The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1869-09-16


brass knob of charged Leyden jar t.
which one of them had advanced a knuckle
they could not have started more stimuli
taneously.
OF course the involuntary mOvemen
was very slight, and might not have beer
observed, but that | was somewhat thin
skinned about my name, and therefore OF
the watch for the smile which it sometime:
evoked but there was no smile, only 6
thrill of surprise, which was Immediately
suppressed. r.,
did not mean toto be inquisitive; but
since-in short, self-introduction-my
name is Draper; this is Mrs. Draper
(bows); this is my eldest daughter, Caro-
line (bows); this my youngest, Julia
(bows)"
"And the young man who was with
you at the Egyptian Hall the other day,
was he your SOM" asked
90 no, Mr.. Stumps," replied Mrs ORA
per, with a strong accentuation of the
word "Stumps." "He was only friend
no relative"
l looked across at Miss Julia, who tried
to appear uncOncerned, but cOlOred slight
ly. 1t was evidently as / had supposed.
What taste in the lad to think twice of the
younger sister while the elder was there
Caroline is nice; but her family called
her Carry, which was intoxicating. Itwas
impossible for me to help showing a GER
tain anxiety to please when speaking to
her. or paying her any little ordinary at
tention, quite different from my manner
towards her parents or sister; and thought
she noticed it, and seemed rather pleased
than otherwise. There is no fool, you
know, like an old fool.
There were opportunities enough of
showing civility to all of them before we
got to Paris, for, though Mr. Draper did
his best, and was not inactive for his fig
ure-to wrestle with so much luggage as
the ladies found it necessary to travel with,
was quite beyond the powers of any one
man who was not Briareus, or an Argus,
or a Hercules, or some other peculiarly
gifted myth. And then that Overtasked
gentleman's anticipations about the wealth
er proved correct; it acas blowing
very hard in the Channel, and he
did not get off much better than
his wife on this occasion. Indeed, the
whole Draper family were thoroughly
prostrated and as am not subject to the
malady of the sea, they looked up to me
very much as people do to doctor when
there is illness in house. The romantic
boy breaks ground by presenting the girl
of his heart with nOsegay; l, middle
aged and practical, insinuated myself by
handing a basin.
When we were in the train on the other
side, and my cllow-travelers had recov-
cred, they seemed really hurt and ashamed
at having put me to SO much trouble; not
that they bored me by dwelling on the
subject, but what they did say was evi-
IDENTIFY genuine.
Then they deferred to me in everything
(which is the best hotel to go to, Mr.
Stumps?" "How long ought we to stop
in Paris, Mr.. Stumps:
That was queer thing; they never
spoke to me without mentioning my name
with an emphasis, pausing upon it, as it
were, as if to impress it upon their memo
ries. And when Miss Carry grew playful,
as she did under my attentions, she said
=" Mr.. Stumps in a sly way, as though
there was some joke in the word, which
did not at all like, seeing that soon began
to contemplate the possibility of asking
her to assume it.
For | went to the same hotel as they
did; walked, drove, dined, and visited the
theatre with them. When they were tired
of Paris, we went to Cologne and up the
Rhine together; and by the time we had
settled down at Wiesbadcn, / was quite
like a member of the family, and the con-
tinued Difference they, and particularly
Carry, paid to everything / said, might
well have tickled the vanity and softened
the heart of man even older than / was
At last | determined to declare myself,
and took the opportunity of speaking to
Mr. Draper after the table ThOte, when we
were taking cigars and coffee at little
round table in the courtyard of the Rose
/ told him that knew that was rather
old for his daughter, and that l was not
possessed of that wealth which in these
cases often makes up for lack of youth !;
but that | was not exactly poor either, and
would de my best to make Garry happy
"Well, my lord" said he, "Of course
am deeply sensible of the honor a man of
your rank does my girl by such an offer
"My lord! What on earth do you
mean?" interrupted 1.
"Surely, it is time to throw off your in
cOgnito when such serious matter as
marriage is being discussed" he said.
"Incognito! What are you driving at?
Whom do you take me forg"
why, for the Marquis of Walden" he
replied
marquis of Walden I" cried l. "Come,
come, if you have other views for your
daughter. say so; but there is no need to
banter mt"
"DO you mean to tell me you are not
the Marquis?"
"Of course am not; there never was
a title in my family yet"
"Then who are yOu?'
"The man profess myself, TO be sure
plain Mr.. Stumps"
Mr.. Draper remained utterly dumbf0und-
ed for awhile, but at last reused himself
sufficiently to say, al beg your pardon for
the mistake; but why may | ask, did you
sign yourself the Marquis of Walden in
the visitors book at the Victoria Cross
Gallery?"
81 never committed such an absurdity'
at was the last name i'm the book when
we entered, and you were the only person
in the room"
a can't help that" cried I, losing pa
ticnce; 81 never signed my name at all.
Mr.. Draper sat still little while with
his lips tightly compressed, and his fat
sides and shoulders heaying convulsivcly
ut intervals. AT last he could bear it nC
longer, and exploding with irrepressiblC
laughter, he rose and rushed into tn,
hotel; while | strobe off in state of boil
ing Indignation to the Rooms, and lost ,
couple of pounds worth offlorins to relieve
my feelings.
The cold manner of Mrs, and alas alst
of Miss Draper towards me on the follow
ing morning was so extremely disgusting
after their late cordiality, that Ipacked W
nv DOrtmanteau and left the place at once
l must say that Draper himself looke'
hurt and ashamed, and, doubt not, woul,
have apologizcd for his own mirth tn
evening before, and his wife and daughter
behavior afterwards, if he could have go
hold of me alone. Poor hen -pecke
wretch Well, if had been marquis o
a millionaire, | might have been her
pecked too at this present writing; but tina
| may now safely say | never will b'
| have learned my last lesson.-Chamber
Journal
How COrks are Made.