Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-04-11

he was growing hotter and hotter every
second, inwardly cursing his whole race
and wishing that his father had been a
foundling when there came another tap
at the door,
"Why, that must be poor old So
phyr' said his amt. Fred, you remem.
Der old Sophy-no, you can't, you were
only a baby when she came to live with
us-but she'll remember you. She beg
ged SO hard to be taken, and so we told
her she might come ON here slowly after
us
And then an old person III black
bonnet came feebly in and was consider
ably affected when she saw Flushington.
To think, she quavered, ''to think as
my dim old eyes should see the child
I've nurscd on l-ly lap growcd out into
college gontlomanv' And she hugged
Flushington and wept ON his shoulder
till he was almost cataleptic with con-
fusion
But as she grew calmer she became
: more critical. She confessed to a GER
tain feeling of disappointment with
Flushington. He had not filled out, she
said, $50 fine as he'd promised to fill
out. And when she asked if he recol
lected how he wouldn't be washed un-
less they put his little wooden horse on
the washstand, and what a business it
was to make him swallow his castor oil
it made Flushington feel like fool.
This was quite bad enough, but at
last the girls began to go round his
rooms, exclaiming at everything, admir-
ing his pipe and umbrella racks, his
buffalo horns and his quaint wooden
kettle holder until they happened to
come upon his French novel, and being
unsophisticated colonial girls with a
healthy ignorance of such literature
they wanted Flushington to tell them
what it was all about
His presence Of mind had gone long
before, and this demand threw him into
violent perspiration. He could not in
vent, and he was plainly racking his
brains to find some portion of the tale
which would bear repetition when there
was another knock at the door.
At this Flushington was perfectly
dumb with horror. Heprepared himself
blankly for another aunt with a fresh
relay of female cousins or more old fam
lily servants who had washed him in his
infancy, and he sat there covering.
But when the door opened tall, fair
haired, good looking young fellow, who
from his costume had evidently just
come up from the tennis court, came
bursting i'll ilnpulsively.
"Oh, 1 say" he began, 'have you
heard-have you seen? Oh, beg pardon,
didn't see, you know!'' he added as he
noticed the extraordinary fact that
Flushington had people up
''Oh, let me introduce you," said
Flushington, with vague idea that
this was the proper thing to do. ''Mr.
Lushington, Mrs. no, 1 don't know her
name-my aunt-my cousins.
The young man, who had just been
about to retire, bowed and stared with
sudden surprise ''Do you know" he
said slowly to the other, 81 rather think
that's my auntl'
'I-I'm afraid not" whispered
Flushington. "She seems quite sure
she's mine.
''Well, I've got an aunt and cousins
I've never seen before coming up to-
day." said the newcomer, land yours is
uncommonly like the portrait of mine %
eff they belong to you, do take them
awayp' said Flushington feebly. 81
don't think I can keep up much longer" "
''What are you whispering about,
Fred?" cried the aunt. SIS it something
we are not to know?''
''He says he thinks there's been
mistake, and you're not my aunt, ex-
planned Flushington.
ooh, does he?" she said, drawing her.
self up Indignantly. "And what does he
know about it didn't catch his name
who is he?'
Erred Lushington, he said; ''that's
my name" :"
''And who are you if he's Fred Lush
ington?' she inquired, turning upon the
unfortunate owner of the rooms.
'I'm Frederick Flushington," he
stammered. "I'm sorry, but I cam help
it!'
"Then you're not my nephew at all,
STRIP cried the aunt.
"Thank you very much" said Flush
ington gratefully.
"You see" her real nephew was ex-
planning to her, "there isn't much light
On the staircase, and you must have
thought his name over the door was f.
Lushington, so in you went, you know!
The porter told me you'd been asking
for me, so looked in here to see wheth-
er anything had been heard of you, and
here you are. -
''But why didn't he tell me?' she
said, for she was naturally annoyed to
find that she had been pouring out her
pent up affection over a perfect stran-
ger, and.she even had dim idea that she
had put herself in rather ridiculous
position, which of course made her feel
very angry with Flushington. "Why
couldn't he explain before matters had
gone so far?'
''How was to know?" pleaded Flush
ington 81 dare say have aunts in
Australia, and you said you were one Of
them. thought very likely you knew
best. -
''But you asked after Uncle Samuel?''
she said aceusingly. "You must have
had some object-I cannot say what
in encouraging my mistake. Oh, I'm
sure of itp'
"You told me to ask after him, and
did, said the unhappy Flushington. Il
thought it was all right What else was
to do?''
The cousins were whispering and
laughing together all this time and re-
garding their new cousin with shy ad
miration, very different from the man.
ner i'll which they had looked at poor
Flushington, and the old nurse, too,
was overjoyed at the exchange and de-
clared that she felt sure from the first
that her master Frederick had not turned
out so undersized as him, meaning
Flushington.
eyes, yes" said Lushington hastily,
"quite mistake ON both Sides Quite
sure Flushington isn't the man to go
and intercept any fellows aunt. %
''I wouldn't have done it for worlds
if I had knownp' he protested very sin
cerely.
"Well," she said little Modified,
''I'm very sorry we've all disturbed you
like this, Mr-Mr. Flushington'
IL Il. ,,<@k