Peter Pert's Outings (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1891. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER IV. THE change of scene from country farmhouses to the accompaniments of a summer resort of the magnitude of this rather awed and embarrassed Peter, and a new dignity seemed to envelop his acts as he assisted Prella to alight, making him forget to caution her about the care of her gown, as he usually did under all circumstances. Two immense pavilions, freshly painted and set like huge carbuncles in the midst of great clusters of smaller brilliants, stood in the center of gorgeous beds of foliage and flowers, with winding walks of gravel leading all about them. Music from the nearest pavilion filled the air. Walking farther on they found, near the water's edge, at the end of a long platform, an empty pagoda, "for the use of the band," Peter suggested. Mr. and Mrs. Pert were so engrossed with all this very summery architecture, these very gay flower-beds amid white walks and green grassy plots, that they did not observe a cloud which was creeping over the sun, and were not apprised of the fact in any way until the cloud itself sent down a shower of liquid drops, not as blue as the sheeny lake, but quite as watery as these two people, on pleasure bent, cared to have fall upon them, even direct from the sky; and before they could reach the empty pagoda and take possession both were liberally sprinkled, and Mrs. Pert's neat India silk was drabbled to that extent that Peter, in cautioning her to take care of the dress, forgot his own coat and hat as well as hers, and held the new sun-umbrella mostly over the gravel walk. But Peter's spirits were not to be dampened by a few rain-drops, neither were those of Prella, and they forgot all about the discomforts of the drenching as they watched all that took place around them. To prevent the rain from still re...