The Story Teller.

Wairoa Bell, Volume IV, Issue 145, 13 May 1892, Page 6

The Story Teller.

MANAGING MRS. ROCKTON

' Letty, my child,’ said Mrs Rockton, ‘you have let that cough run quite long enough. Tou must have it attended to, or the result may be serious. This very afternoon you will call upon Doctor Arnold.’ ‘ Oh, mamma ! ’ cried Letty, who had all a girl’s horror of doctors and medicine. ‘ Not another word, my dear. Go you must.’

So Letty went. Doctor Arnold was a young and and handsome physician. His practice was enormous. It was rumoured that he cleared 4000 dels, a month.

Now Mrs Rockton, being quite a diplomatist. sent her lovely daughter to the popular doctor, not alone that she might be cured of her cough, but that iio might fall in love with and marry her. This could by no means be numbeied among the impossibles : who could even say it was improbable ? Letty was certainly a very beautiful girl, and was as good as she was beautiful ; she charmed all who met her with her freshness and her grace. She lacked the subt ! ety of her mother, and the thought that Dr. Arnold might ever give her a moment’s consideration outside of business hours did nat trouble her one way or the other. She was eighteen, and had quite decided not to marry before she was twenty-five. Doctor Arnold had his offices in a great tall, thin-looking structure, which looked like a very slim giant. His rooms were on the fourth floor ; to reach them it was necessary to take the elevator, Letty did so. Now the elevator in this particular building ran at quite an amazing rate of speed ; when it started the shock almost took the girl’s breath away. She screamed and clutched the coat of a person standing near. This happened to be the young man who ran the elevator.

‘ Don’t be afraid, madam,’ he said with a pleasant smile and well modulated tones quite unusual with one of Lis class, ‘ there’s no danger , ‘ It went so suddenly.’ gasped Letty. ‘ And can be stopped as easily and quickly.’ Letty said nothing more, hut found herself observing the face of the young man very closely—so closely, indeed, that although he seemed unconscious of her scrutiny, she blushed. He was very handsome, not over twenty, with curly hair aud dark eyes—just her ideal hero. ‘ What floor, please?’ asked the young man.

‘ Fourth,’ answered Letty, She saw the doctor, then went down on the elevator, and bad another brief chat with the pleasant youth in possession. When Letty reached home her mother asked ;

‘ Well, did you see the doctor ?’ ‘ Oh, yes,’ she carelessly answered, ‘ And—and what did he say ?’ ‘ Why,’ said Letty, ‘ a great many things.’ * But for instance ?’ ‘ Well, he asked what my symptoms were?’ ‘ Nothing else ?’ ‘ He told me to come again. ‘ Ah !’ said Mrs Rockton with a sigh of satisfaction, never pausing to reflect lhai this was the most natural thing in the world. Doctor Arnold would be a magician indeed could lie cure his patients during one visit. Mrs Rockton was rejoiced to perceive that Letty made no further objection to visiting her physician. But after the girl had continued under treatment for about three months, her mother’s brain refused longer to endure the strain placed upon it, and she felt that she must either catechise her daughter or die. She chose the former course. Accordingly one day, soon after Letty had returned from the physician’s, Mrs Rockton said suddenly,— 1 Lettyq is Doctor Arnold in love with you ? ’ The girl laughed. > What a question ! ’ she said. t Jtut,’ insisted Mrs Rockton, ‘ don’t yen think he n'5Y be ? ’ < No,’ said flat bfi ‘ 1 don’t.’ Mrs Rockton was disappointed, but did not despair, ‘ At any rate,’ she observed com’^ ‘ he must admire your beauty,’ Letty tossed her curls.

‘ I don’t believe it,’ she declared. ! At all events, I don’t want him to.’ ‘ Letty ! ’ ‘ Well ? ’ I Do you know Doctor Arnold is very rich ? ’

‘ I don’t care ; I don’t like him,’ ‘ Well,’ cried Mrs Rockton testily, • you have seemed to enjoy yonr visits to his office.’ At this Letty blushed and hung her pretty head. ‘l—l have eared nothing about seeing 7iim,’ she faltered. Mrs Rockton bounded from her chair as if she had been shot. ‘ Lettv,’ she cried hysterically, 1 don’t — oil ! don’t tell me that you have been carrying on a secret flirtation— my child, my child ! ’ ‘ Don’t be silly, mamma ; you know I have too much self-respect for that. But surely there is no harm in answering a polite question now and then.’ Mrs. Rockton gulped down her emotion and said with desperate emotion ‘ That depends upon who asks it, child. Was it ’ —in a deep voice—‘ a man ? ’ ‘ Y es,’ said Lettyq blushing again, ‘ and a very handsome one.’ Mrs Rockton suddenly became stonily calm. She was too cautious a woman to oppose her daughter’s evident predilection, knowing the force of opposition. If this man should be el.gible, anti good. If not —she compressed her lips and said liaifsarcastically—

‘Who is the handsome questioner, Letty?’ The gentleman who runs the elevator in the Doctor’s office,’ was the unexpected reply. ‘ The gentleman ! ’ exclaimed Mrs Rockton, excitedly'. ‘ Tc-s, mamma ; I know a gentleman when I see him,’ said Letty, calmly, ‘ and he is one from the crown of his head to the sole of bis foot,’ Mrs Rockton was a shrewd woman, but all her shrewdness was unavailing to keep .Letty from holding clandestine meetings with her now acknowledged lover- So she decided to banish the wayward girl for a while, and with this idea sent her across the bay to Oakland, for the ostensible purpose of visiting relatives there. Behold Letty, then, one fine morning, upon the staunch little ferry boat, Piedmont, looking as blithe and gay as a girl could look, and not at all like an unhappy young woman about to be separated from her lover by a considerable extent of water, ‘ Dong ! dong ! ’ sounded the heavy gong from the engine room, and the boat was off.

Hardly had it left the pier when a very handsome and well dressed young man strolled up to Letty and sat down beside her. The girl gave a little gurgle of delight.

‘ Oh is it you, George ? ’ she said. ‘ Yes,’ answered George, fervently but uugramatically, ‘ it’s me,’ ‘ How did you ever get away?’ But to this George only nodded mysteriously-

Then the conversation was carried on in a whisper. Letty was very 7 much interested in what her companion said, and once or twice clapped her hands joyously. She sprang suddenly to her feet. The swell from a passing steamer struck the Piedmont at this moment ; she careened slightly windward, and Letty 7, with a scream, lost her balance and went over the railing into the water

All was confusion in an instant, passengers crowding, the captain shouling, gongs sounding. Someone shouted ‘ Man overboard !’ which was a slight mistake, but served tin 7 purpose nevertheless, and gave the puzzled pilot a clue to what the trouble was. The great, paddle wheels boat bask the water, and tin; boat began to lose headway.

In the midst of all this confusion George had quickly thrown off 1 1 is coat and shoes. He leaped upon the railing, stood a mo rnent. then dropped from die high upper deck. He struck the water fairly 7, a murmur of approbation went up, for it was a pretty dive. When George reached the surface he was a good many rods distant from the steamer, for lie could swim expertly under water. Letty was not far from him, struggling wildly. A few powerful strokes and he reached her. Breathing into her ear a caution not to touch him, he passed one arm around her waist and kept himself afloat v jGb. jhe other. Presently they were picked

up by the steamer’s boat, and placed on board the Piedmont but little the worse for their ducking.

George was hurried to the engine room, where his clothes were dried before a roaring blaze ; Letty to the ladies’ cabiu, and there accommodated with a temporary 7 change of apparel. They both appeared on deck at about the same time ; George was cheered for a hero anil solicited for a speech, which lie refused to deliver. He and Letty were the first to leave the boat when itmade the Oakland landing, and they dodged frantically through the crowd in an unsuccessful effort to escape observation. The next morning Mrs Rockton read in the papeis a glowing account of her daughter’s accident and rescue. Her first thought was of gratitude for Letty’s safety : the second, to wonder as to the name and station of her deliverer.

As she stood lost in thought the bell was rung. She opened the door herself, and Letty instantly 7 fell upon her neck. Mrs Rockton, though surprised, embraced her with many protestations of affection. Presently she became conscious that there was a. third party present. —a young man whose appearance denoted gentle breeding, ‘ Letty,’ whispered Mrs Rockton, ‘ who is that ?’ 1 Oh, ves, mamma,’ said Letty, aloud. 1 I forgot, finis is Mr Felton. Ue jumped overboard after me.’ Upon this Mrs Rockton fell upon George's neck—George and Mr Felton were one and the same person -and shed tears, ‘ Young man,’ she soobed, 1 you have placed me under lile-Jong obligations.’ ‘ Not at nil,’ said George, blushing, and very much embarrassed. ‘ Any man would have done the same.’ But Mrs Rockton hardly heard the remark, for she was busy 7 catechising her daughter in an undertone ‘ Letty, is lie rich V she muttered. ‘ I don’t suppose- so, mamma,’ that young lady calmly answered. ‘ He runs an elevator, y 7 ou know.’ Mrs Bockton’s manner changed with amazing rapidity. Iter nose went up and her brows came down, and she glowered fiercely 7 at the unfortunate youth, who was happily unconscious of having given offence, intentionally or otherwise. From affability Mrs Rockton’s manner changed to stony politeness. ■ Wun’t you walk into the drawingroom ?’ she said in a hard voice. ‘ Thank you,’ answered George, and promptly did bo. He and Letty then entered the parlour, while Mrs Rockton departed in search of her better half. Presently she returned, accompanied by Mr Rockton, a bustling individual, with a face almost as shiny as his head, which being very bald, was glossy 7 to a remarkable degree. He gave iris hand to George, and in a few words thanked the young man for preserving Letty’s life. George bowed. • And now,’ said Mr Rockton, taking out his purse, ‘ if there is any possible way in which I can reward von, 1 ’ Letty gave a little scream. ‘ O papa. !’ she <*ried ‘ Excuse me, sir,’ said the voting man, now perfectly self-possessed, ‘ There is but one thing in the world which you are able to give and I to take.’ ‘ And that is ’ ‘ Your daughter.’ Mrs Rockton shrieked and fell fainting into a chair ; but nobody 7 pail any attention to her. ‘ Young man,’ said Mr Rockton, after a moment of stupefaction, ‘ don’t you think you are asking- a good deal V * Yes, sir,’ answered George, with an admiring look at Letty. • But I saved Miss Rockton’s life ; by the law of morality and right that life should belong- to me.’ The logic of this argument struck Rockton at first forcibly 7, then ludicrously 7. He laughed. ‘ Well, well,’ he said good-naturedly. ‘ We’ll see.’ 5 Silas,’ groaned Mrs Bock ton in an awful voice, £ he careful.’ Mr Rockton nodded, then asked his daughter’s bold suitor—--1 Who is your father, and what are your prospects ?’ George’s answer electrified them all. ‘ My father,’ he coolly replied, ‘ is dames Felton, the millionaire My income is five thousand dollars a year, to bo increased to ten when I marry.’ Letty. who had been standing beside her

lowr, turned so white at this that lie feared she was about to faint. But she did not. ‘ My son !’ cried Mrs Rockton, rushing forward and embracing him most forcibly. Mr Rockton was not so easily convinced as were ins womankind, £ But,’ he demurred, ‘my daughter savs you are running an elevator. How is that ?’ 5 She makes a mistake, sir. I have abandoned my torty calling.’ ‘ But why did you engage it ?’ The young man flushed as lie answered—‘"i ou are entitled to an explanation, which 1 will give. For a year past 1 have been a victim to the cigarette habit. My parents tried every means possible to cure me, hut were unsuc:essfnl. At length, perceiving that T was growing weak and ill, I resolved to t-i:ce t.h-* matter into my own hands and effect a cure, I conceived the novel project of obtaining employment as an elevator boy, m which position I knew it would be impossible for me to smoke. With my father’s help I carried out this idea. Now, at the end of six months the craving of cigarettes has left me. Considering myself cured, I have resigned my position.’ Taking Letty by the hand, Mr Rockton solemnly placed her in George s arms., ‘ May you be happy, ray children,’ he said, wiping his eyes. And Mrs Rockton looked fondly on, quite satisfied with the proceedings. The wedding between George Felton and Letty Rockton is announced for week afte next.