And The Author was
in a fairly good humor because they let him alone.
Mr. Nicholas Jelnik dutifully put in his appearance after dinner.
The Author was balefully polite to him, Alicia shyly friendly. I had
on a new frock, and the knowledge that it was becoming gave me a
courage I should otherwise have lacked. A new frock, pink powder,
and a smile, have saved many a fainting feminine soul where prayer
and fasting had failed.
The gentleman who had blandly announced my engagement to himself
only last night assumed no airs of proprietorship, but was placidly
content to let me sit and talk to Mr. Johnson, who was holding forth
on the merits of our Rhode Island Reds as against either barred
Plymouth Rocks or White Leghorns, and the variety of vegetables and
small fruits in our kitchen-garden, so admirably planned by Schmetz,
so carefully and neighborly looked after both by him and Riedriech.
From gardens, Mr. Johnson went to cattle; he had a delight in cows,
and our cow was a Jersey with a cream-colored complexion, large
black eyes, and the sentimental temperament. We called her the
Kissing Cow, because she couldn't see the secretary without trying
to bestow upon him slobbering salutes.
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