CHAPTER 1
QUITE A YOUNG GIRL
Mr Salteena was an elderly man of 42 and was fond of asking peaple to
stay with him. He had quite a young girl staying with him of 17 named
Ethel Monticue. Mr Salteena had dark short hair and mustache and
wiskers which were very black and twisty. He was middle sized and he
had very pale blue eyes. He had a pale brown suit but on Sundays he
had a black one and he had a topper every day as he thorght it more
becoming. Ethel Monticue had fair hair done on the top and blue eyes.
She had a blue velvit frock which had grown rarther short in the
sleeves. She had a black straw hat and kid gloves.
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One morning Mr Salteena came down to brekfast and found Ethel had come
down first which was strange. Is the tea made Ethel he said rubbing
his hands. Yes said Ethel and such a quear shaped parcel has come for
you Yes indeed it was a quear shape parcel it was a hat box tied down
very tight and a letter stuffed between the string. Well well said Mr
Salteena parcels do turn quear I will read the letter first and so
saying he tore open the letter and this is what it said
My dear Alfred.
I want you to come for a stop with me so I have sent you a top hat
wraped up in tishu paper inside the box. Will you wear it staying
with me because it is very uncommon. Please bring one of your young
ladies whichever is the prettiest in the face.
I remain Yours truely
Bernard Clark.
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Well said Mr Salteena I shall take you to stay Ethel and fancy him
sending me a top hat. Then Mr S. opened the box and there lay the most
splendid top hat of a lovly rich tone rarther like grapes with a
ribbon round compleat.
Well said Mr Salteena peevishly I dont know if I shall like it the bow
of the ribbon is too flighty for my age. Then he sat down and eat the
egg which Ethel had so kindly laid for him. After he had finished his
meal he got down and began to write to Bernard Clark he ran up stairs
on his fat legs and took out his blotter with a loud sniff and this is
what he wrote
My dear Bernard
Certinly I shall come and stay with you next Monday I will bring
Ethel Monticue commonly called Miss M. She is very active and
pretty. I do hope I shall enjoy myself with you. I am fond of
digging in the garden and I am parshial to ladies if [Pg 26] they
are nice I suppose it is my nature. I am not quite a gentleman but
you would hardly notice it but cant be helped anyhow. We will come
by the 3-15.
Your old and valud friend
Alfred Salteena.
Perhaps my readers will be wondering why Bernard Clark had asked Mr
Salteena to stay with him. He was a lonely man in a remote spot and he
liked peaple and partys but he did not know many. What rot muttered
Bernard Clark as he read Mr Salteenas letter. He was rarther a
presumshious man.
[Illustration: THE FIRST PAGE OF THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT]
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