New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-14
A PIECE OF NONSENSE.
CHAPTER |.

Mr. Lawford' Why can't | write letters ike
other people? Papa always gets cross If they
are moi worled exactly as he wants. and one per-
sons mind cannot b. put INTO another :. 1oi
know what l mean. Bah? And he's sure to ASK
before he comes in-he never likes TO waste u
stamp. Dear Mr. Lawford.' Bah, help me
why, at the age OF twenty-one. YOU are unable
TO write dinner-inVlta tdon or TO put TWO WoIus
together on paper. Is more than can leI' re-
Piled the appealed-to Bah. unsympatheticaly.
Really, Eva I'm almost ashamed OF YOU thousn
tHey always said your cssays-that one on Nd
poeon in Exile, for instance-were most oeauu-
fully expressed. . es. -
That's all very well. l could write fifty es-
SAYS and letters too most splendidly. as long as
they weren't-the letters. l mean-to real people
and 1 think I'm shy in writing letters: 800, 90
Papa has evidently determined TO cure yon OF
Your interesting malady. poor dear lie ,, SNyS
mustard-you remember. Eva? How | couldn
swallow it, and he found out and made me ana
then l pretended Ia got to like IT, and ne le1i
off say you enjoy writing letters ABOVE an
things. that your chief delight is. especially 10
pen elegantly wordcd dlnncr-inNltauohs ana 'Hoh
you will have some peace ~ ,1n
Bah. you shouldn't" demonstrated the elder
sister. Papa only means to t9-m,ia pah
Educate our tastes. | know. replied haD
Rut you'd better get on auck-you'vc only this
one lett! 1t isn't stif initiation. You know
IN one I can COPY off all the rest" said Eva.
"But papa said write cordially and tell MI
Lawford that | am much indebted for his KING n4
ness in forwarding the second volume oil, t Hm,
Bah! how can l say all that as well as ask nun
\" No difHcultv that I can see in your writing
cordially 10 Mr. Lawford You feel SO eXcef-
siyeIv cordial toward him. my dear. ny. alter
meeting him twice. or at most three times. So.
informed me that that was the sort OF ih"n--
Be quilt Bah. I'll never coniide IN you a@aiu;i
never! Oh dear it's nearly luncheon-tline' anu
papa will be in almost immediately. he may nave
come already. Help me- Bah; III write anything
Very we'll. agreed her sister IN u dlcta'e
TO you Are you ready? Dear Mr.. LawI ore -
how tired | am of the mans name My i'Oil'i
wishes me TO thank YOU for sending him me sec,
opd volume of Trent's new translation Whch ne
promises to return in q day or two. lie also WSuIu
be very glad If you could dine mere on iueS ,aS
the p ST. at o'clock he would like you 10 meet
my aunt. Mrs Clar who is coming u up 10 T r1~i'
for day two: There now sha'li d0 A"eH
Many thanks. but know my own name
Rut Bah. do you think that's the way papa
meant me to writeP Longer he sa Mad nj" G aH
Inc an envelope. What's the mans address
You know that. as when we passed 1t yestcf,
day you said. That's where AR. LawaoIG dre'
Bah don't Quick. there's papa Nhere a
stamp? Too late! ,. -.
\ heavy tread was heard on the landing QUE
eide o. Eva Falconer hurriedy wrote the aduic''
~ the note which had been the subject OF so nilc
consideration and many sighs. OF distress, Dul
the footsteps passed the room IN Tlcn te c fMe
"O HIt,s q" mana. and he's cross. You heard the
door," exclaimed Eva Thank soou 5 Sore u" v
letters are all done Now, Bah. ana mere q
snarI;Ie OF mischief lighted up Eva's face. II
Mr. Lawford was the subject of an essay. or II
the World really nice S,lalehtlIr"aiu Ni'd
Of Mace where every could say right OUT WIat
they lelt-ob dear. then. Bah my letter to nm
would be very different production from 'hat
stted one there! ,.1o, on1,,
said YOU felt cordial toward him Well what
would you have 20 say, supposlYng the "oflu ""'
"A nice straightforward place
But Eva was STOPPING i'll absorption over hcr
davenport and did not answer Bah inquiry. liet
pen this time was that Of a ready writer AS IL
flew over the paper the color IuSntI 10 t peI
and she bent her head down TO hide the laughter
that came ripping her usually thoughtiul
face In a moment two. she signed her name
with flourish. and handed the sheet 10 hsr s,,i
and learn them But if YOU remind me III
any way of what I've written. Bah Hill put an
end TO you somehow
Rabs face as she glanced al the paper in her
hand, expressed complete bewiIderment; Altef !"
moment or two. She broke into a peal OF iaugnier,
in which her sister. unaple 10 Keep up ulc ho'on
OF profound gravity. joined her. -, a,;.,..1..
Eva. Eva" said Bao wnen she had slightly ny
link Of YOU writing this No; don't take it; let
me read il! See how it sounds. Oh if you sent
il. Think if papa saw 1t! -,
ne nah ebe said tear it up quick shouldn't
have written it. Perhaps it wasn't nice Of me.
Rab though il only a Joke. Tear II up qulck,
ar rive il to me.
Fab handed the letter to her sister, aud at that
moment a gong sounded. Eva slipped 1t into her
blotting book. g., o all,
be yeyed il we're not down. Where's the real
letter TO Mr.. Lawford On where uid l put i. 4:
Heres the envelope Where has that letter gone
oh I've got IT," and hurriedly loldihg Ihe eheeV VI
note-paper. she slipped 1t IN. ~,
There all those can go TO the post now; How
MANY have written? Nine with sigh of re-
they seated themselves at the luncheon table
Mr. Falconer already in his place. iooAeo up III
p"s'fFii Five minutes late You will 9blge me, Eva
and you also barbara ~ WhT yon cannot be
down at the time passes my comprehension
dctest unpunctuallty ,., LII,
., ,he good things before him, ana a Few minute!
Used in silence Soon, however. he again IiteC
b;s head This time his attention was attracted
hr his Younger daughter, who, win SUPER
~ .nll,!! scramble expression, was emptying hal
the contents of the mustard pot on to her plate
Barbara" exclaimed her father
papa p" said Barbara
.Of all the unladylilic habits yon indulge in
your tricks at table are the worst Let me ne
see you give way againI,,nhoei n'S i0O' 90 '''''
YER we'll. papa" came mccIly from the of
fender Il only fanced that il was part OF i
iadys training u, %,s eat n w,e before her. Thcs
last words in almost mperceptible mmlcGy oil ne
fathers pompous tone and manner -,
AZ EaIconer felt there was something he dldn
quite approve of in this speech. and seemed TO D
cndeavoring TO find out the cause OF the Ohcnce
when Eva interposed. . u,,..
Papa dear she said in her soft voice, Iv
written all those notes and gave them TO Jane
TO post some time this afternoon.
Eva" came from Bah. before Mr. Faconer ha'
q time TO answer Eva loves writing letters so
IL is quite pleasure TO any one so thoroughly
enjoying themselves 1880,
Again Mr. Falconer looked vaguely dspeased
and again failed 10 discover what in Bab's speecl
had irritated him.
You wrote TO Flint about the carpets sup
ncscp And you invited your aunt 10 dine her