Before taking his leave, the colonel delivered
himself of an invitation as if he were issuing a general order.
Miss Daw has a few friends coming, at 4 p.m., to play croquet on
the lawn (parade-ground) and have tea (cold rations) on the piazza.
Will we honor them with our company? (or be sent to the guard-
house.) My father declines on the plea of ill-health. My father's
son bows with as much suavity as he knows, and accepts.
In my next I shall have something to tell you. I shall have seen
the little beauty face to face. I have a presentiment, Jack, that
this Daw is a rara avis! Keep up your spirits, my boy, until I
write you another letter--and send me along word how's your leg.
V.
EDWARD DELANEY TO JOHN FLEMMING.
August 13, 1872.
The party, my dear Jack, was as dreary as possible. A lieutenant of
the navy, the rector of the Episcopal Church at Stillwater, and a
society swell from Nahant. The lieutenant looked as if he had
swallowed a couple of his buttons, and found the bullion rather
indigestible; the rector was a pensive youth, of the daffydowndilly
sort; and the swell from Nahant was a very weak tidal wave indeed.
The women were much better, as they always are; the two Miss
Kingsburys of Philadelphia, staying at the Seashell House, two
bright and engaging girls. But Marjorie Daw!
The company broke up soon after tea, and I remained to smoke a
cigar with the colonel on the piazza.
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