Middletown transcript., 1892-05-19

the ladies scattered to their respective
rooms, where they made most elabor-
ate toilets, and where very late to tea
10 consequence.
Twenty -four hours later, every lady
in the house had been presented to
Mr.. P. d. G. Howard, and each and
all were delighted with him. His
condescension and affability aroused
gratitude beyond words to express, his
good nature awakened their deepest
veneration, and his adaptability and
ease of manner stirred their wonder
and enthusiasm. What the nephew
of an English viscount could put up
with all the discomforts of an Ameri-
can summer hotel? A noble foreign
er could SO quickly and simply make
himself at home in democratic land
and amid only republican surround
ings? The ladies were yearning to
fall upon their knees before him, to
swing incense in his face, and to burn
the costliest wax candles to him, as
some slight proof of and alleviation to
their feelings. "Such benignity, such
unaffectedness, such simplicity, in a
noblemaa r. .ecstatically exclaimed
little Mrs. Lyons, who always idress-
ed Mr.. Plantagenet Delaware Caven :
dish Howard as "MY Lord" "He
has been here just three days, and
you would think he had known US all
his life." And then she drew herself
up short, and blushed like girl, as
the subject of her praise. appeared
around the corner of the piazza.
Miss Avis Lyons was by his side, and
he was petting and admiring one of
her hands.
"Just look at that hand he cried,
as they neared the ladies; !" just look
at it, now" And he held it up on
the palm of his own. "Ah, that hand
is worth fortune, Miss Avis"
"Dear, dear! does your lordshlp
really think SO ?" exclaimed Mrs.
Lyons, in futter, while Avis smiled
adorlngly into the young Englishman's
face, and Miss Standish made her own
handsome hands as jealously conspic-
uous as possible.
"She's pretty little thing all over, /"
went on Mr.. P. D. G. Howard un-
prejudicedly and paternally; but
her hands are exquisite"
Miss Standish could control herself
no longer. 81 think Mrs. Dashaway's
hands are more beautiful than any l
have ever seen" she remarked dis
tinctly. her own hands we'll to the
fore all the while.
"Eh ?-oh, Miss-er-Miss Hobbs,
you spoke. did you Fl hope you
are we'll this morning $50 glad l-no,
don't !-oh. l thought you were going
to say. SO glad you're glad you
now!-Charming morning, isn't it?
Afternoon ?-yes, thank you for the
informaticn-er-Miss-Miss Dobbs." !"
"Here, Snap, Snap, come here, come
here |" cried Miss Avis, looking about
in apparent perturbation for an in
visible dog.
At which Mr.. Howard remarked,
with a paternal smile, There's my
dear little Miss Avis calling me. Ia
tap And, turning his back upon
the group, ne and Miss Avis went off
arm in-arm, to the great envy Of the
assembled ladies.
This was state of things impossible
to be borne by Miss Standish, and ten
minutes had not elapsed before she
found it necessary to visit the oppo-
site side of the piazza to see what the
western sky promised for the morrow,
and then the remaining ladies had to
depart in search of Miss Standish,
until Mr.. P. D. G. Howard found him.
self surrounded by nine young ladies,
all eagerly leaning toward him to
catch and treasure every word that
fell from his lips, reminding one of a
sultan in the midst of his harem.
Now, this magnificent Englishman
could do anything.-or he thought he
could; he could sing popular song,
so he called himself musical he
could draw tolerably pretty face
and had seen book on pottery, SO he
called himself artistic; he could find
rhymes for a couple of four.lined
verses and had read about as little as
most young men, so he fancied him
self literary and poet; but this after
noon he felt disposed for none of these
things. In vain the ladies besoueht
and implored, only one song; just
one pretty face; a solitary verse ,
we'll, then, light criticism on
Arnold's " Light of ASIA" or the
names of three or four books for them
to read. Mr.. Howard was coy he
was hoarse, and couldn't sing he
was nervous, and his hand shook so
he couldn't draw his head ached, and
he really mustn't tire his brain.
Among his many accomplishments
Mr.. P. D. C. Howard reckoned that
of being wit and an expert at practi-
cal joLes, and on practical jokes his
mind was set that summer afternoon.