The Press., 1894-08-02
THOMAS ELLIOTT'S SPECULA-
 TONS.

TONS.
 Thomas Elliott rang at the front door of MT. Abijah Grigg, at five o'clock p. m. A livery-stable hostler meanwhile held, hard by, two very correct steeds. duly equipped with saddle and side-saddle A curious big, red, fulleyed Irish damsel, very frowzy about the hair, opened the door.
 Thomas is an impatient man. As the door opened he said, ''Come, Lily! Hurry Every minute-"
 "An' it's not Miss Lilly that's in atall. /" said the Celtic lady, with grin, and 8 harsh, dry, rasping voice, as if her throat was lined with best double-B sanp-paper. And there was queer look in her big, bold, prominent eyes, as she added, "The mistress sez Miss Lilly wont see yez thin. |" And therewithal she sedulously framed in her very solid person into the opening of the door. Thomas Elliott is a good young man certainly. But he certainly used a bad word at about this time-no matter what. He, however, speedily showed his self-control by extracting from his pocket shining half-dollar, which he inserted into the hand of the Princess Margaret for such, at least with him and Lily, was the lofty style and title of the damsel of the door. And withal he winked. A visible modification might now be seen to pervade the hard face of the Princess I Margaret, and she grinned. Then the enterprising Thomas, with barefaced as- sumption, said, in loud voice, Mot ready yet! I'll wait in the hall" And thus pretending, he thrust forward in such wise that the Princess was in manner obliged to make way, and he entered. But with disagreable sensation he said | to himself, "There's something wrong." And there was.
 What may be termed a simultaneous dialogue was in progress at the head of the stairs, executed in duetto by the stri- dent soprano of Mrs. Grigg and the low pitched, full clear alto of Miss Lily; both earnest and half audible; in that smother ed tone which we use when we are appre- hensive that an inappropriate third party may hear us but when we are too angry to care much if he does.
 Tom stood, half-hearing and uncertain in the pure receptivity of an unexpecting spectator. The Princess Margaret had disappeared to her depths. An angry beauty, in riding habit and cap and feath- CT, holding up her long skirts, tripped hurriedly down stairs, her face flushed and eyes sparkling and dewy with anger and tears; too exalted in mingled passions to care for forms.
 "Come, Tom!" she said, and held out her hand, "I will see you onee!" And she led him into the parlor and shut the door. It is modification to be obliged to add that Mrs. Grigg came softly down stairs and listened at the keyhole ; but satisfaction to add further that, in spite of her listening, she could hear nothing at all.
 Old Grigg-it would be in vain to deny that he is known in the street as Pig Grigg | is in the general commission business, and worth money; big man, oldish, fat, with pendulous jowls, heavy of eyelid, bald of head. wigged, thick of neck, forid, full l-blooded, as hot as ginger, as obstinate as pyramid, harsh, vulgar, a greasy eater, uneducated, yet withal of shrewd, ener- getic, strong, large faculties, and success full in business. Mrs. Grigg shows the frame of a good face and figure; is dry and sharp and thin and pale as cheapest Rheinwein sad scold, I'm afraid; pen urious and imperious. She and her hus- band are good bad examples Of the Ameri- can social and business life perversions of tirst-rate natural gifts, physical and men, tai.
 But violets may grow in a barn-yard. These two pernicious elders certainly in troduced into this world. and long main- tained upon their premises, one of the most delightful daughters ever known Lily Grigg. The daughters graceful bap- tismal name was, perhaps, the last faint howeret of the romance of her poor, dried up mothers departed youth. Sheis of mid dle size, plump; with long, abundant, wavy dark-brown hair, having warm bright gleam in it where the light strikes | it, as if it had dreamed of being a clear gold-red Her skin is thin and fine and clear, and she has plenty of swift warm blood; so that her complexion is rosy, pure, translucent like melted glass and red roses all mingled. It is rare con- plexion. I never saw but two others like it and one belonging to 8 clerk of a Court, and the other to a strong minded female lecturer, How inscrutable is the distribution of things! There never | were such red perfect sculptured lips as | Lily's-the mouth is most seldom beauti- ful of American features; nor such clear white pearls of teeth nor such wonder full large, grand eyes, deep hazel, under eyebrows marked but not heavy; and arched, but not too much--th0t indicates shallowness and fickleness; nor such a perfect arm and hand, down even to the minute finish of the finger-tips and the settings of the nails; nor such 1.-the, easy grace of figure and motion. She has all the perfection of step and form and ges- ture that belong to 8 splendid physique, perfect organisms, and strong, rich, pure, full-fowing vitality animating all. How the mischief those obnoxious old parents of hers We'll, never mind! she is their daughter, and that's enough.
 But now, after all, it is somewhere here that I must have meant to begin--as thus
 In these present fearful times; in the midst of business troubles, war, taxation, and almost every thing else; in these hard, hard times did Thomas Elliott win, as it were at the same moment, most lovely wife and eke most lovely sum of money. For it was done within the year 1882
 l Elliott, please to understand, was clerk to Pig Grigg, and very good clerk was he; with all his employers business abil- ities, and large supply of natural, good natured politeness besides, and & good salary, and a few thousand dollars of his