Part 13 (2/2)

and such nonsense.”

”Ches has got above these good old plays, since he has been at the academy!” and Lizzie laughed again, mischievously. ”You used to like kissing well enough.”

”So I do now,” said he, giving her a smack, by way of ill.u.s.tration; ”but stolen waters are the sweetest. Some public kissing I have done to-night has been like taking medicine.”

His remarks were cut short by the entrance of a tall young lady, with thin curls and homely teeth. She affected unusual grace of manner; her smile showed an attempt to be fascinating, and her language was peculiarly select, and lispingly p.r.o.nounced.

”What! are you here?” she cried, pretending to be surprised at seeing Chester. ”I thought I left you in the parlor.”

Chester smiled at the innocent little deception her modesty led her to practise, and, as a means of getting rid of her, introduced her to the old clergyman.

”I believe I had a glimpthe of you, this forenoon,” said Miss Smith, with an exquisite smile. ”You called at our houthe, I believe. Father was very thorry he wasn't at home. You mutht call again. You mutht come too, next time, Mrs. Royden. You owe mother two visits. What gloriouth weather we have now! I never thaw tho magnifithent a thunthet as there was this evening. Did you obtherve it, Mithter Royden?” addressing Chester.

”It was very fine.”

”It was thurpathingly lovely! What thuperb cloudth! Will you be tho good,”--Miss Smith somewhat changed her tone,--”will you be tho good as to help me to a glath of water?”

Chester was returning to the parlor, and she was just in time to catch him. He could not refuse, and she followed him into the kitchen.

”She has stuck to him like a burr, all the evening,” whispered Lizzie.

”He can't stir a step, but she follows him; and he hates her _dreadfully_.”

Mrs. Royden reprimanded the girl for speaking so freely, to which she replied, ”she didn't care; it was true.”

Chester was not half so long getting the water as Miss Smith was drinking it. She sipped and talked, and sipped and talked again, in her most dangerously fascinating manner, until he was on the point of leaving her to digest the beverage alone.

”Theems to me you're in a terrific hurry,” she cried. ”I hope you an't _afraid_ of me. Good-neth! I am as harmleth as a kitten.”

Miss Smith showed her disagreeable teeth, and shook her consumptive curls, with great self-satisfaction. When Chester confessed that he was afraid of her, she declared herself ”infinitely amathed.”

”But I don't believe it. Thomebody in the parlor has a magnetic influence over you,” she said, archly. ”Now, confeth!”

On returning to the sitting-room, they found that two or three other young ladies had followed them from the parlor.

”What a magnet thomebody is!” remarked Miss Smith. ”I wonder who it can be.”

”I should think you might tell, since you were the first to be attracted from the parlor,” remarked Miss Julia Keller.

”Oh, I came for a glath of water.” Miss Smith shook her curls again, and turned to Father Brighthopes. ”I am _ecthethively_ delighted to make your acquaintanth, thir, for I am _immenthly_ fond of minithters.”

The old man smiled indulgently, and replied that he thought younger clergymen than himself might please her best.

”Young or old, it makes no differenth,” said she. ”Our minithter is a delightfully fathinating man, and he is only twenty-five.”

”Fascinating?”

”Oh, yeth! He is _extremely_ elegant in his dreth, and his manners are perfectly _charming_. His language is ectheedingly pretty, and thometimes gorgeouthly thublime.”

”I wish you would let Father Brighthopes finish the story he was telling me,” said Lizzie, bluntly.

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