The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-12-07
OUR COUNTRY COUSIN.

n ing been the rounds OF all the
old summer resorts and firing
Of the last one, suddenly remembered that
somewhere in the rural districts in the
interior of the State they possessed some
cousins of more or less nearness or dis
lance.
AS a last resort in order to overcome the
ennui that was then gradually taking
possession of them, they decided to settle
down on these cousins for the remaining
DAYS Of the late summer and the heated
period Of autumn.
With them to decide was to act, so with
almost questionable alacrity-and my
sisters were strickers for fashion, too
letters where dispatched to the suddenly
remembered cousins and the answer to
them awaited with breathless Impotence
They came at last bearing the most
cordial invitation for my sisters to follow
their inclinations and come up unto the
the country at their earliest convenience,
To say that my sisters jumped at the
chance would be wholly misleading: my
sisters never jumped at an, thing the,
where entirely too elegant ior that.
But with surprising haste they answered
informing their hostesses when they would
arrive, and then on the heels of the letter
swept pinto the country, bag, bandbox
and baggage.
Letters told us how they found the
cousins, charming widow and her
daughter, with fine old place, and, what
blessed it, real country hospitality. The
widow was set down as person who had
seen something of life, and the daughter
was voted nice, though Il trine old
fashioned.
As father and | We're very busy in town
that summer, we did not join the ladies in
the country, but merely took weeks fish
Ing at one of our favorite haunts and went
right back to work again, so it was not
until early in October, when the girls came
back to town. brown as berri and full Of
the pleasures of their trip, that | received a
regular detailed description of my cousin
Harriet, and her daughter, Alice
And from the description gathered that
the young lady was a person who would
do very well-for the country.
Indeed, my sisters gave me very plainly
to understand that our cousin, Alice
Seymour, would not shine under the city 5
lamps.
In a few days after their return there
was nothing new to tell either of their trip
or of their entertainers, and | heard no
more OF my country cousins until one day
in early winter. when the female portion of
the household was thrown into sudden
CONSERVATION by the arrival of Il letter from
Mrs. Harriet Seymour, in which she in
formed my sisters and their maternal
parent that she would like to have her
daughter spend month in town with
them.
There were other sundry remarks of q
pleasant and personal nature in the letter
but they were hardly noticed in the all
absorbing Importance of the desire ex-
pressed.
Sister Florence came to me with indig-
nation written on every feature.
'''ro think, she exclaimed, Cousin Alice
wants to come here!
"Well, why shouldn't she?" asked.
"Why shouldn. t she?' echoed Florence.
"Why it simply can't be DONE
''Why not?"
My sister did not deign to answer me,
but swept away in great Indignation.
1t was Caroline next who expressed to
me how awful the idea was. expressed my
entire inability to see its awfulness, and
was told by my sister that men didn't
understand these things at all
II understand, 1 think, said L. that
you accepted the hospitality of people
whose kindness you are unwilling to
return, and Caroline left me in disgust.
Then mother whispered to me confident
tally that she couldn't see how she was
going to avoid having that girl come and
was entirely amazed when asked why she
wished to avoid it.
"Why, it would never do in the world.
HUBERT" said my mother 81 love the
girl as well as any one can, but you know
that the country and the city are so differ
ent."
us my cousin LADY," l asked.
''To be sure" said my mother, but
is she an IDIOT"
"Why, certainly not, but
Can she tell train of cars from a
hansom?'
"Hubert.'
"Well then | can't see why it's going to
be such a terrible thing to bring her to the
city
My mother left me with the parting
assurance that men never could appreciate
such difficulties.
Eut after studying it, they could find no
way but to allow the girl to come, and
come she did.
The girls wanted to send servant to
meet her, but insisted on going myself
so Florence went with me.
l could hardly believe that the dainty