The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1892-06-02

ooh, Clarap pleaded Lucy, GRIM
soning to the very roots of her hair.
The landlord looked puzzled, but
the old man himself folded
his newspaper, returned his spectacles
to their case, and rose slowly to his
feet.
"Certainly, MISS" said he; "cer-
tainly. If Pm intruding, I'll go to the
kitchen. There's always room for me
there. Eli, Mixlt?"
And he trudged with alacrity out of
the room, followed by mine host.
JPN afraid you've hurt his feelings,
Clara" said Lucy, piteously.
"Who cares for his feelings?" said
Miss Vervain, shifting at her scent
bottles. "Mine are much more to the
purpose. And l don't choose to asso-
ciate with every farmer in the Cats
kills"
"Clara, dear!"
"Well?"
eve are only bookkeeper's daugh-
ters ourselves"
Gas if that signified," said Miss Ver-
vain, scornfully. "We are going to our
aristocratic relations, aren't we %
"But perhaps they won't care to
keep u.s."
"That is neither here nor there"
said Miss Vervain, "but you never had
any proper pride, Lucy"
Little Lucy Vervain was still pom
dering, with puzzled brow over the
distinction between proper pride and
pride that was not proper, when the
landlords wife, a buxom dame in
madder-red calico and frilled white
apron, came to summon the guests to
dinner.
"We've only a roast fowl, with
bread sauce and little cranberry
Jelly" said Mrs. Mkt; "but it amt
often as folks stop here over a meal,
and hope, ladies, as youth kindly
pardon any shortcomings"
But Miss Vervain stopped short on
the very threshold of the dining room.
81 should prefer table to myself"
said she, haughtily.
"Ma'am !" said Mrs. Mkt.
"Dear Clara" pleaded Lucy, in an
agony of distress, as she saw the red
flush rise to the forehead of the old
man in snuff colored suit, who sat
at the head of the Widespread board.
II prefer dining with my sister,
only" insisted Miss Vervain, delight
ed with an opportunity of asserting
her exclusiveness. Greatly, 1 cannot
imagine how people can obtrude them
selves in this sort of way
The old man rose quietly.
"Do l understand, young woman,'
said he, "that you object to mep
"Yes, sir, l do object to you-if you
compel me to put it in that way" said
Miss Vervain.
Indeed!" The old man lifted his
grizzled brows. 81 may not be one
of your fashionable fops-"
That is easily to be seen," con-
temptuously interpolated the young
lady.
"But am clean and decent" added
the stranger "However, ! dare say
Mrs. Mkt can accommodate me with
a plate and knife and fork in another
room, if my presence is really OBJ
noxious to these young women"
s'Yonng ladies', sir, if you please
said Miss Vervain, with a toss of her
head.
He smiled shrewd, sagacious
smile.
GAS TO that" said he, "opinions
may perhaps differ" And he followed
Mrs. Mkt into the kitchen.
Clara Vervain took her seat COM
placently at the table.
"These people will begin after
awhile to comprehend the difference
between lady and a shop-girl," said
she. 'It is quite evident that they
are not favored with many travellers"
Half an hour afterward, as the old
man in the snuff -colored suit wa9 step
ping into his plain, little carriage, a
soft hand touched his sleeve, and
turning, he found himself looking
into Lucy Vervain's troubled brown
eyes.
"Well, my DEAR" said he, kindly,
"what is it?"
ell only wanted TO beg your