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"George Washington’s" Last Duel
by
Margaret nodded brightly.
“I bet my horse she wears iron-gray curls, caught on the side of her head with tucking combs!”
“She does,” declared Margaret, her eyes dancing.
“And has a long nose–red at the end.”
“Uncle, you have seen her. I know you have seen her,” asserted Margaret, laughing up at him. “You have her very picture.”
The Major groaned, and vowed that he would never survive it, and that Margaret would go down to history as the slayer of her uncle.
“I have selected my place in the graveyard,” he said, with a mournful shake of the head. “Put me close to the fence behind the raspberry thicket, where I shall be secure. Tell her there are snakes there.”
“But, uncle, she is as good as gold,” declared Margaret; “she is always doing good,–I believe she thinks it her mission to save the world.”
The Major burst out, “That’s part of this modern devilment of substituting humanitarianism for Christianity. Next thing they’ll be wanting to abolish hell!”
The Major was so impressed with his peril that when Jeff, who had galloped over “for a little while,” entered, announced with great ceremony by George Washington, he poured out all his apprehensions into his sympathetic ear, and it was only when he began to rally Jeff on the chance of his becoming a victim to Miss Endicott’s charms, that Margaret interfered so far as to say, that Rose had any number of lovers, and one of them was “an awfully nice fellow, handsome and rich and all that.” She wished “some one” would invite him down to pay a visit in the neighborhood, for she was “afraid Rose would find it dreadfully dull in the country.” The Major announced that he would himself make love to her; but both Margaret and Jeff declared that Providence manifestly intended him for Miss Jemima. He then suggested that Miss Endicott’s friend be invited to come with her, but Margaret did not think that would do.
“What is the name of this Paragon?” inquired Jeff.
Margaret gave his name. “Mr. Lawrence–Pickering Lawrence.”
“Why, I know him, ‘Pick Lawrence.’ We were college-mates, class-mates. He used to be in love with somebody up at his home then; but I never identified her with your friend. We were great cronies at the University. He was going to be a lawyer; but I believe somebody died and he came into a fortune.” This history did not appear to surprise Margaret as much as might have been expected, and she said nothing more about him.
About a week later Jeff took occasion to ride over to tea, and announced that his friend Mr. Lawrence had promised to run down and spend a few weeks with him. Margaret looked so pleased and dwelt so much on the alleged charms of the expected guest that Jeff, with a pang of jealousy, suddenly asserted that he “didn’t think so much of Lawrence,” that he was one of those fellows who always pretended to be very much in love with somebody, and was “always changing his clothes.”
“That’s what girls like,” said Margaret, decisively; and this was all the thanks Jeff received.
II.
There was immense excitement at the Towers next day when the visitors were expected. The Major took twice his usual period to dress; George Washington with a view to steadying his nerves braced them so tight that he had great difficulty in maintaining his equipoise, and even Margaret herself was in a flutter quite unusual to one so self-possessed as she generally was. When, however, the carriage drove up to the door, the Major, with Margaret a little in advance, met the visitors at the steps in all the glory of new blue broadcloth and flowered velvet. Sir Charles Grandison could not have been more elegant, nor Sir Roger more gracious. Behind him yet grander stood George–George Washington–his master’s fac-simile in ebony down to the bandanna handkerchief and the trick of waving the right hand in a flowing curve. It was perhaps this spectacle which saved the Major, for Miss Jemima was so overwhelmed by George Washington’s portentous dignity that she exhibited sufficient humility to place the Major immediately at his ease, and from this time Miss Jemima was at a disadvantage, and the Major felt that he was master of the situation.