The Arm Chair Library No. 79: The Haunted Homestead — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

only course by which you could pro- cure him an invitation?” “T don’t understand you.” “You innocent! How came it, then, that you wrote to Mr. Legare you ___would be very happy to obey his sum- __ mons, and spend the holidays at Wolf- _ brake, but that you had a friend with _-—«-you whom you could not leave, and -__ whom you took care not to mention by name?” i “Oh, because I never gave the mat- ter a moment’s thought. When I got ‘Mr. Legare’s letter, I just sat down and answered it right off, and men- tioned my friend merely as my friend. ‘If I had, as you seem to think, been fishing for an invitation for him also, I certainly should have mentioned him by name and title as the Hon. Frank Mh, aid. re - Howard of Massachusetts, etc., etc., ie etc.” p S “In which ease you certainly would not have been invited to bring him here.” : oe f “Probably not, but I did not know ‘that. _ What know I of the hostility, ____ or even of the acquaintance, between ___ the parties? I acted only in simple ae honesty.” | ie _ “The best way to act, my dear fae, Johnny. “And so blundered into helping the Saee lovers.” uae so. You were providentially — ~~ “Well, as soon as ever I received the invitation, I hastened to write an _ give the name of my friend to our host, as I should have done at first, if I had dreamed of his being invited to accompany me. And, as for Frank Howard, he was as innocent of design _ as myself. He knew nothing about the matter until I showed him Mr. _ Legare’s last letter, and pressed him to go with me. He then asked me if ae Mr. e was any relation of the " ___ Legares of Louisiana. | said I be- THE HAUNTED HOMESTEAD. ccucceentiiiinapiteimiaatestguiiasscmmsticetiiesitasiniieaiceniiathcrmestniaatitiptsieenainsitinte ter TT OL NE SE ee lieved he had brothers in Louisiana, but I was not certain, as | knew very little of the family. Then he told me that he had had the pleasure of meet- ing a Mr. Legare of Louisiana at Sara- toga, and should feel very happy. in making the acquaintance of any of his family; and there the conversation stopped. Frank was evidently as much astonished as delighted at the unex- pected meeting with his lady love.” “I am glad to know it,” said I. And then, not to continue the rude- ness of an aside conversation, I took my brother to Rachel Noales, and left him with her, while I joined my kind old host. : Supper was soon announced, and we were all marshaled into the dining- room, where a sumptuous feast was spread, over which we lingered, eating and drinking, with epicurean leisure, and talking and laughing for more than an hour. I said we—but lI should, rather, say they—for I could not eat, or talk, or laugh. At last the long-drawn meal came to an end. The company adjourned to the drawing-room, and an hour was passed in pleasant conversation, and then, in consideration of the fatigue of the newly arrived guests, we separated for the night. In the hall I noticed a diminutive page, of the African race, who rejoiced in the chivalric name of Emmanuel Philibert, which was adapted to daily dland popular use by the abbreviation of Phlit. Phlit was standing and sol- emnly holding a light in one hand and a bootjack in the other, waiting to at- tend the two gentlemen to their bed- room. But Mr. Legare took upon himself the office of groom of the chambers, and accompanied his latest guests to their apartment. Rachel Noales and myself reached ‘ ours about the same time. We heard ebooks: col