Page:Quits - Abbie Farwell Brown.djvu/8

8. Ah, you are both from Harvard? Why, I wonder if you do not know the two young gentlemen whom I expect here to-night, the relatives of two others of pupils—Miss Goldthwaite and Miss Courtenay—their brothers? They are from your university also.

. Never heard of them.

. We are not acquainted with many of the upper class men. We are only freshmen ourselves.

. Ah, I thought so. (Boys look angry.) Well, I daresay these men are not particularly well known in your college or you would have heard their names. I daresay they are very ordinary, like most young men; in fact, I am sure of it, though their sisters are extremely bright girls. (Boys bow stiffly.) I shall take pleasure in introducing your felow-students to you this evening when I have met them also. It is of them, in fact, that I shall desire to speak with you tomorrow in connection your sisters' correspondence. (Boys make signs of woe to one another.)

(weakly). What? Our sisters?

. (sarcastically). Oh, naturally you are unconscious of their transgressions. They probably did not see ﬁt to inform you of their unladylike behavior. However, I will not consider this subject with you at present. I am too much occupied with other matters this afternoon, and wish to preserve my composure for this evening. I shall request your presence with your young relatives at my study early to-morrow forenoon. I will bid you good-evening, now, young gentlemen.

(Exit with low brow, C. As she goes out, drops box of rouge from her pocket, which  picks up.)

. Hello, the old lady has lost something. (Examines it curiously.) What is it, anyway-snuff?

. The deuce—no, it's rouge; and a good one on the griffin too, by Jove.

. So the old lady indulges, does she? I thought so from the complexion of her nose. But, holy smoke, old man! what’s to be done now? Here’s a double mess. (Contemplates the rouge sadly.)

. The only thing to be done is to keep Gladys and Kit from introducing us to Miss Griﬁin to-night under our real names, or we are all done for.

. That's so. (Puts rouge in his pocket.) If she gets too fresh, I'll just show her this. But first we must see Mabel and Emma, and consult with them. It won't do to go stumbling along in the dark without even having seen our hypothetical relatives.

. (laughing). Gad! Mabel "strongly resembles you, must be the mouth."

. Don't you talk. How about your pretty sister who is fortunate enough to be entirely unlike you, eh?

. Thought we looked like freshmen! Daresay we don't