The herald., 1894-04-22

not appear to think altogether satlsfac-
tory. o-
Indeed the aunt, who by this time
felt the potteo ham beginning to disagree
with her, asked him, with something Of
severity in her tone, whether he went to
church regularly, and he said that he
didn't go to church, but was always
regular at chapel.
On this she observed coldly that she
was sorry to hear her nephew was dis
senter, and Flushington was much too
shy to attempt to explain the misunder-
standing. He sat quiet and felt miser-
able, while there was another uncom-
Portable 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
foundling when there came another tap
at the door.
why, that must be poor old So
phyP said his aunt Fred, you remem-
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"
And then an old person in black
bonnet came feebly in and was consider
ably affected when she saw Flushington.
"To think, F" she quavered, ''to think as
my dim old eyes should see the child
I've nursed on my lap growed out into
college gentlenanp' And she hugged
Flushington and wept on his shoulder
ill ne was almost cataleptic with con-
fusion.
But as she grew calmer she became
more critical. She confessed to 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
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 tho tale
which would bear repetition when there
was another knock at the door.
AT this Flushington was perfectly
dumb with horror. He prepared himself
blankly for another aunt with fresh
relay of female cousins or more old fam
lily servants who had washed him in his
infancy and he he sat att there COVERING go.
haired, good looking young fellow, who
from his costume had evidently just
come up from the tennis court, came
bursting in impnlsively.
'Oh, l say" ho began, "have you
heard---have you seen? Oh, beg pardon,
didn't see, you lmowl" be 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, don't know her
name-my annt--my cousins. -
The young man, who had just been
about to retire, bowed and stared with
a sudden surprise. ''Do you know" he
said slowly to tho other, IT rather think
that's my auntP'
"I-I'm afraid not, whispered
Flushington. "She seems quito sure
she's mine.
well, I've got an aunt and cousins
I've never seen before coming up to-
day." said the newcomer, ''and yours is
uncommonly like the portrait of mine. "
"If they belong to you, do take them
awayr' said Flushington feebly. 81
don think l can keep up much longer"
"What are you whispering about
Fred?" Dried the aunt. lis it something
we are not to now?'
HE says he thinks there's been a
mistake, and you're not my aunt, ex-
planned Flushington.
"Oh, does ho?" she said, drawing her
self up Indignantly. "And what does he
know about it--I didn't catch his name
who is he?''
Fred 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 1 can't help
itr'
"Then you're not my nephew at all,
sirp cried the aunt
'"Thank you very much, SAID Flush
ington gratefully
''You see" her real nephew was ex-
blaming to sler, there ism much light
On the staircase, ana you must have
thc1ght his name over the door was F.
Lushington, so in you went, you lnowl
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. F"
''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 perfect stran-
ger, and she even had dim idea that sl-l