New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-10-13
LEFTY DORMER.

=
fancy for a profitable reality. In general,
however, they do give it mp, and they do
not de- answered her mother quietly.
Mamma, how cruel you are" cried the
girl, with kind Of angry despair in her
voice.
"Because am rational? How cruel you
are. vou ought rather to say, Lefty, to give
me 60 much trouble when l am acting only
for your own good, and when you know
that you will have to yield at last"
II will not yield; [ viii die first |" re-
sSYou are very fond Of that assertion, my
dear: but it does not move me; | know so
well that you will marry as l wish you to
do and live into quite q respectable age.
You are healthy, though you do not come
of long-lived family on one side" She
sighed--it was q conventional sigh-and
then she family murmured, Poor papa p
30 mamma you are too dreadful with
your cold sarcasms," cried Lefty, finging
up herhands.
"And you are too silly with your mock
heroics, my dear. If you had not me to
guide you into common sense, what mess
YOU would make of your life !" !.
"What wreck you wish to make il"
cried Lefty,
"Sil1y little girl, ;" said Mrs. Dormer, with
compassionate contempt. you are like
naughty child who viii thrust its hand into
the fire, and thinks its nurse abominably
cruel because she tries to preventit. The
day will come, my dear, when you will
thank me instead of scolding me, as you
are doing now, that pct an end to this
absurd affair with Mr.. Radcliffe and gave
YOU such an admirable settlement in Mr..
Mounsey."
Admirable settlement! A man old
enough to be my father-a man l hate, and
that no girl could hke-only with money"
To- with oil that a
tionless Girl can desire, and more than she
has right to expect" said Mrs. Dormer,
taking up few dropped stitches Ieisurely.
ooh | know you don't think it necessary
for wife to love her husband, \ said Lefty
sarcastically.
''To begin with7 by no means, my dear, >
answered her mother, with perfect good
breeding and good temper Love comes
by habit, by the fact of pleasant home
where there is no stint, and where every
thing goes on comfortably. One man is
very much the same as another man, when
you know them; and, with moderate
amount Of amiability, well-principled girl
is sure to be happy if she is properly pro
vided for"
"Your opinions are absolutely monstreus,
and will have nothing to do with them,
said Lefty angrily.
"Only to fulfil them, little goose, when
Won have worked off the froth" Mrs. Dor
mer returned the answer with slight laugh;
and the servant at that moment flung open
the door with an air, and ushered in-"Mr.
M0unsey."
A short, thiek-set, irascible looking man,
with grizzled hair cropped close, broad,
bushv eyebrows, and that kind of mustache
and whislzers run together about clean
shaven chin which gives such wild beast
expression to face; a confdenb aggressive,
uneympathetic looking man; man to push
his own way in the world without regard to
those he shouldered aside, and to hold his
own. let who would want; man to be wary
of in business, and with whom 1t would be
necessary to be cautious how one made him
friend or foe man strong in his own right,
and standing four-square IN his own esteem;
but, as Lefty said, man whom no girl
could love. This was the wealthy MIR.
Mounsey, who had been pleased to cast
ewes Of admiration on portiOnlGss Lefty
Dormer. and to demand her of her mother
as his wife and the mistress of Mounsey
Park And Mrs DOrmer had promised, in
spite of that "little folly" with George Rat
ciiffe, which she had encouraged eagerly
enough when no better chances were on
hand.
AS he came in his somewhat cruel face
lighted up with q kind of masterful smile
Of pleasure. Mrs. Dormer rose and wei
coined him, but Lettie sat pale and rebel
Ijous, not fearful or trembling, not shrink
ing or shy, but with a. look of set purpose,
of undisguised hostility on her face, which
her very pallor and rig1dity seemed to in
fensify. Mr.. MOunsey wisely ignored all
unpleasa ant signs. His cue was to refer
Letty's resistance to the coy reserve Of
maidenIy modesty. Girls never know their
own minds, not to speak of their best inter
ests: he and Mrs. Bormer were fully agreed
on that point, and, as he had mammals con-
sent, he thought it waste of force to at
tempt an argument with the girl herself
trusting to patient holding on to his point,
the dazzle Of his riches and her mothers in
1uence for happy issue out of all his per
plexities.
ITO their like" he said curtiy, if gal
lautly, going straight up to Lefty, and offer
ing her an open case containing a costly set
Of pearls.
FOR me9 Thank you, no" said Lefty,
coldly.
at is usual, my dear Miss Dormer," an
swered MIR Mounsey He had not got to
the length of calling her Lefty; he had tried
it cnce, and he had not repeated it.
Usual to what z" said Lefty, raising her
ewes to HIM. II know of nothing which
should make such present from you to me
usual or possible"
my dear Child said Mrs. D0rmer, sweet
L., 1T seems to me you are rather wander
INC to-day The heat probably" with an
son-in-law
QProbably," said that gentleman, little
fiercelv; "but / own / should like to hear
something more satisfactory from the young
lady herself All this coyness is very well
mp to certain point; beyound that, it Is
tiresome and annoying"
at will all come right in time" said
Mrs. Dormer blandly,
Never! 4" cried Lefty,
a, Silly little puss," said her mother: but
her look was not as playful as her words.
Mamma, why win you force this hateful
Uretense on me Z " cried Lefty, with fearful
nassion. ''You know will never be Mr.
Mounsey's wife"
Nv dear young lady, I can waltz cried
Mr. Mounsey, suddenly changing his tone
az ANNOYANCE to one Of the most blandest,
most flattering tenderness. "And If have
e, wait for the beautiful Miss Dormer as
long az that old fellow in the Bible waited
for his wife, will. | have to conquer in
the end, and you have to be my wife"
'sNever!" said Lefty.
HE is doing you too much honor,
T4etty,n said Mrs. Dormer, severely.
~ Honor!" she repeated scornfulfy. "Do
YOU call insolenoe and tyranny honor
And with this she rose and left the room
and Mrs. Dormer and Mr.. Mounsey looked
ut each other not comfortably.
Poor and genteel, Mrs. Dormer prlded
herself on. her birth and breeding NO
bIesse obige" was her favsrite motto,
tbough there were some who said that her
nobility was only holiday garment, worn
far show, the obligations of which extended
M further than to kid gloves and silver fish
Knives. Still, she was lady, and as such
sLa sLrank from all things vulgar, perhaps
nara than from things sinful. And one OF