The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1892-04-16
AT OLD POINT COMFORT.

AT OLD POINT COMFORT.
If there is one spot in the world
where people ought to be agreeable
it is at Old Point Comfort. In the
winter, of course. But if there is
one place where the angularities and
acidities of human natures are accen
tuated it is at this fashionable seaside
resort.
| This was the conclusion that Col.
Maxwell arrived at half an hour
after his name was added to the
list of the guests quartered al the
Hyeeia, which everybody knows
has an unrivaled repute, and-well,
an unrivaIed repute. The hotel is
large, roomy and comfortable, and
as thousands we'll know, is in perfect
harmony with the great, solemn
sounding sea as the best architec
tural achievements one encounters
the world over. An admirable con
trivance to swallow up the indiyid-
ualities and extra allowances of a
liberal rs ce of travellers.
The colonel had no sooner set
foot in his room than he wished he
had gone to Florida. Just outside
his door dog snarled at him. Dogs
were his aversion. If he had been
less considerate he would have
kicked the dog aside; instead he
exclaimed angrlly, "Get out of my
way" and passed into his room
At that instant a little child appeared
in the hall.
She looked at the colonel with
solemn big blue eyes-so solemn
that the colenel's firm mouth relaxed
as he glant ed at her. Then he
closed the door with a snap.
simultaneously door almost op
posite, and trifle ajar, was opened
wide, and a lady beckoned the child
in an imperious manner. The child
obeyed the silent mandate, was
drawn into the room and the door
of No. 40. closed with bang.
Half an hour later the door of No.
80 opened, ithe colonel emerged, and
as before dog-the same he en-
countered as he entered his room,
seemed to rise up out OF the floor in
his path. And again, as before, the
colonel exclaimed, angrily, Get out
of my way, you nuisance!' Upon
which the dog disappeared-dis,
solved into air, apparently, as the
colonel's attention was attracted to
the peculiar manner OF the child he
observed halt an hour earlier and
who now vainly endeavored to con
ceal her doll as she walked back
ward, recoillng from him shyly but
surely. Again, as before, the door
Of 40 opened the child darted into it
sidewise and the door closed xnh
significant snap.
The colonePs friends were in the
habit of saying that it was a great
pity, considering how much nature
had done for him in the way of
features, figure, complexion and
voice that he took SO little pains to
display his admirable qualities. How
much reason there was for this high
estim ,te | leave the reader to Judge.
When the colonel was seated at
the dinner table he found himself
opposite the child that had attracted
his attention in the hall. He was
passionately fond of children-a
man who tossed up, Caressed and
crowed over babies in secret. This
child's beauty was so rare that he
sat staring at her unwittingly, until
her manner recalled him to himself;
then he chided himself for discon
certlns her. He glanced at the
lady beside her-a brilliant brunette
Finely penciled eyebrows, sufficient
III themselves to stock beauty; a
neck that was a marvel, and the
head, how exquisitely modelled, how
fine the lines of that head
Meantime, the beauty flashed
glance at the colonel. 1t compre-
hended the entire outer man-she
measured the inner man two hours
earlier in the day. AS the colonel
intercepted the glance he actually
blushed, while the brunette appar-
| Glllt WdS ulldNdl tlldl SllC tthd HSl
charge we're not the soul occupants
of the table.
Odd, thought the colonel.
Two hours later Mrs. General
Ollapod beamed upon the brilliant
brunette as she met her with out
stretched hands.
My dear, | have a surprise for
you. My particular friend, Colonel
Maxwell, is here. Now don't put
me out by being Indifferent after the
times l have planned to bring you
together.
From which it may be inferred
that whatever military genius or
talent was in the Ollapod household,
Mrs. Ollapod did not share 1t. The
beauty smiled.
The discouragementS you have
encountered, Mrs. Ollapod almost