The Argosy — page 136: what you’re looking at

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

“ Fohn Smith, Fumor.”’ 119 heard about you from your pa—and mighty proud he is of you, I’m sure—something like I am of my Johnny—that’s my son, you know —the only one living out of ten I’ve had, so you can’t wonder I think a lot of him.” Frances had no reply ready; none was needed, for Mrs. Smith, feeling herself upon an inexhaustible subject, continued without pausing longer than to take breath. “JT daresay you think it’s funny for me to call my son ‘ Johnny,’ and he such a fine up-grown young fellow, and taken his degree and all that—but you see Mr. Smith is ‘John’ and Johnny he’s ‘ John,’ too. His father calls him ‘Jack,’ but that I never could take to, because, long ago, when I was a girl and lived in the country—before I came to London to business—I had a pet jackdaw, and I used always to call him ‘ Jack ’—so tame he was too, he would come and perch on my shoulder! After that I never could think of giving a christian the same name; so Johnny’s been ‘Johnny’ all his life and will be now till the end of the chapter, I expect.” She paused again to take breath and then went off on another tack. ‘‘So kind of your ma to ask us here. We think everything of Dr. Lisle, you know ; there’s just nobody like him. And to think that poor Mr. Smith might have been a cripple all his days through such a little thing as a bit of grease dropped on the stairs !” Here Frances ventured to suggest that the fracture might have been equally well attended to by some other medical man ; a remark Mrs. Smith negatived at once, with a very knowing shake of the head. Then she resumed the conversation by reverting to the topic which was never far from her thoughts. ‘Tt so happened that Johnny came home to-day, him and his great friend, Mr. Josselyn. They’ve been travelling together on the Continent ever since they left college. We couldn’t leave them at home alone the very first evening, so we took the liberty of bringing them with us. Why here they are, I declare, and your ma too.” “Frances,” said Mrs. Lisle, ‘‘I want to introduce Mr. John Smith, Junior, to you, and his friend, Mr. Josselyn—my eldest daughter, Miss Lisle.” Mrs. Lisle then sank into the chair by Mrs. Smith which Frances vacated and left the girl face to face with two young men. One tall, fair and distinguished-looking, the other short, and dark, with a clean- shaven, clever face, and wearing double eye-glasses. The latter began the conversation, as his friend stood by, twirling his long fair moustache in some slight embarrassment. After exchanging a few common-places, Frances seized an opportunity to move on and speak to other visitors. As soon as she was out of hearing, the tall young man caught his friend by the arm. ‘“‘ By Jove, Jack, isn’t she a lovely girl! We haven’t seen a face like that in all our travels. What a shapely head—what rich auburn hair! Did you ever see more liquid brown eyes? and the lashes are ——— GomilGcaooks () am