The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-01-23

of q peevish rather than an excessive
kind, he turned his back on the pair,
and left the room in pet. 1t was
always trial to him when fate and
circumstance overmasterod his will :;
and in the sacred depths Of his own
sanctum he growled and fretted him
self into q small fever, while the
young people, unmolested, went
straightway up to Heaven in the
drawing-room.
A bright-faccd, bright eyed, sweet
tempered girl was Carry Winston.
She was engaged to Walter without
her uncle's knowledge, and distinctly
against his wishes; and her lover
knew full we'll that no intimidation,
no persuasion, no cajolery, would
make her unfaithful, or cause her to
swervc q hairs breadth from her pro.
mise. II do not know what would
become Of me, Garry, if I could not
trust YOU, said Walter, little sadly,
while they were sitting together after
Mr. Butler had left them. "You
know you may trust me, Walter, :"
answered Carry, fondly. "Uncle
wants me to marry poor George
Grey, but L don't think you need
fear him as a very formidable rival, !"
and she laughed. "Well, I don't
think l necd,' said Walter. LET
me see, how tall is he, Garry? up to
your shoulder?" 'sAbout,' sho said.
laughing again; ''at all events, not
up to ny heart, Mr.. Walter" Which
was such q pretty conceit that Walter
helped himself to a double allowance
of a certain form of small change cur
rent between them, to which he was
not wholly. unaccustomed, nor she
obnoxious. ''He was to have come
here to-day" Carry then went on to
say, when that little interlude was
concluded ''Uncle asked him to
come over and spend Christmas with
us; but it is such terrible day-and,
fortunately for us, he is such poor
crcaturc-that l don't think he will
come" AS she spoke, however,
George Grey's handsome, well-ap-
pointed carriage drove slowly up to
the door.
Not bad follow was this same
George Grey, of Grcy's Court; simply
contemplate, judged by the woman s
instructive standard OF what is admi-
rable and fitting in man. Small,
weak, cGeminate, without the physi-
cal strength or robuster moral quail
ties of his sex, and cowardly, nervous,
conscientious and good -natured, ir-
resolute and utterly unable to ''stand
up" for himself, no matter what the
provocation; by no means good
looking, SO that he had not even the
small prettincss sometimes seen in
unmanly and insignificant men, to
compensate never SO meaSrely for
his want of power-hc had absolute
nothing to recommend him to II wo-
mans favor save his fortune, and the
certainty Of being mistress should she
consent to be his wife. AS for love,
that was impossible with most, GER
tainly quite impossible with such q
girl as Garry Winston, too healthy
and natural herself to be very tole-
rant of anything at all abnormal u
others. And, indeed, the feeling
with which George Grey inspired
her was 4 physical shrinking ga loath-
ing of the tlcsh-but for all that. he
persevcred in his visits and his suit
He was desperately in love with
Garry, poor fellow; and in spite Of
his constitutional timilitv, breasted
her displeasurc, defended as he was
by the mgis Of SO powerful q protect
Sr rs Smith Butler, who had pro-
missed him her hand by next spring.
This was the first time the two aspi-
rants had stood face to face; and
surely even Smith Butler could not
IN his heart, blame the choice which
Carry had made. George Grcy-not
quite five feet four, with weakly
knit frame-had but little chance in
a comparison with Walter Lcchmcrc,
six feet without his boots, strong.
cleaulimbed and muscular-a first
rate fencer, Il tirst-rate boxer, a capt.
tai shot, II good oarsman, a daring
horscman we'll up, indeed. in every
man ly exercise, and holding high
rank IN every manly sport; while, rs
for beauty, how could that mottlcd
face bc spoken Of in the same day
with Walters handsome face and
manly frame? Carry had not q single
mduccmcnt to forsake her own love
and take up with her uncle's, save,
indeed, that one sole lure Of money,
which was no lure to her.
Very uneasy and abashcd was poor
George Grey, when he heard the name
OF : IL