Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-08-18
SPADES ARE TRUMPS.

SPADES ARE TRUMPS.
Il wonder said Mr.. Reginald Lay.
ton, Of her Msiesty's Stamp and Pint
Office, rs he leaned back in the irst.class
carriage, and pulled his silky brown
wniskers with lovely eare-aI wonder
what this heiress and beauty is like, and
how far the government interest well &C
against the agricultural p
What q confident follow you are, Reg.
gle! : said his sdmiriBg junior in the OF
flee, Mr.. Clarence West, rs he pulled al
a huge HAVANA with the double zsst Of
doing baccy' and breaking the byelaws
Confident yawned Layton. any
dear Clarence. you forget that I'm rather
~hackneyed."
This was not untrue. Layton's hand
some face polished manners, perfect ed
u~cstion and a post Of eco a year rising
every year., gave him eatree into many
good houses where there were younger
daughters.
Clarence West had brought his friend
tfor whom, as q senior man of fashion and
authority in the Office, he Ind the great
est veneration) to spend a vacation at
his fathers house. Mr. West was an old
fashioned but well-bred squire, with an
cestral acres worth $1,000 Il year. Clar-
enc his youngest son, had been secured p
Treasury birth through the family inter
est.
i Shooting party were staying at Lin-
wood, Mr. Vests place; and to meet
them, some Of the most eminent mothers
and fairest daughters of the country were
at the house also.
Mrs. Ongar, Of Ongar, was there. with
her neice and presumed heiress, Laura
Ongar-a brilliant eyed, chestnut haired,
rich complexioned beauty o. nineteen,
who had been the object Of many bache-
Tors, admiration, and who had disdain-
fully refused all. Whether her chief at
traction lay in her beauty. her wit, or her
chance Of $4,000 per annum, / know not ;
but assuredly she was a queen in the
county squirearchy's eyes-or in those Of
his sons rather.
Clarence Vests visitors were school
fellows and particular friends of Laura,
and she frequently stayed with them BY
reason whereof, the Vests house became
a place to get invited to which was the
object Of many stratagems-generalIy,
from Mr.. Vests hospitable nature, sue
cessful ones.
Reginald Layton was appearing at his
friends home for the first time and as
Clarence, for whom he really had a lik-
ing had told him for weeks before of the
sensation Miss. Ongar was to make aud
her number of ~suitors, he had at last
reused the blaze and confident {" Treas
uery man into real earnest; the more so
that Layton was thinking 0 fsettling down
mstrimOny, with an ACCOMPLISHED,
handsome and wealthy wife. Of his own
success he had little doubt. He was
handsome, well bred, and had the
polish of superficial accomplishments. As
to depth Of thought, or sterling virtues,
he had never troubled himself on the
constitutional, albeit selfish good
humour and lazy patronage had made him
a nigh authority IN simple-minded, hon
est Clarence Vests eyes.
arrived at the station, the friends en-
tered a neat dcg-eart, which was waiting,
and we're quickly deposited at the door Of
LinwOod House, an Eiizabethian man
sion, standing ina nice park, and shaded
by beech trees. They had scarcely time
dress for dinner, and did not, therefore,
in contact with their fellow inmates
until all met in the drawing-room before
dinner.
Laura O1gar-a brilliant eyed beauty. |
4 mass Of golden hair rounded on
lcr white neck, sat on II sofa, before
which stood two or three of the men who
we're staying, with an air ofdeyotion plain
showing that Miss Ongar was the queen
If the ROOM. She received their homage
with careless haughtiness and grace com
9ined, and her witty speeches contrasted
ayorably with the tritc inanities the va
ious squires were uttering. We say
quires, for the visitors mostly consisted
# men in the neighborhcoI, good. we'll
,red, hard-riding, and, often. shooting
men but still "a class which clung 10
Is W locality, and rarely visited Lon
lon.
Layton was introduced to Laura, and
Don installed himself n her good graces
with the easy manner of q man Of the
world. The envy Of those around was
concealed least of ell, by Miles
courtney, a young, fresh-colored Hercu-
o of an old proprietor in the dis
~. III y q VA AiuElL SpbAL etildu Nltl . ]
agriculturist, and withal, q kind
oarted, true pFineipled fellow. His
iults were hastiness of temper and a
light nervousness, which made him APP
ear rude and clumsy when trying his
est to please.
AT dinner, Mr.. Layton, through Mrs.
Vests obedience to Clarence's request,
Miss Ongar's partner distinction
-hich made him the subject of much
lvy. He tried his best to please, while
ourtney, who sat near, was very sulky,
itnout the facility Of hiding his sulki-
Miss 0ngar, who eVinced {. certain
King for him, rallied him two or three
mes, while, with the fact Of a pretty
RI, she favored Layton with her attcn-
)n-
The ladies having retired, the CONVEX
ton turned OF shooting. LoytoD, who
As q very good shot with the pistol, mer-
eel that he h d praeticed the old feat
splitting a bullet on q penknife.
rather rudely said he could do A.,
Is Ultimately atrial of skill was re- :
we'd on, and the two men on leaving
9 dining room cordially disliked each
ler.
the drawing-Toom Layton was
med over 10 Miss Ongar's music. Clar-
ice a ked his friend to sing, which he =
in q fair tenor voice. Courtney, who
S q capital tenor in a Duet, was asked
form III one with Miss ODgar, but !
dly refused. y
rhe young lady's eye rested on him CT
d an amused expression, and then Y
need a. Layton, on whose lip was q - y
.pable sheer. Apparently unconscious, %
commenced a discussion with him on {.
new opera, which was listened to
y grimly by Miles Courtney, who
ned over the pages of a book very If :
Mrs. West and Clarence OBJ u
7ed the dialogue, and smiled signif-
tly, net without q touch of pity on !
5. Vests part for Courtney, who was Jor
Of her favorites. I
n the smoking room, sitter the ladies eq =
red, the men stayed only 2 short time. Orc
y Layton and Clearance remained to so
their meerschaums.
What a splendid lawn-what great
tie bushes, said Layton, land what
orious night y