The Argosy — page 241: what you’re looking at

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

224 My Saturdays. with me on the Friday, and was soon quite at home, and very helpful in all my arrangements. People collected—as I said—in considerable force, chatted, listened, drank tea, stayed as long as they felt inclined, and went away when they chose. About five o’clock, or a little after, I remember there was a drenching shower of rain, which drove against the glass, and blurred it with sudden streams, and made everything outside look dreary. ‘‘Mrs. Singleton,” said Charlotte, spreading out her hands lux- uriously to feel the blaze, ‘‘do you remember the little fire you had that cold day in May when we first talked about your Saturdays ?” ‘‘T remember,” I said; ‘“‘ you never would have had courage to broach the idea but for its friendly countenance.” ‘‘Tt convinced me that you possessed the gifts of a hostess,” she returned ; “‘and I appeal to the company, whether the result has not justified my predictions. Here we are at the last of Mrs. Singleton’s Saturdays —for this year, and have they not been a great success ?” Of course there was an acquiescent chorus of “‘ Perfect,” ‘‘ Delightful, I’m sure,” ‘Quite a new feature in Tamston society,” &c. &c., which I interrupted. ‘Charlotte, your capacity for ‘spreading the butter thick’ is such that if you inflict another morsel upon me, I will betray you at the next wedding, and you shall propose the health of the bride and bridegroom. You would be using your vocal powers to much better purpose by singing to us.” . “My dear Mrs. Singleton, my feelings would be too much for me: I should break down. What! I, who watched over the cradle of — your Saturdays, shall I sing beside their bier? No, seek some lighter heart.” ‘‘We have never had the pleasure of hearing Miss Graham,” suggested Mrs. Minton, ‘‘and I know that she sings Jeautzfully.” ‘You are mistaken, Mrs. Minton,” answered Lena quietly ; ‘I do not sing at all.” ‘‘Oh, come now, you are too modest ; I have heard people quite rave about your voice—in Church, you know. You mighflet us_hear it somewhere else, if you are not under a vow.” ‘T am not under any vow, but I do not practise any songs, and I do not wish to sing.” ‘‘Vou had better not press her, Mrs. Minton,” I put in, anxious to save her from being teased ; ‘‘it would be dangerous, for I should be offended now if she were to sing for anyone else after having refused me.” Lena walked away towards the window-door, which opened upon the lawn. It was shut, of course ,and the rain had been beating against it; but that was overnow. As my eyes followed her, we both saw at the same moment, a little face close to the glass. A pale, dirty, miserable little face, belonging to a ragged child apparently about GomicbookssGco m