St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-04-16
COUSIN LINN.

young man.
Helen and I giggled. Cousin Linn
was tall, as | said, and he did not
know what to do with his tallness.
His embarrassment at the sight OF
two grown and, | may say, hand
some young ladies was plain.
"What a gawk!" we thought.
Dinner did not much improve our
opinion of our relative, and it was
with dismay that we heard, as we
left the dining room:
Girls, | leave your cousin Linn to
your devices this afternoon. | have
no doubt you can entertain him.
Then father strobe out Of the door
and back to business.
The wretch-I mean our new rela-
tive, OF course. That very afternoon
we were to have paid a number OF
neglected calls that could not longer
be put off.
Entertain him! Oh, yes, we would
entertain him. And we did.
lust wait" said my sister Helen
between set teeth. He shall show
us how himself"
So when Cousin Linn had finished
his cigar-he seemed to linger over it
an u~nreasonably long time-and en-
tered the parlor, his rather sheepish
gaze met a batting of four light
brown eyes whose owners were pre-
pared to make out whatever mischief
he invited.
The first few moments passed
tamely enough. Cousin Linn was a
twig of a branch of the family tree
that fourished in a neighboring
state, too far away for is to know
more than that we there boosted also
an Aunt Lucy and a Cousin Kate.
We put Cousin Linn down as an or
binary farmer boy, with a little more
than his share of the farm and Of the
boy about him.
Just as we expected, Cousin Linn
himself gave us the first hint OF how
he was best to be held up to the
proper ridicule and scorn. In despair
at our brief replies to his well meant
conversational efforts, his eye fell
upon the piano, and he, in gratitude
of spirit, fell upon its neck. Heasked
us to play. Poor man!
Sister Helen began. Now, if there
was one thing we girls prided our
selves upon, it was our musical tai
ent and education, or, rather, we
were proud of the talents and father
of the education, which he had paid
for with mingled feeling Of satisfied
duty and outraged pocket. But that
day Sister Helen appeared possessed.
She played nothing but the simplest
tunes, jigs and reels and even had
the audacity to pick out several good
old hymns with onehand. followed
her lead, and our poor old piano was
made to bring forth sounds that no
self-respecting cow would have died
to.
Cant you play, Cousin Linn ?"
asked Sister Helen. Law, that girls
smile was as innocent as a baby's,
but it meant mischief for our cousin.
That individual, who had applauded
US loudly, looked at his shoes and
said yes, he could play a little. He
would try, even after our brilliant
performance.
Cousin Inns musical education
had evidently been on the lines laid
down in our programme. He reelec
off country dances with the ease of
COW walking a railroad t%ressle. |
our selections were rum te-tumty
Cousin Inns were rum.te-tumtier
And to watch him picking out thu
tune, using one, two or three finger,
of each hand, his long hair bobbinl
about his ears, as he ducked his heat
at every note, set us in a fit of silen
laughter.
Let's take him with u.s." wits
pered Helen, as he neared the end G
number" And ofcourse | jumpe,
at the idea OF more fun with Cousi
Linn.
"I'm agreeable" said that youn
man when we asked him.
He spake better than he knew.
So off we set. To every girl of GU
acquaintance we paid a visit, and a
every house we made new sport {
Cousin Linn and his piano playing
First, we would play when asked
and always the same rum-te.tur
tunes. 0 fcourse, the girls took til
cue from a wink and did the sam,
while Cousin Linn sat there, his grea