Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-06-21

She condoled with him as to the delinquent Sam;
but she did not drop the subject without remind
ing him that Sam possessed this virtue and that,
and also that he was old Volet's chief depend
ence. She knew this would have its weight.
Pynekney would be good to any one whom she
liked, although he would still permit himself
the privilege of railing against that same person.
Presently two horsemen trotted up the rough,
extemporzed sweep. Old Mr.. Shirley, the Nestor
and autocrat of the neighborhood, and the same
picturesque young gentleman whom Angela had
already met that morning Both dismounted, and
Mr.. Shirley presented Jack Campbell in due form
as my friend, my dear Angela" This time An
gea extended her hand, being under her own
roof-tree and also because of look of expectation
in Mr.. Shirey's pleasant keen eyes. The four sat
down together in the breeze and the open air
Presently appeared old Mr.. Sothern, who scowled
slightly upon Jack, but still received him, and
then proceeded to discuss matters and things,
from the pessmist standpoint, with his guests.
Pynckney was mans man, except for Angela.
and he engaged in an interchange of
ideas with the two older men. Jack showed sui
ficient interest in tariff and railroads to convey
the impression to his host that he was young
man of good manners and correct views as we'll
as information; then turned to Angela. He was
fresh from Northern city, and had seen all the
pictures the popular actors, had read the
books of the day. He was fresh, delightful ex-
perience to Angela. Women had united in spoil
ing John Campbell all his days; it was no wonder
that Angela, whose range of experience had been
small should be fascinated by charming a
type. She was naturally gay and lighthearted
and Jack responded to this in her. She felt
from the start that he had no prejudices she
need be afraid of treading on; that it would be
hard to ruffle his temper; that he was tolerant
by nature we'll by education. Whatever
faults Jack might have were certainly not appar-
ent on the surface and rarely interfered with the
comfort of those around him.
When Mr.. Shirley to go, Mr.. SOthern sug-
gested an adjournment to the dining-room, where
the inevitable toddy was compounded, Mrs. Soth-
appearing the scene, pale and complaining,
and wrapped in shawls, but Hospitality DESTROYS
that the whole party should stay to dinner. Mr..
Sothern growled out a few words of invitation,
from which there would seem to be no appeal.
Mr. Shirley glanced at Jack, who was talking
nonsense to Angela and accepted for himself
and his young guest Only Pynckney Talbot tore
himself away.
After his going Angelas spirits sensibly tagged,
although she and Pynclney had had little or
nothing to say to each other before this. But her
grandmother called her to make the salad-dress-
ing and to arrange some flowers for the centre
of the table, and by the time this was accom-
plished dinner ready, and Angela engrossed
in performing the rites of hospitality, performed
with the same scrupulousness when the Soth-
ern table groaned under its ancestral silver and
there a servant behind each chair. During
1.-THE war; Sothern Hall, the family headquar-
ters had been raided night, and all the silver
carried off, with the exception of what Mrs.
Sothern carried through the back door in basket
to Oak Hill, then tumbe-down old farmhouse.
since fitted up for home. The wel-trained
walters of yore were replaced by one half-grown
colored boy, link in long train of carefully
drilled boys, who on learning their business one
after another left this trainingsehoo for pastures
in city, true to the migratory mania OF
the colored people since the war Is it any wonder
that Mr. Sothern should grow and Mrs. Sothern
should complain under the influence of changes
such these, stanch conservatives as they werei
But Angela had the happy knack of conceal
ing all deficiencies and repairing all omissions
And the gumbo soup stood on its own merits
and so did the fried chicken we'll the peaches
and cream These staple delicacies in that
part of the world, superior to all reverses Of
fortune.