Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-12-25


greatest difficulty have is to keep my
countenance, particularly when l hand
anything to Miss Linton. She is so
bright-looking, and it is such fun TO see
the sparkle In her eyes and the way
they drop II they meet mine, and little
repressed smile steal over her lips, that
1t taxes my powers to the utmost to
keep from laughing. I feel that should
very much like to change places with the
young fellow sitting by her side. DE
does not seem to have very much 20 say
for himself, and he examines every d!sh,
as 1t is handed to him, through an eye
glass. His inspection is so long, and his
nose Is so close, that l have growing
inclination each time to bob the dish up
in his face. For more than half the
dinner he is silent, then he talks little
poitics-staunch ConServatism-an
Miss Linton Immediately enunciates the
strongest Radical principals, upholds
woman's suffrage and their having seats
in Parliament. This seems to over
whelm him, and he retires from the
contest with sigh.
Later on be tries again, when the
mince pies are being handed round.
"Will you have a happy month";" he
asks, with faint smile, which disturoS
his eye-glass and brings it down into
his lap. He readjusts IL slowly, and,
not trusting himself to repeat the joke,
asks her to have some mince pie.
''No, thank you; never eat them"
she replies.
Have you never tasted them?" ne
says, frowning as il he were a barrister
cross-examining a witness, but probably
because his glass gives premonitory
slip.
'Oh, yes; have tasted them, but
don't care about them" she answers.
He has no comment to make upon her
reply, and he helps himself In silence.
Crumms and l solemnly put on the
wine and the glasses, push the desert
dishes little one way or the other ana
leave the room.
"Bravom whispers Crumms when we
are in the hall. "Bravo, sir! With
little teaching you'd make capital
waiter. And Miss Linton mlstaklng
you for gentleman, too. What Joke!
At least" he adds, as If he feels that he
has made rather mistake himself, "ol
course, that is what you are, and gent
is always gent, l say. But you under
stand, sir, it was so ludicrous.
Perfectly. l understand, Crumms.
What are you going to do now?
"Well, sir" he says, coming little
nearer, II generally have something In
the housekeeper's room. Maybe you
wouldn't like that, though, we should De
quite alone"
Ash want something to eat, and am
not particular where l get 1t, follow
them down stairs into the kitchen. Inc
servants there are busy washing up the
plates and dishes, amid q general
smell of dinner and hot water, which Is
far from pleasant. The housekeeper at
once takes US into her room, where
there is cloth spread upon table, ana
a row of the good things from upstairs
on kind of dresser.
"You are sure yon don't mind, sir,
says Crumms to me, when we are alone,
'.Oecause I'll wait till you are done II
you like. l am not hungry"
But l am, and shall not begin TILL
YOU do" answered, and we sit down
together. The soup Is cold and fast be-
coming jelly; the fish looks mangled
and unsavory-so / decline soup ana
fish. l find that the having little
something in the kitchen, after dinner
is over upstairs, requires training De-
fore it becomes really enjoyable.
Crumms evidently has had the
full amount Of training that Is
necessary. For q man who processes
not to be hungry, and who has had
good dinner few hours before, he dis
plays a capahility for eating that is
truly wonderful. prefer the dishes
that have not been touched upstairs;
be, on the contrary, is on equally good
terms with all OF them. However, get
quite enough TO satisfy me, and there
is novelty IN eating ones Christmas
dinner with waiter in a back kitchen.
The wine certainly is the best part.
Crumms has taken care there shall be
plenty of that, and makes most liberal
host with Mr.. Domyille's port and
sherry.
Seuen o'clock.-Crumms says he must
take the coffee up to the gentlemen, and
leaves the room. No sooner is he gone
than one of the servants comes in, APP
parently searching for something.
Whatever it is, she does not find 1t. She
hunts about vaguely for a minute, and
then stops opposite to me.
$50 Miss Linton took you for gen
tleman," she says with a laugh. "How
NIGEL"
"Miss Linton made an unfortunate
mistake" answer gravely, initiating
Crumms's manner.
"Well, don't know about that" she
replies. "There is certainly an excuse
for her doing So"
This strikes me as being very open
lattery, but under the circumstances 1t
loses its point; moreover, the speaker Is
rather warm from standing over her tub
of hot water, and very plain into the
bargain. AS l don't answer, she tries
another subject.
"You are out of situation at pres
ent, amt you?"
/ nod.
"Where were your" she asks.
SIN the country"
..Notts?" she Save. knowing Crumms
came from that part. "And so now
you've come to London"
At this moment Crumms shuts the
dininQ-room door, and the girl, without
looking further for whatever it was she
had pretended TO come into fetch, I'M
mediately makes rapid retreat.
"Been pumping you, sir?' says
Crumms, jerking with his thumb In the
direction OF the kitchen.
"Trying to-" answer.
II knew they would" he replies.
.sThey are awful curious about you,
them women. wouldn't stop here too
long now. There amt anything more
for you to do, and | can say you've got
an annointment TO keep, you know"