The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-07-02
WALTER BLOOMFIELD
ce,v,,rb, ,xs b. aorxsr Bozsra's Som.
CHAPTER III.

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Copyright I<S by ao
CHAPTER III.
A FAMILY DINNER PARTY.
The dining.room at Hoioehnurs'
Han was q large. sombre apartment.
The floor was of oak. uneven through
are, and perilously slippery. and the
walls of Dutch oak panellinS, relieved
here and there by portraits In oils OF
horses and dogs. Four windows did
not admit Sufficient light for the room,
and On the spacious hearth NO fre
could be made large enough for COM
fort in winter. The centre was oc-
cupied by an enormous table. support
ed by legs about ten inches shorter
than those with which modern din
ing table In furnished. and round II
were ranged thirty-two chairs, nfteen
at either side and one at each end
cumbrous structures Of oak and em-
bossed leather, mounted on wheels.
Indeed, never look at this table with
out recalling the ludicrous aspect pre-
sented by our friend Major Armstrong.
Of the Suffolk Yeomanry. when dining
with us. Major Armstrong stands SIX
feet four, and the distance from his
plase to his mouth Is 50 great that
when he Is engaged with the former
Il appears almost as II he were dig
ding the ground with his fork. A large
siaeboard. loaded With silver. com-
pleted the furniture Of the room.
When I entered. 1t was at once ap.
parent that this was a specinl occa-
sIon. The table was lighted by more
candles, and spread somewhat more
luxuriously than usual, and, infanible
. sim! old John. our one indoor manser-
want, had on his yellow silk waistcoat
"A venerable and conspicuous article
of his attire which I remembered from
my earliest infancy. but Lad never be-
fore known him to wear except on
Eundays-and was moving about busi-
" between the sideboard and the ta-
BILE.
disturbed my relations In an exam
nation they were making Of the
quantity carved mantelpiece. My faith
er at once stepped towards me. apd
taking my hand in his own, led me
towards o beautiful and very elabor-
stely dressed lady, saying:
"Permit me to introduce my son.
Ernest. this lady Is your aunt Ger
tYude.v
Now though in the first blush Of my
youth had suffered from overmuch
self-consciousness, I had aattered my
self Of late that had reasoned myself
out Of that malady. and was as self
possessed az . young man Of nineteen
need be. Vain delusion! Whether It
was the striking beauty Of my aunt.
the splendor of her dress and Jewels.
or my intense surprise at finding her
q woman of at most thirty. whom /
had mentally pictured as about fifteen
years older than that, know not; but
certain It is. I had never felt 20 awk.
ward and foolish before. I cannot
cutie remember what ! said. but I
believe O few disconnected words es-
caped my Lips to the effect that was
very pleased to make her acquaint.
Ance.
My aunt noticed my confusion, and
with admirable tact endeavored to
ellay Il. II am sure ! am much graft
Hed to zee you and your father" she
said In q soft voice. My husband has
often talked to me Of you both. and Of
his old home in England. Your house
@ perfectly delightful, and ! long to
see more Of It You must show me
oil over 1t when you have time"
Replying that nothing could give me
greater pleasure. and that ] would do
% tomorrow II she was sufficiently
rested to undertake the task. I shook
hands with my uncle and felt rather
more at my ease.
My father having taken his seat ut
the head Of the table with his sister
and ! on the right. and bis brother on
bis left, John removed the covers, and
dinner was served.
mo-" said cncle Cam, addressing
ny father, "the change Is not all -
pyseH AZ you suggest. though Of
course o mans Ideas modify and ex.
pend q good deal in twenty years.
especially II his affairs are extensive
end he Eixes much with business
men. Positively. believe what I have
told you, that Englishmen are vastly
altered FROM what they were when !
lived among them. They are not 50
eItcrprisirg; they seem TO lack 60 and
cri:. and have fallen into slow way.
Everything in England Is depressed
capitalists afraid to invest. laborers
without work to do. Coming from
London to-day. We saw man and q
boy with two horses piowing q field.
Why, the scene would serve for an
illustration to one Of Pope's pastorals.
No wonder that farming in England
don't pay when you tickle and scratch
the earth in such primitive fashion
And while the laborers are killing
time In this way. your legislators are
talking about small farms and allot
ments for laborers. Bosh. my dear
sir. bosb! What Is wanted Is for q,
least a hundred landowners in each
county to form trust. and to employ
modern machinery in cultlvating their
aggregated lands-that Is to say. O
farm Of tolerable size. By-the-by.
~hat ;e thu q craa co NJ fhic ni,cor,