What a delightful thing is a romp in the country, when you can make just as much noise as you please, and no one will care; when there is no nervous old lady over the way, to send over and beg that you be more quiet, as she has the headache; no simple minded policemen, to knock at the door and inquire if there is a fire; no next door neighbor to present you as a nuisance!
We fully enjoyed the rural privilege, and the old clock in the corner had rung out its warning many times unheeded, when our games were broken up, as far as the ladies were concerned, by the entrance of a bat, for there are few things they are more genuinely afraid of than a little leather-wing. Like the eyes of a well executed portrait, the bat seems to follow you wherever you crouch in the room, and dips with regular precision and nicety of distance at your head, however low you bow it. Verily, the woman who can stand the flutter of its dusky wings is a heroine, beside whom Daemeneta is insignificant! A broom and pair of tongs soon secured its expulsion, and allowed Carlotta and Lulie to return to the room. Taking up the lamp, and looking at the clock in the sitting room, we found it late, and, bidding each other “good night,” we went to our rooms.
“John,” said Frank, pushing off one boot with the toe of his other, “Miss Rurleston is your sister now, I know, but you must excuse me for saying she is superb. I’ll sw—— vow her eyes set me crazy. Lulie ain’t a whiff to her. By the way,” he continued, getting up in his stocking feet and shirt sleeves to stand before the mirror, while he took off his collar and tie, “I wonder what put the little goose into the notion of going home?”
“Frank,” said Ned, from the bed, where he had thrown himself, half undressed, to cool off, “if you do claim Lulie as your sweetheart, you shan’t speak of her so disrespectfully. She is an old friend of mine, and I will defend her from any such epithets.”
“Well, parson,” returned Frank, sitting down on the other bed, “I will call her the madam, or her highness, if you desire, but I do think it is confounded shabby in her to leave us now. I’ll make up for it with the black eyes, though. Excuse me again, ‘brother’ John.”
I felt that I could not trust myself to reply, and there was a silence for a few minutes, during which Ned yawned, and slided off the bed to his knees to say his prayers.
“Oh, John, I forgot to tell you,” said Frank, “that long, tow-headed booby, who was here this evening, said he had a fine place for fishing to-morrow, and we promised to go with him, if it did not conflict with any of your plans.”
“Not at all,” said I, “but I must go down and tell mother, that she may have breakfast early.”
“No; she already knows about it, and promised to have us up at sunrise.”
“Of course, I am in for anything you all say.”