The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-01-26
ONE GIRLS NERVE.
The Startling Way in Which it Was
Tried One Day.
BY MRS. :. d. BURToN.
BY MRS. J. d. BURTSN.

ed Nella.
''Sid isn't bad fellow, but he is in
sufferably cOnceited," explained Ida
ave can get along with him, but
Brian is the black sheep of the family.
He is not only tease, but a terror.
It's bad enough with father and moth
er at home, but with them away"
"And Aunt Janet is Of no more ac-
count TO keep those boys in than Lide
aud /, If so much; so the prospect is not
cheering one; but we are delighted to
see you, and we will do the best we
can for you, my dearest Of girls"
''If my visit is ill-timed," hesitated
Eileen.
at isn't. il you will put up with the
drawbacks. 1t could not be better
timed for US. Aunt Janet is no COM
pany at all, but she's an adorable house
keeper, and we should be sure of de-
lightful time if it only were not for
those boys"
Sid was inclined TO be formal and
patronizing when he made his appear
anee, though evidently trying to be
agreeable.
$50 sorry you did not get here in
time for the wheel tournament, Miss
Warren" said he. 81 took part in it,
yes, but made no effort for a prize,
you understand. My idea of physical
exercise is for all around development,
rather than TO excel in any particular
line. l wish, Nell, yon wouldn't inter
rupt - as Nella cut in with "Brian
won second prize and we were all there
to cheer him" "or if you must inter
rupt that you would not raise your
voice to so high pitch. l am sure
you agree with me, Miss Warren, that
"a gentle voice isan excellent thing in
woman / observed that you have a
sweet, soft voice yourself, and l trust
my sisters may benefit by TIE example
you set them"
''Sid is simply too lazy to raise his
owR voice" said Nell, resentfully. "If
/ hadn't any more interest in life than
you have, Sid, I'd be nice ladylike per-
son from your point Of view, Isuppose,
but I'd rather be myself with spirit
enough TO shout when I feel like il
than bit Of mineing affectatiOn such
as you admire"
"Nell doesn't mean to call you a bit
of mincing affectation' right TO your
face, Miss Warren, though she does it
in effect, I" said Sid, slyly. "But here
comes Brian, fresh from the baseball
match, I suppose. If you will excuse
me, will head him Off till he puts
himself into presentable shape" !" and
the elder brother sanntered away to in-
tercept the younger one, who was for
breaking into the parlor just as he was,
hot, dusty, disheveled, but enthusiastic
over his days sport, and the girls could
hear his vehement protests.
'One girl more or less doesn't matter.
You're such a pink of perfection your
self, Sid, that you'll do for both of US.
/ am not dude, and don't mean to be
one. Say, we won out on the last
inning, after six straight knockdowns,
very last swing of the bat made base
hit" and the voice trailed away into
''short fly" 'bad tumble, beautiful
throw" and other mystic expressions
beyond the girls power to interpret,
but Ida drew a long breath Of relief.
"He's in an angelic humor to let Sid
manage him 50 easily, do hope he'll
behave well, for this one evening at
least"
Eileen privately wondered what
Brian's ill-humOrs might be like, if
this were a sample of unusual amiabili-
ty on his part, but there was hearty
ring to his voice that she liked better
than Sid's languid tones. She liked
the frank, mischievous face of the lad,
when he was presented to her later.
="Have you nerve?" he asked, "or
are you just like others, fussing and
fuming about nOthing?"
suppose you try me-" said Eileen
with a smile.
"Oh, Brian, DON'T" screamed Ida
and Nella together. ''You don't know
what you're inviting, Eileen. He is so
exasperating with his miserable tricks"
But Brian put out his hand with a
gratified expression.
aShakep' he said, tersely.
Eileen laid her soft little palm in his,
and started as something clinging and
disagreeable TO the touch was released
in it. Another moment and she was
holding a rather uncommon beetle be-
tween her finger and her thumb, and
regarding it with unexpected interest.
Zone of the noctilicae family and
luminous IN the dark, IS it not? l
thought 80. have had an interest in
beetles ever since Sister Lu had 'liv-
ing Jewell sent her several years ago-a
Brazilian beetle, you know. 1t wore
little gold harness and was fastened TO
a pin, and it would crawl over her
dress to the length of its chain, and
flash out Of her lace like a real jewel;
but the poor thing died after a few
months, either from starvation or the
change of climate, we never knew
which,"
"Ughu' shivered Ida. "How could
she bear it? Do throw that thing out
Of the window, Eileen"
"Don'tg ordered Brian peremptori-
liz. "Give it to me. You are daisy,
though, and I'm glad you've come.
Don't you want TO see me chloroform
this fellow, and pin him into my col
lection? Bring her along, girls"
NelIa and Ida exchanged glances Of
dismay.
"His room issimply awful" explain
ed the older sister alphabetically. "He
storms if we attempt to clean 1t up;
wants the spiders to build webs there,
and has a tree toad trained to come in
at his window. We tried TO reform
him once, when he was away for a
week. by carsing all his rubbish out
a.ld making his room as dainty rs ours,
and we've never heard the last of il"
"Nor ever will, If you try ths @ame
again. erumbled Brian.