Bad Hugh
Page 87In spite of the look of entreaty visible on Mrs. Worthington's face,
'Lina said: "To be candid with you, Miss Johnson, I'm afraid you won't like Hugh. He
has many good traits, but I am sorry to say we have never succeeded in
cultivating him one particle, so that he is very rough and boorish in
his manner, and will undoubtedly strike you unfavorably. I may as well
tell you this, as you will probably hear it from Ellen Tiffton, and must
know it when you see him. He is not popular with the ladies; he hates
them all, he says. Mother, Loo-loo, come," and breaking off from her
very sisterly remarks concerning Hugh, 'Lina sprang up in terror as a
large beetle, attracted by the light, fastened itself upon her hair.
Mrs. Worthington was the first to the rescue, while Lulu, who had
listened with flashing eye when Hugh was the subject of remark, came
bad, and we blacks would die for him any day."
Alice was confounded at this flat contradiction between mistress and
servant, while a faint glimmer of the truth began to dawn upon her. The
"horn-bug" being disposed of, 'Lina became quiet, and might, perhaps,
have taken up Hugh again, but for a timely interruption in the shape of
Irving Stanley, who had walked up to the Columbian, and seeing 'Lina and
her mother through the window, sauntered leisurely into the parlor.
"Ah, Mr. Stanley," and 'Lina half arose from her chair, thus intimating
that he was to join them. "Miss Johnson, Mr. Stanley," and 'Lina watched
them closely.
"You have positively been smitten by Miss Johnson's pretty face," said
Irving to go after his accustomed glasses of water, and 'Lina to seek
out Dr. Richards in the parlor. "Yes, I know you are smitten, and
inasmuch as we are cousins, I shall expect to see you at Spring Bank
some day not far in the future."
"It is quite probable you will," was Irving's reply, as he walked away,
his head and heart full of Alice Johnson.
Meantime "Mrs. Worthington, daughter and servant," had entered the still
crowded parlors, where Mrs. Richards sat fanning herself industriously,
and watching her John with motherly interest as he sauntered from one
group of ladies to another, wondering what made Saratoga so dull, and
where Miss Worthington had gone. It is not to be supposed that Dr.
simply her immense figure he admired, and as, during the evening he had
heard on good authority that said figure was made up mostly of cotton
growing on some Southern field, the exact locality of which his
informant did not know, he had decided that, of course, Miss 'Lina's
fortune was over-estimated. Such things always were, but still she must
be wealthy. He had no doubt of that, and he might as well devote himself
to her as to wait for some one else. Accordingly the moment he spied her
in the crowd he joined her, asking if they should not take a little turn
up and down the piazza."