Arizona silver belt., 1894-06-30

v fortable pause
 The cousins were whispering together
 and laughing over little private jokes,
 and he, after the manner of sensitive
 men, of course imagined they were
 laughing, at him--and perhaps he was
 not very far wrong on this occasion. So
 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 tan
 at the door.
 Why, that must be poor old So.
 phy!' said his aunt Fred, you reinem.
 Der old Sophy-no, you can't, you were
 only 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. ,'
 Ahd then an old person in black
 bonnet came feebly in and was consider
 aDly aneeted when she saw Flushington.
 To think, " she quavered, Ito think .as
 ny dim old eyes should see the child
 I've nursed on my lap growed out into
 a college gentlemanN' And she hugged
 Flushington and wept on his shoulder
 tlll he was almost cataleptic with con- | fusion
 But as she grew calmer she became
 more critical, She confessed to n cer.
 tain feeling of disappointment with
 Fiushington. He had not filled out, she sad. 50 fine as ned 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 washsiand, and what 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 aud 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 | e~mb with horror. He prepared himself | biankly for another aunt with a fresh | relay of female cousins or more old fam ily spryouts .vha had ,,-oel,ol I.;.,, ,,, ls 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 in impulSively.
 'Oh, 1 say" he began. have you heard-have you seen? Oh, beg pardon, didn't sec, you lnowr' 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. MT Lushington, Mrs. no 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 D be said slowly to the other. T rather think that's my aunti'
 lin afraid not, whispered 'She seems quite sure she $ mine. H
 Well, I've got an aunt and cousins I've never seen before coming up to- lay, said the newcomer. and yours is mcomnonly like the portrait of mine"
 If they belong to you. do take them lway!' said Flushington feebly. "I $ lon think can keep up much longer. (
 What are you whispering about, Fred!' cried the aunt "Is it something I We gre not to lnow?" I
 He says he thinks there's been a I and you re not my aunt" ex- | 'lained Flushington. l
 'Oh, does he?' she said drawing her elf up indignantly. And what does he now about it--1 didn catch his name who is he?" Fred Lushington, he said; that's 6 1y name, E And who aEe you if he's Fred Lush. 0 ogton?' she impaired turning upon the owner of the rooms . I'm Frederick Flushington, !" he Q hammered. I'm sorry, but can { help [ u" i,
 Then you're not my nephew at all, W iri" cried the aunt. 2 Thank you very much, said Flush. Vi lgton gratefully. N You see, her real nephew was ex. V i laining to her, there isn't much light n l the staircase, and you must havo el fought his nane over the door was F. . ushington, so f1i you went, you knowl he porter told me you'd been asking g T me, 30 looked in here to see wheth- sa anything had been heard of you, and tc 're you are. b1 But why didn't he tell me2" she CT Id, for she was naturally annoyed to h ld that she had been pouring out her al i-t up affection over perfect stran- L T, and she even had dim idea that she d put herself in rather ridiculous 'sition, which of course made her feel ny angry with Flushington. ''Why ol uldn't he explain before matters had H me so far?' tn How was to know?" pleaded Flush m gton. Il dare say have aunts in pi nstralia, and you said you were one of m em. thought very likely you knew ha st. {" he But you asked after Uncle Samuel?' e said accusingly. You must have d some object--I cannot say what--- encouraging my mistake Oh, I'm re re of itp' IF "You told me to ask after him, and sc' l, " said the unhappy Flushington. "I w nr1rhf it ,una a II nj nht NNhnt nlcr ..-.,, Da