The morning times., 1895-10-21
Our Country Cousin.

ward the end of certain summer, having
been the round of all the old summer re-
sori5 and tiring 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 distance
AS last resort, in order to overcome tha
ennui that was gradually taking possession
of them, they decided to- settle down upon
these cousins for the remaining days of the
late summer ard the heated period Of the
autumn
With them to decide was TO act, so with
almost unfashionable alacrIty-and my
sisters were sticklers for fashion, too
letters were dispatched TO the suddenly
remembered cousins and the answer to
them awaited with GREATNESS impaticnce
They came at last, bearing the most cur
dial invitation for my sisters to follow
their iEclirations and come up into the
country at their earliest convenience.
To say that nay sisters jumped at the
chance would be wholly misleading; my
sisters never jumped at anything; they
were entirely too elegant for that.
But with surprising haste they answered,
informing their hostesscs when they would
arrive, and then on the heels of the letters
swept up into the country. bag, bandboxa and
baggage.
Letters told US how they found the
cousins, a charming widow andherdaughter
with fine old place. and, what blessed it,
real country hospitality. The widow wai
set down as person who had seen some
thing of life and the daughter was voted
nice. though a trifie old fashioned.
As father and / were very busy 10 toxI
that summer we did not Join the ladies In
the country, but merely took a weeks fish
ing al one OF our favorite baaDts and went
right back to work again, so 1t was not until
early October, when the girls came back to
town, brown as berries 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 person who would do
very well-for the country.
Indeed, my sisters gave me very plainly
to understand that our cousin, Alice Sey-
monr would not shine under the city'a
lamps.
In a few days after their return there was
nothing new to tell either OF their trip or
of their entertainers, and 1 heard no more
OF my country cousins until one day In early
winter, when the female portion of the
household was thrown into sudden conster-
nation by the arrival of a letter from Mrs.
Harriet Seymour. in which she Informed my
sisters and their maternal parent that
she would Ike 70 have her daughter spend
month In town with them.
There were sundry other remarks OF a
pleasant and personal nature in the letter.
hat they were hardly not iced in the aIl-ob-
scuring Importance of the desire ex-
pressed.
Sister Florence came to me with indigna-
ton written In every feature.
ITO think" she exclaimed. Cousin Alice
wants TO come here
well, why shouldn't she?"
why shouldn't shec' echoed Florence
"why. it simply can't be DONE
why not?''
Ny sister did not deien to answer me, but
swept away In great Indignation
II was Caroline next who expressed to mo
how awful the idea was. 1 expressed my
entire dbIlity tosee its awfulness, and was
toll by my sister that men didn't under
stand those things at all.
Il understand, 1 think" said ], that
you accept the hospitality of people whose
Kindness you are unwilling to return"
and Caroline left me in disgust
Then mother whispered to me confiden-
italy that she couldn't see how she was 60
ing to avoid having that girl conc, and was
entirely amazed when l asked why sho
should wish to avoid it.
why, it would never do in the world.
Hubert" said my mother. II love the etri
as well rs any one can. but you know that
the country and city are SO different
us my cousin lady?" 1 asked.
ITO be sure" said my mother, "but-"
rs she an idiot7r
why, certainly not, but"
'-Can she tell train of cars from a ban
SOM"
.sHubertr'
"weI, then. l can't see why IT'S going to
be such terrible thing to bring her to the
city,"
Ny mother left me with the parting assur-
ance that men never coGld appreciate such
difficulties.
But. 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. bat 1 insisted on going myself. so Flor
ence went with me.
/ could hardly believe that the dainty
little lady in the gray travelling suit, whs
answered my sisters greeting with a quiet
smile, was the Objectionable country cousin.
She was a lady all over, from her charming
hat to her pretty little walking boots.
She was so pretty that as looked at my
sister l began to understand the point of
objection which the coming OF my cousin
had raised.
Now, while I do not believe in love at first
sight. must confess that strange fancy
for this quiet little girl took immediate pos
session OF me, and as the days passed 1t
grew. What else could be expected OF any
obstinate young fellow, anyway, when this
mother and sister opposed him?
So found myself loving Alice Seymour.
But in this was not alone: several othe
young fellows seemed to share my feelings
and it made me uneasy.
Her manners were so perfect, and yet shl
said and did such quaint and unstudied
thingsthat anna couldn't help being attract
ed to her. She was not conventional, but
she possessed j natural dignity that was
greater than convention could give. As
Beverly Bridges said, she was one of natures
noblewomen.
Confound that fellow, he always bad the
trick of turning a neat phrase. -
Well. like blind man, / went on seeini
nothing a aboutn until one day came upon
my little cousin looking very dolorous. Sh,
was alone in the parlor, and she looked 81
If she had been weeping.
was all up in arms la moment to know
who had offended her, but she hesitated a
fong time before she told me falterlngly
thatsiie had grown to believe that my sisters