The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1870-11-17
A CONFIDENCE GAME.

Jack Gllderoy'S last season at N ewport
effectually cured him of his one beset-
ting weakness. Throughout all his
bachelor life he had been most uncon-
scionable hirt. Since that memorable
epoch in his career when he first emerged
from roundabout jackets and frills, into
the more consequential dignity of coat
with a genuine boot-jack tail, he had
been an object of admiring interest to
the ladies, and had, at the age of twenty
five, become the hero of more hairbreadth
escapes from matrimony than could be
reckoned by any three of the most des-
perate lady-killers in Jack Gilderoy' s
acquaintance. ...
He was much to be pitied, perhaps,
for this unfortunate propensity, for, al
though it is undoubtedly pleasant
thing to know that your charms are ir-
resistible by the feminine heart, it is
also very disagreable to have at your
heels an army of furious rivals, who are
only deferred by the conventionalities
of polite society from skinning you
alive, and then eating you raw. Be-
sides, Jack had finally obtained a bad
name among his acquaintances, and eau
tious mothers with marriageable daugh-
ters began to eye his advances with sus-
picion, while prudent fathers and guar
dians forbade their wards from anything
like intimate relations with the young
rascal, in blissful Inconsistencies of the
fact that they were thus only providing
more enticing bait for the very trap
which the dear creatures had been only
too ready to fall into before.
So when people heard that Jack was
really caught at last, that he was actu-
ally and undeniably engaged to Nellie
Trent, they shook their heads doubtfully
Yet it was really so, and when society
became convinced of it, it opened its
eyes and wondered. 0.. ....
Evidently, an astonishing transforma-
tion had been worked in Jack. He was
attentive, tender, devoted To all ap-
pearances he had become what he pro-
fessed to be-Nellie Trent's most abject
slave. He had fallen heels over head in
love with several dozens of women be-
fore, but never so deeply as now.
Generally, he had succeeded in re-
covering his balance before there was
much harm done-to his own affections
at least but at last, for the first time in
his life, Jack was in earnest. At any
rate, he said he was, and although he
had said that great many times on
previous occasions, the statement had
never had quite such solid foundation
upon truth as in the present instance.
Yes, he really loved Nellie, and be
would certainly have gone on loving
her, and would have married her, and
made good husband to her, had it not
been Ito use his own language, subse-
quently expressed) for that "blasted
Jeremy Diddler in petticoats who
wheedled him out of his affections and
his money, and played the very deuce
with him generally.
will tell you how it was.
He saw her first upon the piazza OF
the Ocean House one morning when he
sat with Tom Aldine, listening to the
music, and enjoying Partaga cigar.
"By Jovel" exclaimed Jack. "Who
is that 7" '.
"That," replied Tom, looking in the
direction Indicated" that's the latest
ARRIVAL Miss Madge Leon, believe
Sumner isn't she Z"
A 1.-THE young girl, not more than
twenty at the most, with figure like
Uebe, stood at the far-end of the long
piazza. A mass of luxuriant dark hair
bound up in simple braids, and adorned
with single tuberose, framed face
which might have belonged to st. Agnes
SO full of purity, faith, and truth, did il
appear. A pair of deep brown eyes
swimming with delight as their owners
little slipper tapped the measure of the
music on the piazza-hoor, were fixed in
tently upon the leader of the band, and
over the lady's superb shoulders fell a
light lace shawl, which delicate blue
veined hand found necessary to arrange
at intervals as it fell carelessly from its
proper position.
"Do you know herr" queried Jack
earnestly. ~ n''ay3, 4
"No. Found out her name from the
register in the Office. Her governor il
here with her-kind of fancy old chaI
diamond pin, you know, and all thai
sort of thing"
"Oh, thunderl" said Jack, in the in
tensity of his feelings "Who does
know her? must get acquainted, you
know. She's the handsomest woman
ever saw"