LIVING BACKWARDS 



my candle out. Then I went outside, and walked 

 up and down like a sentry, and tried to picture 

 to myself what the gay world was doing at that 

 lively hour. Well Tillotson was playing bill 

 iards at the University Club ; Bannister would be 

 eating a late dinner with the Farnsworth, and she 

 would ask him between sips, &quot;What do you sup 

 pose ever became of your friend ? &quot; and Bannister 

 would whistle me down the wind lightly, saying, 

 &quot; Oh, his accounts were all right. He slipped 

 off to Europe for his health.&quot; And that would 

 dispose of me. But the Farnsworth s little mauve 

 letter was lying in there on the table under the 

 chintz curtain. Confound her ! I had not 

 opened it. Oh, I ve got some sand blast that 

 whippoorwill ! It must have been twelve o clock 

 when I concluded to try the bed, and it was cer 

 tainly two o clock in the morning before I went 

 to sleep. And then up rose Griselle, with her 

 muslin. She must have been hanging around 

 the place all night, for I could swear that no 

 sooner had I got my eyes closed than she began 

 to clatter in the kitchen. She even went so far as 

 to sing &quot; The Sweet By and By.&quot; Just as I had 

 got the two pillows muffled round my ears, Charlie 

 was pulling at my arm. &quot; Papa, get up get up. 

 Griselle wants to get the breakfast.&quot; 



I must have growled like the captain of a tug, 

 but it was six o clock, and it slowly dawned upon 

 me that that young ruffian had been up an hour. 

 I went out in the shed and reprimanded myself 

 quietly. &quot; How do you like it ? &quot; I said, as I 



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