Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1869-06-02
Selected MisteIIanU,
A MORAL SQUALL.

~ NAVNAH 'YN HA
But Mabel"
"Not word, sir
81 am already too well assured
''But can prove to you
Anybody can prove anything.
"At least, hear ME.
"Why should when have seen you.
"But you might listen to reason"
"Oh, you know girls are not capable ol
reason. They are poor simple fools, who
can be argued and fattered out OF the eVl-
dence of their senses"
"Have tried anything Of the sort?"
''If you have not, retotts Mabel, with
true feminine logic, ''itis because you know
am not one of your meek, submissive
women, and it would not help you.
II should think not" cried Jack, with a
spark of malice and anger in his eye, at
looks rather as fyou would wear the breech-
es."
'That is an insult.
Il beg your pardon, said Jack, much
shocked at himself II should not have
said that; you drive me to desperation"
'No, only to the door, and Miss Mabel
swept low courtesy
That means"
"Good-morning, sir.
There is no use arguing with lady in
such temper, and picking up his hat Jack
departed. Mabel watched him, and was
strongly tempted to call him back. But
she was near crying. Besides, had she not
seen him? The very remembrance made
her dry her eyes and clench her hands
hard those hands that Jacl; praised ever
for their defects. They were thin and dark
but he protested that the thick, white skins
and pudgy dimples, so much admired, gave
him shudder. He, Jack, would as will
lingly take dough- or any thing else arou-
ing lack of sympathy and refinement into
his clasp; and on one ofthese much praised
hands sparkled his ring, forthis young lady
was betrothed,to the gentleman to whom she
had Just shown the door.
As for the gentleman, he certainly had
some reason to call himself the umluckiest
OF men. Cassie, lmOgen, the hound Gel.
ert any OF the much injured and fatally
compromised characters Of antiquity was
not more innocent than he Walking brisk
ly down Broadway the evening before some
body called his name. He stopped, and
two little gloved hands seized his arm. -
They were very dainty gloves, trasseled and
perfumed, and belonged to very pretty
little girl, who drew long sigh of relief
and said,
"Oh. Captain Hilton am glad TO have
met you. / was 30 frightened Think of
it! | got on the wrong train, and came
here TO New York. 1t was an express
train, and could not get out ut any sta
ton, AMI they landed me here with my
trunk; and with nervous laugh--1 do
not know what to do with either the trunk
or myself have not single acquaint-
ance here, for the Gregorys are out of
town, and never travelled alone in my
life. OH was so terrified till / met you"
By this time Jack remembered her. It
was pretty girl with whom he had danced
some dozen times, perhaps, at June-rose-
vile, up the rivera Miss Chanworth; and
Of course he must see her sale, though he
had promised the evening to his cousin
Duke, and for that reason he resisted all
Mabels coaXing to stay with her. All this
he rapidly reviewed; but there was no evad-
ing the fact that he must see the young lady
safe. He could only hope, as he called a
carriage, that satirical fate would notsend
Mabel his way Just then.
Is there q ssatirical Fate2 A sneering,
contrary, Crossed-grain Genius of cross
purposes, whose whole delight is TO set
mankind by the ears2 Mabel seldom went
out at night, and never without Jack, and
could have no possible business at ST. Mich
olas hotel. So argued Jack, feeling hor-
ribly guilty because Miss Chanworth would
prattle SO confdingly; and the reasoning
would have held good for the other three
hundred and sixty-four nights in the year.
But Mabel was only half satisfied with Jack,
and restless on this particular evening;
and at dinner she received note from
Number Twelve Of her bosom friends, stat
ing that Number Twelve had just arrived
at the st, Nicholas; and you see, of course,
what happened. Her brother, on one side,
and our impish, sneering Genius of cross
purposes on the other, escorted her to the
ST. Nicholas exactly in time to meet JACK
handing from carriage young lady with
killing hat, and peach-blossom COM
plexion, and lovely ourla oil over her head
and the dainty gloves aforesaid, that in
sItantly crossed themselves on Jacks arms:
boots as dainty altogether hourishing
and snowy, yet clinging and confding
young lady, with vast amount Of manner
and ooquetry, looking up in Jacks face,
and looking down, and hanging on him.
OH now Mabel did bate her, between the
door Of the carriage and that of the hotel
Jack was no coward. He took off his hat
and bowed bravely in answer TO Mabels
freezing nod, and then gave his attention
as before to Miss Chanworth. Mabel look.
ed after them with cheeks like fame. This
was the engagement with his cousin Duke
for which he had slighted oil her coa1ingl
And what impudent assurance To walk
past her with that girl on his arm like that
Like old Betteredge, Mabel was constitu-
tionally superior TO reason. To her mind
it was quite possible for Jack, If he chose
to shake the young Indy from his arm then
and there, and turn his back on her. But
he sharpest sting Of oil lay Just where Jack |
could least have suspected i'll II was in
the blonde, plump beauty Of the girl. If
she had been bruno, Mabel, who was dark,
and consequently held disparaging opinions
about brunettes, might have imagined some
excuse for Jack. AS II was, she went home
in rage; and when Jack called on her the
following morning, ensued the conveisa-
ton reported above.
- - /