The Arm Chair Library No. 79: The Haunted Homestead — page 26: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

% THE HAUNTED HOMESTEAD. came in, were introduced, seated, and conversation became general and free. ‘This afforded me the coveted oppor- tunity of having a moment’s talk aside with my brother. “Johnny, tell me now, and telf me quickly and truly—was there any de- sign on you or your friend’s part to get him invited here?” “Design! bless you, no!” replied my brother, opening wide his great gray eves. “I thought not; for, if the truth must be told, honest J ohnny was any- thing but a diplomat,” “Well, there was no conscious man- cuvering on your part, but was there hot on his?” “Why, bless you, no! there have been ?” “Why should there have been? Oh, Johnny! Johnn y! where are your per- ceptive faculties? You wil; never be wide awake enough for a soldier!” “I don’t know what you would be at.” “I suppose not. But did you ob- serve nothing interesting in the meet- ing between Mr. Howard and Miss Le- yare?” “Oh, oh, 9 Is that it?” “Ves ” “That’s what you meant when yoy pinched my arm black and blue?” “VY es,” “A sorry dog. . He never hinted one word ahout this to me.” — “He had no rig you speak of it.” “Eh! why?” “Because—but I had p all about it, They met about three years ago for the first time. It was at Saratoga, where he was making quite a figure. The acquaintance had ripened to friendship, and somethin more, when ‘papa’ hbethought himself to inguire who this very distinguished. h, oh! Whew €W-ew-ew! ht to do so, nor must Why should | 9 ‘bid’ that bro ook gentieman might be at home among his own people, and was Aa Secon that he a machinist Py trade! Recall to mind the geese “a Desdemona’s proud patrician ‘pa : a discovering that he had a blac S: moor for a son-in-law, and you ma. be able remotely to conceive the se sternation of Mr. Legare. He gee his family away from Saratoga, 2! forbid the name of Howard to be ate tioned in his presence. ‘The an lever corresponded, and never 4 ; until this evening! You may ju a how much cause for speculation ther is in thi ting.” "Yeo cet eka these three y “ ereat changes have taken place. Mr. oward is a distinguished Beaeed man of fortune and of Bennowledge talent—one of the law-givers of <3 nation. And Mr. Legare and his se ily are reduced from wealth to a mo erate competency, te eee ; but that does o change the old aristocrat’s ee ths regarding the affair. He contends a gentleman born is always a gen A pan, and a peasant always a peasan f twithstanding the vicissitudes . ‘ fortune that may enrich the one an¢ impoverish the other.” s, “Or, rather, he contended so!— belongs to the past tense. Look 2 im now—see what deference he pa} to Mr. Howard’s opinions.” “The mere Pe amy of the eg Take nothing for granted from tha 4 “Nay, but Frank Howard is a g2 tleman of whom any father might proud as a son-in-law.” 4 “Very likely. But Mr. Legare 1 not ‘any’ fath - However, what wish to know is, whether Frank How- ard did not use you to procure the it him hither?” “No, indeed Ow came it, then, you artful boy, that you took just the course and the aes : $ oe eS P. ~+ceomicbooks ioe Ore oat eR sw Rah ae Feed ee