From Jest to Earnest

m some music like herself, brilliant, dashing, off-hand, but devoid of sentiment and feeling. Then she sprang up and began playing the maddest pranks on languid Bel, and with Addie was s

way in shreds before the gale of their wild spirits. Poor Bel, buffeted and helpless,

ate chase among the furniture, "to have one m

not keep their revel so quiet but that hurrying steps were heard. Bel warned them, and, before Mrs. Marchmont could enter, Lottie was playing a waltz, a

rest's neck-tie was awry, suggested that they retire and prepare for supper, whereat they retreated in literal disorder. But without the door their old frenzy seized them, and they nearly ran over the dilatory Bel upon the stairs. With

lady, complacently. "But then the De Forrests have French blood in

y descended the stairs, this time like a funeral procession, a tall figure, with one si

ng the natural bloom and beauty of her nature with the artificial enamel of mannerism and conventionality. During the unwrapping process the young people s

were quite marked. Bel greeted him with a distant inclination of her head, De Forrest also vouchsafed merely one of his slightest bows, while Harcourt stood so far away that he wa

s of his hair and stam

and claiming kinship, might have disconcerted a polished society man

her hand, and was inclined to keep it, for in fact it was warming, or, rather, electrifying h

e gray eyes were full of gratitude for her supposed kindness, eve

friendliness. "Perhaps you had better go at once to your room and prepare. You will find it warm," and she glan

ous of having forgotten something, and ti

ed sweetly, "for

a huge carpet-bag as if it were a lady's reticule. But remembering that her eyes were upon him, he tried to cross the hall and mount the stairs with dignity. The

oung people went off into silent convulsions of laughter, in

on whom to play such a joke," said

n De Forrest. "Lottie, you

may be able to see more than we think. I insist that you all be very careful

aterial was good, but had evidently been put together by a country tailor, who limped a long way behind the latest mode. What was worse, his garments were scarcely ample enou

with his colossal proportions-knew how to manage them-he would make an imposing-looking man." And when De Forrest posed beside him just before they went out to tea, even

ger haste to remedy his awkwardness, he bumped up against Mr. Dimmerly, who was advancing to speak to him, with a force that nearly overthrew that dapper gentleman, and rendered his greeting rather peculiar. Hemstead felt, to his intense annoyance, that the young people were at the point of exploding with merriment at his expense, and was in a state of indig

to-night seem possessed with the very genius of awkwardness. She is the only one who has shown

for the moment a helpless subject of suppressed mirth. Mr. Dimmerly was always a rather comical object to her, and his flying arms and spectacles, as he tried to

a seat opposite her victim, with a demure sweetness an

ie, which she returned with a look of serious expectation, then dropped her eyes and veiled a different expression under the long lashes. But he was sorely embarrassed, and stammered out he scarcely knew what. A suppressed titter from

ght, "and while the others ridicule my

was clearly apparent. Therefore Lottie, by tolerably fair acting, would have no difficulty in deceiving him, and she was p

that they did. Even Hemstead saw that Harcourt's remark was but the transparent excuse for the inevitable laugh at his expense. Lottie looked around with an expression of mingled surprise and displeasure, which nearly con

supposed, with the safe topic of the weather, "in jour

older one," he answ

at rather s

with us, but it has been said, and justly I think, th

t the East, as in the West, the co

efully, but only remarked, "I

clear, steady cold. Thaws and spring are synonym

cold is better in the

rly, sent

out of season, unc

ugh with somewhat heightened color. "I trust we shall keep the steady cold

you put me in qui

you are the month of June all

April, rather,

r August," added Mr.

November?" asked Lo

d, with a blush, "for Thanks

Mr. Dimmerly chuckled, "Very go

ie, demurely. "Is it because you are so fond of sermons or din

a just cause for Thanksgiving," he replie

your allusion?" she said,

"perhaps my thought was that you might be an occasion f

but his aunt said, "Frank, Fran

ords were part of the old complimentary tune that she knew by heart, but his offering was like a flower that had upon it the morning dew

in possession before keeping a Thanks

he light touch of a spur. "I was grateful for the opportunity of seeing

she turned, and with a spice of coquetry said,

ith mirth at her hint to one who was evidently anxious

ied to admire at a distance. I could not join in a prayer I on

asked Lotti

y n

is no

fine a point upon it, this world is quite useful to me at present. I should be sorry to have it vanish and find myself whirling in space, if I am a rather large body. But as I am soon to get through w

t a traveller you propose to be. I sho

you mean,

Hemstead, "until

nsinuated De Forrest; "for Mr. Hemstead speaks as i

honey, Mr. De Forrest?"

es

nd the bees gather for

t I'm a

u've got through with this world how do you

rom the table, "I protest ag

mstead making the transition in saf