FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76  
77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   >>   >|  
d Evelyn, coming suddenly behind us. "Papa and Mr. Bainrothe are carrying on a little quiet flirtation, as usual, and have quite turned their backs on me, so I came hither, asking charity. I declare, Miriam's face is scarlet! What mischief are you two hatching?" "I have been running on at a most unconscionable rate," I replied, "covering up my ignorance with many questions that have bored, rather than proved, Mr. Bainrothe, I fear. Take up the dialogue, dear Evelyn, for a few moments, while I go to superintend that elderly flirtation you speak of, and keep papa in order," and I left them abruptly. "It will all be paid in before then," I heard Mr. Bainrothe say, as I approached them, "and you could not have a safer investment. It is as sound as the Federal Government itself. Indestructible as the solar system." "I will bring the papers," papa said, rising. "Excuse me for ten minutes," and I dropped into his empty seat by Mr. Bainrothe. "I hope I shall not interrupt your business meditations while papa is gone," I observed, breaking the silence first. "Business is my pastime, and no food for meditation, my dear girl; for, like the Pontic monarch of old days, 'I live on poisons, and they have no power, but are a kind of nutriment.' Now, talking to a pretty young girl is far harder and more unusual work to me than transacting mercantile or financial affairs." "Then I will not oppress you with my society," I said, with a feint to rise. "Sit still, Miriam, and don't be foolish. You know what I mean, very well. Now, how do you like my son?" "Oh, very much indeed; he is a little satirical, though, now and then; intolerant of youthful greenness, I perceive, and enthusiasm." "All affectation, I assure you. He is as verdant himself as the Emerald Isle. Just from college, and very young; what can he know of life? As to enthusiasm, he is full of it." "True, what _can_ he know of life," I mused, and I glanced at him, as I questioned, sitting in front of Evelyn in a sort of humble, devoted way, very different from his easy, knightly air with me. She wore a cold, imperious expression of face not unbecoming to her haughty style of beauty, and fanned herself gently as she listened carelessly to his evidently earnest words, bowing superciliously in answer from time to time. "The desire of the moth for the star," burst from my lips involuntarily. "Nothing of the kind," said Mr. Bainrothe, quietly. "If Evelyn Erie
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76  
77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Bainrothe
 

Evelyn

 

flirtation

 
enthusiasm
 
Miriam
 
greenness
 

youthful

 

intolerant

 

affectation

 

harder


verdant
 
assure
 

unusual

 

perceive

 

foolish

 

affairs

 

Emerald

 

oppress

 

mercantile

 

society


transacting
 

satirical

 

financial

 
carelessly
 

listened

 
evidently
 
earnest
 

gently

 

haughty

 

beauty


fanned

 

bowing

 
superciliously
 
Nothing
 

involuntarily

 
quietly
 

answer

 

desire

 

unbecoming

 

glanced


questioned

 

sitting

 
college
 

humble

 
imperious
 
expression
 

knightly

 

devoted

 
silence
 

questions