The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1910-02-04

4 Naniinr took himself seriously, lie was /
boston youth, well educated, well man
ncrrd, his family was one oi the oldest
aud his prospects were excellent. When
he left Harvard be- Wa called To New iofl
aud given u Tine opening IN his Uncle john
Steele Afllngion's importing house. Their,
he was making the most ol the oppoilun-
liy,
Into this regular aud well ordered lite a
bombshrll suddenly dropped. II took the
form of a letter that was laid on hi, deck
by the office messenger,
lioratio read the letter through, aud
then read il through again.
Our dear cousin Il began, we want
TO know you and know you right away,
Aunt Emillne Glover wrote 20 us that YOU
We're ~ New York, and we've been look
ing Tor YOU ever slncc. We are Your sec
ond cousins, you know, Jane and Ann and
Susan Wallace. Your father and our moth.
er were tr.i cousins, aud that's what give.
us claim ON YOU. At first, We thought
We would come down and storm your office
aud while Jane gfdppled your uncle, Ann
and Susan would kidnap you. But, then,
We remembered that while that might do
IA Wild and woody Uregon-that's where
we hail 'front.' wouldn't be strictly proper
IN Moo lawk, don't you know 30 we are
going TO be- painfully formal and awiuly
pfim, aud give you the high handshake IN
the most easterly fashion. Ii you please,
cousin, We want you 10 come up 10 our
present abiding place and take tea with u
tomorrow evening, aud aitcrward you are
10 escort "a to a little reception to which
we are privileged TO bring a young man
friend. We are visiting with dear friend
aud neighbor from Oregon who moved to
Nj \ orb
IN the invitation, as you will lind when
YOU read her note. u you are quite sure
10 know nothing about us perhaps il would
be well to relieve your anxiety by explain
ing that We are neither maiden ladies nor
Jane admits she Is
twenty-five, Ann is twenty, and Susan !, |
eighteen. Other particulars will be fur. |
lishcd upon application And now, our |
lear and only cousin. we are Just perish. |
ng to meet you They tell H. you are aw-
ully nlce-sO you may rest assured that |
ne are strongly prejudiced in your favor.
Till tomorrow evening, then. Affection I
Itcly. Jane, Ann. Susan
lloratio picked up the note that had
Tipped from between the pages. 1t was
N endorsement of hi cousins invitation,
,cnned by their hostessa nicely worded
oie, that came from a home in an excel
ant residence section.
lloratio drew long breath. Here was
omething he had never before encoun
cred His relatives were few in number
nd most Of them were residents of the old
ONE town IN New England. lie dimly
cmembcred to have heard Of the cousin Of
i fathers who had gone west when only
boy, but he had fancied that this spirit
/ adventure was looked upon as out of
with the staid and dignified ira.
itions OF the family. He was sure he
al not heard his fathers cousin men
oned since he himself was a boy. And
ow these Wild western girls had swooped :
own on him from the Oregonian wilds I
nj claimed relationship with him in the
o>t familiar terms. and forciby taken {
ossession Of him, leaving no chance for {
cape.
Jane and Ann and SUSAN
What would his aristocratic old uncle, :
i mothers only brother. think of these
pydens, But he mustn't be permitted to Il
e them. There was no reason why he /
ould know of their presence. If he learn. .
they were in New York he would insist
ION having them to luncheon. il
Jane and Ann and Susan I
Well, he would accept the invitation L
mere was no way out of that. At least,
would be better to meet them than to {,
Ter a trumped up excuse and stay away. h
he didn't go to the tea they would be l.
re to hunt him up at the counting room. d
e would meet them, and if they proved il
sitively insupportable he would have his
Gle send him on a trade-eXtension trip 50
Rio de Janeiro.
lane and Ann and Susan! eC
He opened drawer and drew out sheet
paper.
I wonder why western people ever
re created?' he softly growled
{ was a frigid little note that he sent h,
, three girls, Correctly phrased and
atty lenned it was as lacking in cor he
lily as a Vermont snowbank. Ii was
lite and tame and distant. He was ii,
ased to learn that his cousins were in
eitv. and he was pleased to accept their tu
tation to tea on the twenty fourth, vo
/ equally pleased to accompany them to co
subsequent reception. And he closed ca
conventional missive with Sincerely
IRIS, Horatio King Vantine.' br
hen he made a formal acknowledg- go
Mt of the invitation of the hostess, and we
ed a messenger boy.
Jane and Ann and Susan" he NUT ha
I'd as the boy turned away. ed
Sir?' said the boy.
Nothing" replied Horatio ma
t o'clock he presented himself at the wa
stantial home on W. seth street. As :
maid opened the door he heard a gust sal
hastily-checked laughter. The maid rig
< his card and his hat and coat, and s
cred him into the little reception room she
e the hostess, with delightfully."- cor "
manner, met him and babe him wei got
e. Goa
y our cousins will be down in a moment the
wo," she explained. ''lf they We're not dea
mischievous they would be more TIL
npt. | understand you have never met has
n! fine
0, Horatio had never met them. say
think you will be surprised" Horatio A
sure of it; They are charmlngly I'M hin
ted" This, of course, was a neat way f
their disregard of deco v
I've known them since they were was
girls. All, think they are coming!" the
,ratio thought so, too. There was Il
mbled and wild clatter on the stairs, aga
three young women rushed into the %
| and shook Horatios hand vigorously, colo
greeted him effusively and wound up est.
Dining hands and circling about him in the
to a barbaric chant. Then they stop T
breathless and laughed merrily bea,
hat makes you one of the tribe, cou- A
cried the tallest girl. Its the Paw kne
adoption song-at least, it's all we his
' of it. Isn't he chic, grls?' A
ey laughed again. will
his is Jane, cousin" said the other &c
Then Jane and Susan introduced lettt
and Ann and Jane introduced Susan. Fl
they shook hands again. and tea be- 81
nnounced by the maid the three girls derf
much laughter drew Horatio to the sud-
g room. snot
was not until they were seated at the ter !
that Horatio had time to look at 81
Dusins. His first impression was that to Il
nd never seen such hair. Jane wore entil
that draped her face, Ann had pulled II
,eavy tresses over her forehead and "Wf
and Snsan-Susan was the Youngest thin