The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-08-28
thor of.S The Rou5e on lhs Narsh." etc.
Copyright, 1885,. by Robert Bonner's sons.l

COulu uOL tuluh Va I'LL uUiuS. VIC
must have made a mistake" stam-
mered Otto. while Clifford hurriedly
passed out by the little wooden gate
into the road.
In the meantime, however, Colonel
Bostal, having heard the voices, had
! come through the narrow passage
from the garden to learn the meaning
| of this unusual sound. The matter
was explained to him by his daughter,
amidst further apologies from Otto.
The colonel, a withered-looking, gray
faced man of about sixty-f1ve, in a
rhreadbare and patched coat and a
battered Panama hat, remembered
the name at once.
Jordan? Jordan? Yes, of course,
I know him." said he at once. "a
little fellow, with a long mustache.
Yes, he often walks home with me as
far as the bridge, but there he always
turns back and excuses himself from
coming any farther"
Otto looked perplexed by this infor-
nation, but over Miss Bostal's thin,
pincned face there came a little, pale
smile.
Try the Blue Lion," she said, rather
primly. !
Otto grew stiff.
my friend is no freauenter of tav-
erns," said he.
"Try the Blue Lion" said zlcs Bos-
tai again.
Her father burst into a little, dry
laugh.
"The Blue Lion has q good many
frequenters who are not frequenters
of other taverns," said he. "Nell Cla-
ris, the niece Of the man who keeps it,
is a protege of my daughters, and the
prettiest girl in the place"
A light broke over Otto's eeec-c. But
Miss Bostal looked grave.
II shall have to speak to her very
seriously" said she, with a little
frown. "She encourages half the
young men Of Stroan to waste their
time out here"
But the colonel smiled and shook his
head doubtfully.
'It's no. use speaking to pretty
girl" said he, with decision. "You
will only be told to mind your own
business. And there's no harm in
Nell"
II know that" retorted his daughter,
not spitefully, but with spinster's
stern solicitude. II shouldn't he so
much interested in her if didn't
know that she's a good little thing.
But she's giddy and thoughtless. I
shall really have to advise her uncle
to send her back to school again"
"She won't CO." said the colonel.
And if she would, old Claris wouldn't
part with her. We must rely on the
effect of your sermons, Theodore"
Father and daughter had carried on
this dialogue without including the
visitor in the conversation, S. that
Otto, who prided himself upon being
an acute observer, had an opportunity
of peeping into the rooms on each side
Of the passage, as the doors were
open, without moving from where he
stood.
He was much struck by what he
saw, by the carpets worn 80 thread
bare that there was no trace of the
pattern to be seen on them; by the
carefully darned table-covers, the
worn-out furniture. All was neatly
kept and spotlessly clean; all showed
4 pinched poverty which there was no
attempt to hide.
He withdrew with more apologies
as soon as the short discussion be-
tween father and daughter was ended,
and rejoined his friend outside.
WELL" said Clifford, as Otto turned
toward Stroan in silence, land what
Kept you so long talking to the severe
looking LADY,"
II wasn't talking. was listening"
answered Otto, land working out in
my mind a romance, pitiful romance,
of the kind that is not snowy enough
for people to care to hear about"
What! Do you mean to say that
ture and lean spinster?" asked Gift
ford in astonishment.
"Oh, dear, no. He's fallen in love;
I've found that out; but it is with the
usual maid OF the inn-nobodJ half SO
interesting as Miss Bostal."
Interesting"
Eyes. I have an idea that the lean
spinster is q heroine. Not the sort of
heroine one troubles oneself about, of
course. But while they were talking
about certain Nell who is evidently
the object of Jordan's priceless but
transient affections just now, looked
into their rooms, their poor little din
ing-rcon, their bare, long drawing
room, and I saw such a history Of
pinched lives and sordid struggles cs
made me long for pen and paper"
Clifford groaned.
1T doesn't take much to make you
do that" he grumbled. "And 1 don't
think your subject very interesting
one"
"Of course you would not. 1t is not
obvious or commonplace. or highly
colorcd enough for you," retorted
Otto. But to my mind there is some
thing infinitely pathetic in the tat
tered old coat of this dignided and
distinguished-looking old man. and in
the darns which the daughter must
have lost the brightness Of her eyes
over"
Decidedly. my dear boy. you must
do it in poetry, not prose-" said Cliff
ford. mockingly.