Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1871-04-21
What a grand fellow he was!

what grand fellow ne was!
Ferd Favor worshipped him. There
was something heroic to Ferd. who was .
big bunch Of weakness and good-nature
in a man who could get up at sunrise with
a steady hand and an appetite for break
fast, and push back the wine at dinner
with polite mo. thank you" and moth
ing more or that could throw aside his
cigar and novel. and 90 out at moments
warning for wild gallop across the field.
or a row down river.
It was q shame that he should fancy
! Vic Rossitur-a woman whose heart, il
she ever possessed one, was withered and
deadened by hundreds Of airtations, BY
love of money and contempt Of poverty,
and by the crushing out of every emotion
that tends to make a woman worthy oi
her name.
Ferd clapped Lincoln on the arm with
an Indifference SO studied and affected
that lazy Mat Ellingwood INDUCED in q
subdued explosion. and lost bis meer.
schaum over the piazza railing.
"Steve, have you seen Ray Verne 7"
"No! Who is he?"
"He! It's woman. Rachel Verne.
Everybody calls her Ray"
"Who is she p
1.-The sweetest woman you ever saw
She used to be my sisters seamstress and
governess, but little sum Of money came
to her recently, and so she is now inde-
pendent
''And you are in love with her, hey,
Ferd ?"
mel" with supreme contempt. II
shall not marry these ten years; and if
do, it will not be my luck to get good
wife. shall get regular out-and-out
demon-like Rossitur, for instance"
The slear eyes wandered away, and q
flush reddened his cheek.
Jupiter, Steve! There she is. There's
Ray and the babies. Come along, and
let me introduce you"
A pretty group came up the lawn path,
consisting of four children that had ar
ranged themselves in little fight ol
stairs. from four to ten years of age
With them, holding them in check with
q gentle hand. came young girl. She
was years younger than Vic Rossitur, but
she had eyes that had been wet with tears.
and lips that had quivered with grief. and
all that Heaven could bestow upon NOR
tai shone forth 10 her. lovely fsce
4 heafS mass ur 'snRe ofcl|l naff
waved itself in natural coifure from her
low forehead, and uscon6ned fell over the
snowy shoulders that peeped from their
covering of black grenadine. Eyes blue
and deep. healtbful glow. o happy face.
made Ray Verne's beauty, and Stephen
Lincoln saw and honored it.
"Vicw Ferd Favor impatiently pull
ed the lace of her snowy shawl that night
and beckoned her very near the window
out of which Lincoln had that moment
stepped.
"Well, what is it r. she asked, draw
ing near. @ 80
Are you really going to marry Lin
coin T. Z. ,i.....e. ..l...-a-,
did he hire you to ask me =
Hire! It sounds like him.
'No, it does not! Well, yes. think
I shall marry him. He is better than any
of the rest of you. And 'he has more
money"
'Not so much as Perrin, yonder."
'.He is finer looking. Perrin is an
IDIOT"
''Vic. Lincoln is too good for you"
She laughed saucy defiant ripple.
HE will not be, ten years hence, if he
marries me-"
And she aoated down the room, gath
ering her laces in feecy cloud about her;
and Ferd, the confidant of the world at
large. who was supposed to know every
thing and say nothing, sat back and huns
med an opera. san
Ten minutes after. Stephen Lincoln had
the hand of the angelic-faced ex- -governess
upon his arm. and led her pass Miss Ros-
situr without a glance toward her from
his splendid eyes.
whats the matter, Ferd are you 60
ing to have fit 2" asked Ellingwood, just
then.
mo; but I've got the best trumps in
the pack. You can bet your pile on me-"
Ellipgwood went off in disgust, and SO
did Vic Rossitur, before the drawing -room
was emptied. She had been very sure Of
winning that magnificent looking man, his
elegant home and his love-. She was sure
of winning but for that idle gossiping
tongue of hers. which had been set in mo-
ton by Ferd Favor. She wondered very
much that after that night he avoided her,
or gave her when they met the same re-
spectful politeness that be gave the sex,
and no more. She had been too success
full in life to doubt her power. or believe
that rival could exist. and 50 she believ-
ed him jealous. and in her old style dirt-
ed and thought to wound him.
The summer was we'll nigh past, and
she was thinking one afternoon. leaning
over the piazza railing, that Lincoln was
too deeply wounded and that something
must be done or she must lose him, when
Ferd Favor came up.
"Come down to the little house at the
end Of this walk, Vic. Ehave something
to tell you" fe
She had nothing else to do. SO she put
her hand on his arm ndxalked down.
r ,r.e noxu r1asa nnits eovared On