Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-11-19
0blo: Statesnan
STRANGE MISS DEVONPORT.

STRANGE MISS DEVONP0RT.
1t was the night of the marlborough
hunt ball and marlborough, as beftted
the oecasipna was employed in holding
high festival. The large room of the
Egerton Arms was full, and the compa-
ny as select as the most fastidious could
wish. There were representatives of
all the great families of the county, and
the cream of the society of the town Of
marlborough itself, not to mention a
score or so of unattached males who had
established themselves in the Egerton
Arms and in various lodgings in the
place, for the express purpose of being
in the immediate vicinity of the far
famed marlborough hounds.y vro /
1t was to the very best of thisssociety
that Mr.. Oliver Henley Belonged
gentleman young in point of years and
comfortably off in the point of money
barrister, member of the Inner Temple,
burdened with no sbriefs, nor with the
necessity or the intention of getting any.
His father was still living. but he had
already come into very respectable
little property, and, as was natural for a
gentleman in the flower of existence, as
he was-to wit, seven-and-twentyy years
of age-was. bent on enjoying himself
accordingly. With this highly lauda-
BILE object in view, he had just made his
debit in, the Rattleborough district and
by his good riding, genial manners, and
generous habits, which a comfortable
balance at ones bankers makes easy
enough, he, had produced decidedly fa-
vofable impression upon those whose es-
timation was usually considered worth
having. Henley had had day with
the hounds, which he had enjoyed most
thoroughly; and he was just at present
engaged in talking over its events with
a newly made acquaintance, and at the
same time passing kind of running
commentary upon the dancers as they
whirled past him.
"No&, Mr.. Henley" said the viggor-
ous ballroom whip. "will you choose
your partner can introduce you to
any one you like"
"Who is that young. .ladytherei, She
has just sat. down. { Tie one with THE
wonderful amount of black hair, and,-''
"Miss Devonport," was the prompt
reply. "a wonderful nice girl-dances
capitally. Let me introduce you"
And after Henley had gone through
the Lancers with Miss Devonport, he
was of opinion that this account was
not exaggerated. Miss Devonport, he
discovered, was very nice girl, so nice
a girnthat he had made up his mind to
get all the dances with her that she
would give him. If Oliver Henley had
been asked to give an account of him.
self, he would, in all probability, have
described himself as the most nnim-
pressionable fellow in the world. He
had become bored with filtration, and
his days of heavy love making were over.
Experts, however, in the diagnosis of
love making, will tell you that it is pre-
cisely persons of HeHleyIs vsel lf-reliant
and defiant nature WHO. are most apt to
fall victims to the tender passion and if
Oliver Henley had not had such a con-
summate belief in his own powers, it is
probable that would haYe occurred to
him more than once IN The course of his
conversation with Miss Devonport that
he was trenching upon dangerous ground
When gentleman finds himself telling
his partner the history of his life, inter-
Espersed here and there with touches,
half pathetic, half bitterly cynical, it
lmay be as well that he should take heed
unto his way at once
| According to your own account, Mr.
Henley, you must be terribly rolling
stone," said Miss Devonport.
81 feel myself so, Miss Devonport, a
trolling stone that gathers no moss, but
which longs to do so.''
There wasa certain amount .ofvague-
ness instheI latter part of this remark
but somehow or other it had seemed the
natural thing to say, end Henley made
it in tone which was expressive of a
depth of feeling rather wonderful in so
cautious and unsentimental a man. He
was almost astonished and half angry at
himselfwhen the words had escaped him.
He looked confused-why, he did not
| t&dCIly kuOW' OHlOlIuudIOiJ, uOWofSI,
looks are deal more eloquent than
speech still more unfortunately, the
looks were not unnoticed by Miss Dew
pnport. Somehow or other the remark,
sufficiently meaningless as it was, SEEM
edto have Established ia kind of under
standing between Miss Devonport and
Mr.. Hepley, and when Miss Devouport's
carriage was announced-and Miss Dew
onport, senior, the young lady's aunt
it seemed quite natural to Henley to of
fer his arm to escort her thither, and for
Miss Devonport to accept it.
"Miss Devonport,' said Henley, just
before he handed her in, 81 wonder shall
we meet again ?''
"Why not, Mr.. Henley ?"
But the aunt at that moment came
up, and 1 am disposed to think that a
gentle pressure of hands unintention-
ally of course-ssrved as IA species eof
| rar,I1 l. , AsI 3 Z tt-A - &St-
Oliver Henley was not given to dream