Miss Benson, Mr. Eugene Whitney,
Tutor, Myself,
Boy, Boy,
Mrs. Hollenbeck.
The seat opposite me was not filled when we sat down.
"Where is Mr. Langenau, Charley?" said his mother.
"I'm sure I don't know, mamma," said Charley, applying himself to
marmalade.
"Charley doesn't see much of his tutor out of hours, I think," said Miss
Benson.
"A good deal too much of him in 'em," murmured Charley, between a
spoonful of marmalade and a drink of milk.
"Benny's the boy that loves his book," said Kilian; "he's the joy of his
tutor's heart, I know," at which there was a general laugh, and Benny,
the younger, looked up with a merry smile.
The Hollenbeck boys were not fond of study. They were healthy and
pretty; quite the reverse of intellectual; very fair and rosy, without
much resemblance to their mother or her brothers. It was evident the
acquisition of knowledge was far from being the principal pursuit of
their lives, and the tutor was looked upon as the natural enemy of
Charley, at the least.
"I don't see what you ever got him for, mamma," said Charley. "I'd study
just as much without him."
"And that wouldn't be pledging yourself to very much, would it, Charley
dear?"
"Wish he was back in Germany with his ugly books," cried Charley.
But--hush!--there was a sudden lull, as the tutor entered and took his
place by Charley. He was a well-made man, evidently about thirty. He was
so decidedly a gentleman, in manners and appearance, that even these
spoiled boys treated him respectfully, and the young ladies and
gentlemen at the table were more stiff than offensive in their manner.
But he was so evidently not one of them!
It is very disagreeable to be among people who know each other very
well, even if they try to know you very well and admit you to their
friendship. But I had no assurance that any one was trying to do this
for _me_, and I am afraid I showed very little inclination to be
admitted to their friendship. I could not talk, and I did not want to be
talked to. I was even afraid of the little boys, and thought all the
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