you doing, young man??
” ‘Sleeping I dreamed, love, dreamed, love, of thee,’ ” began
Charlie, but Rose cut him short by saying as reproachfully as she
could, while the culprit stood regarding her with placid
satisfaction: “You ought to have been up and at work like the rest
of the boys. I felt like a drone in a hive of very busy bees when I
saw them all hurrying off to their business.?
“But, my dear girl, I’ve got no business. I’m making up my mind,
you see, and do the ornamental while I’m deciding. There always
ought to be one gentleman in a family, and that seems to be rather
my line,” answered Charlie, posing for the character with an
assumption of languid elegance which would have been very
effective if his twinkling eyes had not spoilt it.
“There are none but gentlemen in our family, I hope,” answered
Rose, with the proud air she always wore when anything was said
derogatory to the name of Campbell.
“Of course, of course. I should have said gentleman of leisure. You
see it is against my principles to slave as Archie does. What’s the
use? Don’t need the money, got plenty, so why not enjoy it and
keep jolly as long as possible? I’m sure cheerful people are public
benefactors in this world of woe.?
It was not easy to object to this proposition, especially when made
by a comely young man who looked the picture of health and
happiness as he sat on the arm of the sofa smiling at his cousin in
the most engaging manner. Rose knew very well that the
Epicurean philosophy was not the true one to begin life upon, but
it was difficult to reason with Charlie because he always dodged
sober subjects and was so full of cheery spirits, one hated to lessen
the sort of sunshine which certainly is a public benefactor.
“You have such a clever way of putting things that I don’t know
how to contradict you, though I still think I’m right,” she said
gravely. “Mac likes to idle as well as you, but he is not going to do
it because he knows it’s bad for him to fritter away his time. He is
going to study a profession like a wise boy, though he would much
prefer to live among his beloved books or ride his hobbies in
peace.?
“That’s all very well for him, because he doesn’t care for society
and may as well be studying medicine as philandering about the
woods with his pockets full of musty philosophers and
old-fashioned poets,” answered Charlie with a shrug which plainly
expressed his opinion of Mac.
“I wonder if musty philosophers, like Socrates and Aristotle, and
old-fashioned poets, like Shakespeare and Milton, are not safer
company for him to keep than some of the more modern friends
you have?” said Rose, remembering Jamie’s hints about wild oats,
for she could be a little sharp sometimes and had not lectured “the
boys” for so long it seemed unusually pleasant.
But Charlie changed the subject skillfully by exclaiming with an
anxious expression: “I do believe you are going to be like Aunt
Jane, for that’s just the way she comes down on me whenever she
gets the chance! Don’t take her for a model, I beg she is a good
woman but a mighty disagreeable one in my humble opinion.?
The fear of being disagreeable is a great bugbear to a girl, as this
artful young man well knew, and Rose fell into the trap at once,
for Aunt Jane was far from being her model, though she could not
help respecting her worth.
“Have you given up your painting?” she asked rather abruptly,
turning to a gilded Fra Angelico angel which leaned in the sofa
corner.
“Sweetest face I ever saw, and very like you about the eyes, isn’t
it?” said Charlie, who seemed to have a Yankee trick of replying to
one question with another.
“I want an answer, not a compliment,” and Rose tried to look
severe as she put away the picture more quickly than she had taken
it up.
“Have I given up painting? Oh, no! I daub a little in oils, slop a