Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-13
SHORT STORY
ORANGE BLOSSOM

Ihus. much inclined to giggle, did the
smart housemaid deliver her message
at the dining room door of the hand
some villa overlooking Portobellc
Beach, where Mr.. Lindsay, senior. sal
at breakfast opposite his nephew Tom
Seen her WHAT" the former de-
| manded, with a piece of bacon sus-
pended on his fork. rs the woman
mad ?"
Mary Ann signified an inarticulate
| negative, looking everywhere but in hei
masters face, which shone like a
stormy surprise over the coffee pot.
| rs this the first of April, then. Tom.
| he roared to his nephew, who, with
exemplary gravity, unfolded the news
paper he had propped against the toast
| rack, glanced at the date, and replied
! in matter of fact tones:
No, sir; third of July
Then what in thunder does the
woman mean? Orange Blossom: Or
ange Blossom"
Please, sir, it's that big yellow tom
cat, explained Mary Ann, with stiff
ened features suggestive of stern self
repression. It's been lost since last
night, Selma says
1T is, is it? Then send my compli-
ments to Miss kirkwood and saw |
haven't seen her cat, hope | shall never
see il again, and will pay a liberal re-
ward to the finder if he will keep it at
the distance Of five statutory miles. y
and Mr.. Lindsay punctuated his re-
marks with series of crescendo
thumps on the table, which made his
nephew mildly say: Look out, you'll
churn the cream into butter, Uncle
Charlie"
You have Miss Kirkwood as
neighbor now?" he added as Mary Ann
departed.
Yes, worse luck" growled the re-
tired naval engineer He had settled in
Portobello some years before for no
better reason than that relative had
bequeathed HIM house there, and.
being by nature and habit rough. UNI
sociable and Independent. did not find
that ultra genteel spot particularly
congenial. Indeed, he would have been
Il very lonely man but for his nephew
Tom, whom he had brought up from
boyhood. Tom had gone in for the
law, and had passed his university eX-
aminations so brilliantly that his exul-
tant uncle had rewarded him with a
long colonial tour rightly judging that
the knowledge so gained would not
come amiss in future. He had been
away for nearly two years and had re-
turned only a few days before.
AN old maid, l suppose" he re-
marked laughing
''one of the worst" said his uncle,
With emphasis. "A we'll preserved.
mincin9, affected creature with ma
mia for Il great tawny brute with eyes
as green AS her own. He played the
deuce among my flower seeds in spring,
till | sent her solemn warning that I
would shoot him, which has scared her
into shutting him up at night. Dare
say she thinks I've bagged him-ha,
ha. Have another egg, my boy?"
No. thanks, uncle"
Coming up to town with me, then?'
''Well, no; | haven't any business in
town. I'll nail up the roses for you,
II you like"
The truth was that, after the rush
of travel, Tom Lindsay was in a dolce
far niente" frame of mind. He pot
tered about the roses for half an hour,
and having reduced the IuXuriant
growth to a respectable flatness, he
brought out Il canvas chair, novel
and a box of cigars. and prepared to
spend comfortable forenoon under
the shade of the tail, thick hedge which
separated their back garden from that
of Marengo Villa. the house occupied
by Miss kirkWOod.
The novel was dull. the cigars did
not reflect credit on his uncle's taste,
and Tom was just thinking of going to
sleep when he was startled by d voice
saying almost in his ea":
tom, darling Tom, Where can you
be? Tom, Tom, Tommy! Come away
to me, pet" in tones the most seduc
tive.
The owner of the name sat up sharp
ly and gIared round. No one was in
sight, but behind the hedge was Il
slight rustling and a plaintive Tom,
Tom" To mount the edge of the gar
den frame was the work of an instant
and Tom found himself looking down
into the prettiest little rosy face he
had ever seem the dainty lips rounded
into an OH" of alarm at his unex
pected appearance.
Beg pardon, you were calling me?'
he queried blandly. lifting his straw
hat.
Il certainly was not said the young
lady. with emphasis.
NV name happens to be Tom
Indeed, | was not aware of the TACT,
but it is of no consequence to me-
Tom Lindsay, at your service. went
on the young man serenely. Il Ger
tainly heard you call some one of the
name of Tom.
Merely our cat. He is lost"
"Intimation of the sad event was sent
to us this morning, but l thought the
name of the dear departed was Orange
Blossom
The young lady allowed her face to
relax. and two very pretty dimples
came out in her cheeks.
"Auntv calls him that because of his
color" she explained But really
don't think he can understand so many
syllables. He comes when she calls
him that. but l believe it is only be-
cause when she speaks to nm ne eX-
meets something to eat. 1t would be all
| the same if she called him Singing
NettIes. The maid and just call him
IN.