Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-08-06
1900. by Jeannette H.walworth

NJ ouc Cau lanS I'D Al thC Aoo6n
Jack"
"Well, then, just as we are. Some
body's going to let the cat out Of the
bag
(Which cat?"
@Nan there. I don't like It, I tell you
girls"
Miss Julia was delicately darning 9
hole in the fine damask tableclott
which Nanny had exhumed for the oc
casion. She gently pricked Jack on the
shoulder with her needle.
"My dear little boy, what you like OF
don't like doesn't concern us just now
Did you tell our guest to put his shoes
outside the door, so that the boy could
get them in the morningT
eyes, confound him"
Nanny was carefully folding up hel
apron.
"There is where your narrowness
comes in, Jack. II you could only ef
face yourself for the good Of the fam
lily, as have done! There Is no sense
In confounding Teddy. He's just per
fectly splendid, and If Mel and julia
between them don't carry out his deal
fathers wishes shall have to inter
vene."
"He's not the sort Of chap to fall ir
love with waitress. He's q gentle
man."
"Yes, but-oh, we'll, I'm not pining te
appropriate him. simply want some
body to marry into this family to keep
US from falling to pieces from sort OF
dry rot l am so dreadfully tired OF
living on nothing q month"
$50 am l." said Jack, yawnlng SC
portentously that his sister Julia ad
vised his going after Marston's shoes
before slumber should overtake him
irrevocably. He stretched his arms
and got up obediently.
81 say. Nan, we are in for this mas
querade. Let's make 1t bowling sue
cess"
Marston had been the guest Of the
Hendersons quite two weeks when he
felt the necessity Of explaining himself
to some trustworthy friend laid mex
orably upon him. He selected for this
purpose the chum he had left behind
him in Berlin.
Nobody knows better than yourself
my dear Holbrook," he wrote, chow
entirely in accord with my dear IA,
thers wishes for my settlement In life
l was when l started for America.
"Tt all seemed to dovetail beautifully
The proximity Of the estates, the wish.
es of our elders, the beauty and good.
ness Of the Henderson girls. all pointed
to the fulfllment of the prophecy ut.
tered over my cradle by my black
nanny, who declared 1t was writ on
the stars was to fetch home bride
from this house.
"But now let me abase myself.
can only do so with comfort while seas
roll between us. The Henderson girls
are all that my father painted them
handsome, cultivated, digniaed, proud
as Lucifer and bearing poverty, which
cannot be hidden, with a gracious dig.
nifty that actually exalts 1t.
Nothing would seem easier than for
q vagabond like myself to fall In love
with one of these sweet girls and take
her over to my own old house t.
brighten 1t with the light Of home.
They are famous housekeepers, and
my old home-when I get ril Of the
army of wcrkmen now In full posses.
sion of it-wouldn't be q bad place to
take a bride to. But. bah! Let me
out with 1t.
"Old chum, I've made fool Of my.
self-s beastly asst I've fallen in love
with my cousins waitress. the girl
who passes me my coffee at table and
stands behind my cousins chair with
tray In her hands,. who call myself
q gentlemanl
"Not that I mean by that that I've
demeaned myself She is no ordinary
servant girl. I'm not quite sure wht
or what she Is. should never dar'
question my high bred cousins abou
their domestics. Butch, well, to maxi
the matter short, this demure litti'
Nancy, with her downcast eyes ant
graceful figure. has got between M
and all my plans, making 1t foreve
impossible for me to fall In love prop
erly. A word in self excuse.
"That she Is no ordinary housemai'
Ii am sure, for l found her dustinl
cloth left accidentally between IN
leaves of my Browning, and one da'
at table, when l gave my young cub o
a cousin, Mr.. Jack Henderson, q math
ematical nut to crack, am quite sur
she contrived to give him the solution
l while Offering him the waffies.
"All the same, must get away fror
here. I can't court my cousins wall
ress, and I won't court my cousins.
shall move over to my own place IN
day or two and shall then claim 20
for my guest"
There was matter in this letter tha
Marston would have been very sorr
to have 20 astray, 30 he concluded I
walk into the village with his mail. ID
stopped ut the open door Of the famii
sitting room to let Miss Mellicent kno'
his intention. She entered a polite pr'
test. If you are not In particula
hurry, cousin, l can send 1t In by til
boy. He always goes In for our ma
| about 3 o'clock"
But Marston thought the walk woul
| do him good, and presently they hear
him swing past the library window
u with that long, easy stride which ca
, ried him over SO much ground with
little apparent effort.
81 Miss Mellicent looked ut Miss Jul
anxiously. "He will come back will
the appetite of a wolf and nothing b.
soup meat for dinner"
"Jack went out with his gun"
Eyes, and Jack will come back VII
his gun. We can't serve that up 4
q Teddy"
IL "In-but, dear me. Mel, he is makil
us positively fussy. I wish he wou
go-rot that be is any trouble at q
He is dear, simple fellow. I'm real
fond Of him."
The dear, simple fellow was at tn