A Western Wildflower Volume 2 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1882 edition. Excerpt: ... and Eanswith's duet he burst out into a loud "guffaw" of laughter and then instantly subsided with his head in his arms. It was quite contrary to his usual custom to stay in the drawing-room in the evening, and Joyce puzzled herself in trying to find out what made him do it. Apparently it was for the pleasure of watching her, for whenever she looked at him she found his eyes full upon her, and that he was undergoing the most frightful contortions to keep from making another outbreak of mirth. "What is the matter?" she whispered to him, as she came and sat beside him in a noisy part of the duet; being answered only by a sniggle that caused the Archdeacon to look up quickly from his book and say, "Hush--sh " she dared not ask him anything more. "Come downstairs," he said to her presently. "Oh, my eye, it will kill me " She slipped out after him as quietly as possible, and they went into the empty dining-room, and Robert shut the door. It was almost dark there, and they could barely see each other's faces. Robert's first performance was to hug his head with his arms and give vent to a long series of chokes supposed by Joyce to be suppressed laughter, and he then further mystified her by standing on one leg and giving a series of the most extraordinary hops; after which his excitement abated a little, and he sat on the edge of the table and began to unfold his views to his cousin. "It's the primest lark that ever was," he said, still on the broad grin. "Oh, my eye, how splendid it's all turned out I never saw such a game. I say, Joyce, you'll let us have a mount, won't you? You were always a jolly one " "Have a mount?" said Joyce; "what do you mean?" "Mean Oh, come, that's rich--that's good, that is, at this time of day, asking me what I...