, but I've something l can't neglect.
John Gordon promised to go with me.
Where is the rascal? Train in ten min
utes. Where is he, Miss Taylor? You
ought to know"
He came over and sat down beside
them, large, cheerful and smiling.
Aunt Paulina frowned, but she might
as well have smiled; Mr.. Lamb behaved
as though she had.
"You ought to know, young lady" he
insisted jollily. "Keeps you informed,
doesn't he? How do you like him. any.
how2 Nice fellow, eh?"
Mr.. Lamb ratified his paper, and looked
at his audience beamingly.
Fine is the word for him! One Of
the brightest young fellows I know.
Good company every time. John Gordon
is. Haven't you found him so?"
"Yes," murmured Marion, though
Amt Paulina looked like a thunder
cloud.
Jolly fellow, Gordon. And that isn't
all of him. He is clever-that is the
new word, amt it? Smart is what I
mean. First-class business man, but he
goes deeper. He's%hat you might call
literary. Unsuitable reader-up to every
thing. Even published an article once.
You know he ranched it for year, for
fun, and he wrote it up for the 'Artic
Monthly and it made rather sensa-
ton. Clever fellow |"
Aunt Paulina raised her lowering brow
with cough. Literary qualities had
always been admired in her family. Her
grandfather had been minister.
well, he ought to be, said Mr.. Lamb.
"He graduated at Yale and spent year
or two at Heidelberg afterward. Trav.
eled over Europe and took everything in.
You've noticed how well informed he is
on all sorts of things, Mrs. Field?"
"Um-m |" said Aunt Paulina, clearing
her throat.
"He's practical, though. He isn't all
for theories and notions. He means to
be a rich man yet, and he's in fair way
to be. It's one of the greatest glass and
china businesses in New England, and
the income Is pretty big. 1t was fine
business when his father died, but Cor
don has built itup wonderfully. He owns
good property in Boston, too. Well,
suppose Gordon is worth seventy y-five
thousand, anyhow"
"How much ?" asked Aunt Paulina.
about $4,000. The Gordons have
been a rich family since the flood,
reckon. Good old family, the Boston
Gordons. He's Higgins on his mothers
side. She was a Philadelphia Higgins.
Let's see-you're from Philadelphia, Mrs.
Field? ?"
"Yes, said Aunt Paulina, nervously.
She was, and knew the Higginses to
be blue -blooded and exclusive.
"Well, here I'm blowing about him like
house atire. But there's ample excuse
for it, Miss Taylor-excuse me; I'm a
rough old customer-but if things do
come out all right, accept my congratu-
lations. He's the finest fellow in the
country"
Silence for moment, which the rattle
of Mr.. Lambs paper-he was tanning
Aunt Paulina-alone disturbed.
There he is now!" said Mr.. Lamb, as
footsteps sounded outside. "Here you
are! Don't care a bit about going in
without me, do you? Well, it is hot.
Guess I'll have to let you off.
John Gordon bowed low to Aunt Paul.
ina, and smilingly to Marion, and sat
down beside her. He had red and white
cap, and red sash instead of the black
one, and he looked handsomer than ever.
But he looked alarmed and astonished.
"Where are you going?" he said to
Marion, auxiously.
"To Ripley, she answered, her eyes
downcast.
"Ripley!" cried Mr.. Lamb; "not for
good, hope, Mrs. Field? Why, typhoid
fever is raging there. There are six cases
already. It's lower land than here, you
know, and there's standing water outside
the village"