UNKNOWN

Lake County Press, Issue 975, 15 August 1901, Page 2

UNKNOWN

"Have some more buttered toastP " I said. We bad just bad a slight difference of opinion concerning customs Trans-Atlantic, and I wished to put matters on a friendly footing once more. " Thank you," she said, accepting the olive branch. " Now, this is a custom I really think vurry attractive. Your English noon tea is just lovely." " But you have tea in New York, don't you? " " Why, certainly; but we never eat like this. We'd be in fear of spoiling our dinner." " That always strikes me as the essence of greediness," I proclaimed, dictatorially; "to be thinking of your next meal before you have finished the present one." "No good! I'm not going to have another scrap with you." Thinking she referred to buttered toast,. I made answer: " You've not finished that bit yet." She sighed. "When I say scrap, I mean quarrel. I'm getting worn to a frazzle explaining my conversation to you British." " I'm sorry; let me apologise for the nation. Tell me how you and Carruthers got on in your golf foursomes ? " I inquired, to change the subject. "Well, it wasn't exactly a picnic. I guess he was nervous and got rattled —anyhow, he began to fall down on his shots, and it ended in my telling him he wasn't cutting ice! " " Did he understand? " I asked. "Is he really as brainless as he looks?" she returned. "His face always makes me think he must have left it out in the sun and got it warped—like a tennis racquet, you know." "I don't think that's kind," I said, "when he admires you so immensely." " I suppose I ought to be more sensible of the honor he confers upon me. It must be my free, untrammelled, Republicar spirit that makes me dare to think myself his equal. Anyhow, when after the game he came up—stepping on his own feet—and asked if he might walk back here with me, and then, with an air of condescension that made me mad, told me—well—I expect you can guess : what he said—l'm afraid I was—just a little sharp with him. He looked as if he didn't know if he were afoot or on horseback." " What did you say ? " I couldn't help asking, with perhaps pardonable curiosity. " I told him to go chase himself round the block. I'm afraid it was ratheT rude, but since I've been in England, and usually found myself introduced, in an audible aside, as the American heiress, I can't forget my dollars; and Lord Carruthers is so obviously walking on his uppers, isn't he? " " Confound those dollars!" I exclaimed, and I really meant it. " It's so jolly hard on a man— —" " Oh, please don't think—l mean, of course —there are some people " and she collapsed into a captivating state of blushes. This was more than had ever been vouchsafed to me before, and I felt elated. " Do you mean that there are some people over here that you could really trust and—like? Dare I hope I am one of them? " But she had recovered her self-possession. " Oh, you needn't, think you're the ocean because you've got a wave in your hair," she remarked flippantly. I was not going to show my discomfiture. " Your American expressions are so delightfully original. How do you manage it? Do you have lessons at the beginning of +he season ? " She laughed and looked at me with her head a little on one side. "If I tell you, promise you won't give me away." "I swear by the bones of my ancestors," I said, solemnly. "I never talk like this in New York"— (she pronounced it " N'York")—" but over here evervone expects it, and they seem so disappointed if you don't act like a freak, so I thought I'd better study. I read all the slangv books I could find. Then my tittle brother's a great help; he's at Grofton—like your Eton or Harrow—and he is just as tough and fresh as he can be." "You speak of him as though he were meat." I said. " Oh, ' tough' means rough and rude, and ' fresh' is irrepressible. But does it really amuse you ? " " Rather. Do go on." " I can't think of any more now—you must ask questions." " Well, how go the rehearsals for the theatricals ? " " I've known worse. But that Miss Davenant just makes me tired. Her arms must be weary with throwing bouquets at herself." " Wait a minute! " I cried. " I don't follow the last one." "It's quite easy," she said, encouragingly. "If you admire anyone on the stage tremendously, you throw her a bouquet, don't you? So if the person happens to be yourself " "I see: rather neat." "Yes, there is generally some meaning in our slang. Now, yours is so dreadfully hard for a stranger to pick up. You know Billy Thornton? Rather an idiot," she added, to help my memory. "Oh, of course; but he has lucid intervals. I've known him with an expression in his eve* which was almost human." ""Well, the other night at dinner I asked him how the liked some book—the ' Visits of Elizabeth,' I think it was. He screwed in his eveglass, and said: ' Aw, yes. so beastly, awfully twue, don'tcherknow.' I hadn't a notion what he meant, so I just stood pat and said it was an elegant idea." "Poor Billy! it isn't his fault he resembles the missinrr link. But don't you hke any Englishmen? How about Captain Du Piatt? I said this in an easy, impersonal sort of way —at least. I meant to: secretly, I hated him. " Oh! Captain Du Piatt. He will articulate whether he has anything to say or not_ ~' t rather interferes with me. I'm fond of talking, too, you see." " Not really! " I ejaculated, and then went on hurriedly: " Perhaps you were suppressed as a child." c , "Suppress an American child? one laughed. " Thev're not like your well-brought-up English children, who come into the room like poor relations." . "I'm afraid you don't care for much in this country," I* said, sorrowfully. " Oh, but I do! I love your old homes and your old traditions and your old families, but —I hate vour arrogance." "We can't have treated you well, I said. " Indeed, indeed, I didn't mean that! she cried. "You've all been so vurry kind, and I've had a perfectly beautiful time over here. I do hope you don't think I mean what 1 say—at least. Ido mean what I say, when 1 say I do—oh, I can't explain what I mean at all " " Never mind; don't trv. Only tell me one thing. Could you—would—well, will you stay over here ? " I stammered. "What do vou mean?" she faltered. " I mean I want you to stay and marry me. Do say yes. You've stolen my heart, so I think you ought to take me, too—will you:' " Sure vou want me ? " "Catherine!—dearest!" "Don't call me Catherine; it's such a cold, marble monument sort of a name. Say Cassie." „ "Will you really have me, Cassier" « " Just's you say," she murmured. ~^ There was an interlude. When we bM>kl coherent, she surveyed me severely, and de-| manded, sternly: „ I "You're a belted Earl, aren t you.-' ■ I had to admit it. " But you can teach me not to be arrogant," I urged, hopefully. , Another interlude. " What will your father say?" I asked, presently. , "Oh! Poppa? At first I guess hellMbe rampant and paw the air; hes awfully tona of me. But I'll coax him until when he sees you he'll just say " _ "What?" I inquired, anxiously- " That he's vurry happy to make your acquaintance." . . i?„;»' Mostyn Millar, in Vanity lair.