The Holly chieftain., 1903-05-22
MRS. HAROLD STAGG.
soandisl y Bonners Soma


man you ever saw, very short and
round, with face that reminds one
of an owl: he blinks at you out of
his great eyes just like one: but he's
kind as can be, and if you get him
talking on subject in which he is
interested he can be immensely agree
able"
Really" said Emma, family, with
something like little sigh in spite
of her habitual aplomb; and as she
gazed out over the sea she saw
ing little personality sitting silent
from course to course, unless the
Devonian period or some other
equally august subject were intro
duced.
AS though divining her aunt's quan-
Diary, Eleanor suddenly exclaimed,
with genuine fervor:
why couldn't Uncle Phin. and |
dine by ourselves in the nursery? 1t
would be such fun! We have lots to
talk about; no one would miss me,
ard he would enjoy it ever so much
better, / know. 1t wouldn't cause any
extra trouble, for | will carry the
dishes up and down myself, and then
your dinner wouldn't be disarranged" /"
Don't be absurd, dear" replied
Emma, though she could not help
wishing that such a program were
consistent with due hospitality Your
uncle will dine with us, of course. If
l had only known in time, however,
| would have asked one or two people
likely to be more congenial to him."
Eleanor's description of the bache
lor professors appearance was cer-
tainly not exaggerated. In the early
stages of acquaintance he evidently
sought refuge in an imperturbable
taciturnity, relieved if he were
brought to bay by free use of the
word "ma'am" in addressing ladies
of every age, which prompted Emma
| to keep him as quiet as possible after
making him known to the company.
He was a man of fifty, with thick
brown beard and bald head. His
large eyes took in the surroundings
in contemplative fashion, and he
seemed in no wise disturbed that he
had not brought evening clothes with
| him, an omission which weighed con-
siderably on Emma's mind not for the
reason that it made any real differ
| ence, but because she was sure that
| he, poor man, must feel so embarrass-
| ed. When he re-entered the room,
| just before dinner, in his gray home
spun suit, with a red bandana protrud-
| ing from the breast pocket, she really
| pitied him, but she could not help
congratulating herself that she had
| placed his seat at table between her.
self and Eleanor.
After they sat down to dinner,
Uncle Phineas continued for some
time very silent, beaming so ELUSIVE
| ly. however, on his niece, that Emma
began to fear lest he should hold her
| hand or indicate in some other
equally unconventional way the salts
| faction he felt in being with her
| again. He was an excellent trencher.
| things passed to him without seeing
to heed the small talk that, repressed
| at first by his presence, soon bubbled
! forth regardless of it. There was gay
| chatter, some of personal character,
and by and by several humorous anec-
dotes, one of which amused Professor
Baldwin SO much as to draw from him
guffaw of such intensity that there
| was a pause after it, and lady op-
posite him surveyed him through her
lorgnette interrogatively, while the
young men winked at each other as
much as to say: "Who is the humor.
GUS old party?"
That reminds me of an incident that
happened when l was in California
some years ago" said Uncle Pnineas,
slowly, in a quaint, dry way that made
everybody stop eating and listen.
Emma felt on tenter-hooks, and she
glanced anxiously toward Eleanor:
| but she had turned toward her uncle
with an air of delighted interest.
1here was nothing to do but let him
&C on; and go on he did in so graphic
and absorbing manner that several
of the company were chuckIing with
satisfaction before the end, and when
that came there was roar of delight
That's a capital story!" exclaimed
some one, and Harold Stagg. who was
laughing heartily, checked himself to
cry:
"a glass of wine with you, Profes-
sor!'
THE old boy is waking up he
whispered after putting down his