Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-12-07
LARRYS OLD FOSSIL.

There was so much talk ABOUT
Professor Chesney before be ar
rived, that Larry declared Ter
self sick of the subject.
Larry was the only one of the
family who had not met him, and
with her usual peIverSity, made
up her mud not to like him. He
was learned IN mathematics, which
ouly scored against him in her
eyes.
"'Tle calculating power alone
should seem to be the least human
of qualitleS,'" she qnOted, her
small nose in the air. "Tlere is
something wrong about a man
whom everybody like; My pro
phetic soul tells me l shall not take
to him, at least"
The Wednesday the professor
was expected Larry went for
long walk; she met Ned ErSkin
and Harry Winthrop, two young
artists with whom she was good
friends, and enjoyed herself very
much, getting IN barely IN time to
dress for diHuer.
TheJ were all assembled round
the table when she slipped into
Der place and there was a reproof
IN her mothers voice, as she said
"my third daughter, Lirinda,
Professor CheSney.'
Ii there was anything that her
third daughter hated, It was being
addressed by her baptismal name.
With a pOut of her red under llp
She bowed hastily, and it was not
until sue had disposed of her soap
that she looked at her opposite
neighb0r.
A tall, thin map, with brown
hair and short brown beard and
mus;ache thickly streaked with
gray, a large. dOme-like forehead,
and near sighted gray Eyes that
looked kindly at her through his
spectacles,
He was a little surprised at the
hostile expression in the brilliant
brown eyes, which surprise deep
ened into astoniehment when, IN
answer to lOwVOiced remarked
from Jim, the young lady replied,
also in a low tone, bnt so distinctly
that he heard every word, 81 think
he is an old FOSSIL"
notwithstanding this, several
times during the meal his eyes
strayed to the white rObed figure
the bent, shining brown healed,
aud once, in the midst of remark
from Augusta, he turned quickly
to listen to a peal of merry laugh
ter from Larry.
Several Of her friends came in
during the evening, and she devO.
ted herself to their entertain ne1t,
completely ignoring the professor
W hen she had kept up this behav
ior for nearly a week, 1t attracted
the attention of her family as vel
as that Of the visitor; ands wher
gentle hints were scOrned, Larry
was severely reprimanded.
"You are positively unladyllkt?
said Mrs. AustiO; "Ind Insist ODi
at least, civillty. He must think
you an ill.maunered Child
81 dare say l do seem a child Il
his advanced years." sauclly an
swered Larry.
"You are exceedingly lyimperiinent
answered Mrs, Austin, who wa'
now very angry. 81 insist to youl
oeing polite to Professor Chesney
and doing your share toward en-
tertalnlug him, or | shall certain
of you to your father. Leave th'
room. miss"
A little ashamed and wholly
angry, Larry whisked out OF tue
room, almost iEfO the professor
arms, with such force as to rather
stagger him.
With a hasty "Excuse me-" sht
sped along the corridor aud up tb'
stairs, while the "estimable gentle
man" stood and looked after her.
HAn old fOssllp he murmured
: 80 .l.t.. IL
beard.
Shortly alter this, to the snr
prise of all Larry suddenly change'
her tactics. and at diuner one day
addressed the professor. He an
swered coorteously, and very read
lily joined in an argument betwee1
herself and jim. Her remark
we're bright and amusing, if some
what crude, and the brown eye