The Argosy — page 298: what you’re looking at

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

How Kenrick Married Fuliet Eustis. 281 “You are an odd girl, Rhoda,” cried Miriam. “So you will think when I disclose my plan for our summer vacation. I move that we spend July and August at the White Mountains, in New Hampshire, near Franconia.” ‘Perhaps you will also move that we inherit a fortune.” “So I would, if it would do any good,” laughed Rhoda. ‘‘ But recess 1s over ; wait for me after school, and then I will tell you how we can go to the White Mountains without the fortune.” Late in July the guests at the Sahna House were thrown into violent excitement by a telegram which their host received. This telegram was as brief as most of its kind, yet it spoke volumes. It announced that a young Captain, who had covered himself with glory in a recent Indian assault, amember of the United States Senate, who was both rich and unmarried, two Governors of neighbouring States, and Mr. A., ‘‘the very handsomest man in New England,” would arrive at the Sahna about noon, would dine there, and remain all night. Of course the “leading ” ladies convinced the landlord that he must give a grand dance that evening, and, his consent obtained, they resolved themselves into\a committee of the whole on the important subject of dress. As if the valiant Captain or the wealthy Senator would pay any attention to such details ! No one was late for dinner that day. Promptly at two o’clock (for early dinners and substantial suppers were the rule there) the dining-room doors were thrown open, and mine host bowed his distinguished guests to the central table, while the undistinguished crowd rustled and bustled to their accustomed seats. The young Captain and the elderly Senator glanced at the lady waiters and then glanced at one another, the latter exclaiming : “By jove! Are they servants or guests?” ‘“ Not exactly either,” replied the landlord, who heard the remark. ‘“Every one of these young ladies, whose pleasant duty it will be to serve your dinner, 1s a governess. You see, Mr. Brown—who keeps the Lone Elm Hotel, down at Xenia—had a number of young students as waiters last summer, and they were so satisfactory that I thought I'd try an improvement on his plan. So this spring I wrote to some friends and asked them if they knew of any school teachers who wanted two months in the mountains this year. I offered to give them four dollars a week, do all their washing, pay their railroad fare and see that they were treated as ladies while they were here. The result you see for yourself.” “I see a number of bright-faced, neatly-dressed girls, instead of the usual sombre array of African faces,” said the Captain; “and I consider it very refreshing.” _ “And I see an exquisitely-appointed dinner table,” added the Senator. ‘Look at those graceful ferns and nodding grasses in the COMIC OOOKS.C®