Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-06-20

fOontinued from Wednesdays Commercial
"Why ?" demanded Rose, with ill-re-
Mr. Brent glanced round at his audience
before he tapped his snuif-box gently, and
answered with smile, "because Philip Dew
ereux has arrived
To saw that this item of news made SEN
satiOn would be 10 state an extreme fact as
mildly as possible. Whoever Mr.. Philip
Deyereux might be, IL at least was matter
Of importance.
The colonel said: "Bless my soul you
don't say so2" Mrs Inglesby dropped her
crochet work and said: ''Dear me is il pos
sble ?" while Rose, turning first red and then
MALE uttered never word.
"Devereuxi said Mrs. Henry Inglesby,
speaking quietly in the pause which ensued.
''Is not that the name of the person who lives
next doorP
at tods the name of the person who lived
next door," said Mr. Brent, "and-ycs, II is
the name of the person who does live next
door Mr.. Devereux, the old gentleman "a
fine old fellow he was, too-eh, Inglesby p
il dead but his nephew, who succeeds TO
the property, and who, l was just saying,
has arrived in Northorpe, is named Devereux
also"
at is a good thing that the old name won't
die out among us, said Colonel lnglesby,
Strengthening himself back In his chair.
"fM0ugM noticed great commotion of
house-cleaning over there to-day" said Mrs
Inglesby, in her mild way ''but 1t really did
not occur 10 me that Philip Devereux had ar
rived. Dear me, colonel, you must call on
him at once. We were such good friends
with old Mr.. Devereux and you remember
how he used to come sOciably through the
garden of an evening to play whist with us ?"
~ shouldn't be surprised If Mr.. Philip
Devereux learned to be sociable In the same
way-to play something besides whist, per-
haps," said Mr. Brent, with laugh and
glance at Rose, both of which Rose treat, j
with silent disdain.
"Odious old wretch !" she thought to her
self but she would not crafty him by
deigning to resent the point Of his feeble little
Joke
"Of course he has come to take possession
of the property, said Mrs. Inglesby, after a
minute "But will he-a young man and a
bachelor-live in that rambling old house,
Mr Brent?"
know, my dear madam" answered Mr.
Brent, with another ''odious" chuckle
"Therell be caps enough pulled for him
among the girls of NOrthOrpe, you may be
sure-that is, if he stays long enough to give
them fair chance"
''IIe may sell the real estate" hazarded the
colonel "Unless he does mean to marry and
settle down, such young man would scarce
ly care for that kind of property,
THAT Is more than | can tell you" said
Mr. Brent Nobody knOws-I doubt even
if he knows himself-his final intentions
about the property. A very fine property"
pursued he, "and very fine young man to
inherit it. No comparison between him and
reckless adventurer like Kennon, eh 2"
Before the colonel could give the assent
which was plainly expected, down came a
music book on the piano keys with crash,
and Miss Inglesby rose to address the COM
pany.
That is the way of the world 7" she cried,
with a ring of genuine Indignation in her
voice. Everybody is always against the
unfortunate, and-and always ready to call
them names | don't suppose that Mr.. Ken
non is any more of an adyenturer than all
poor men are obliged to be; and il ho had
obtained the fortune, Mr.. Brent, you would
Devereux!"
There was quite a pause after this. No
body answered the impetuous girl. The three
old people looked at each other, while Rose
looked at them and, if anybody had glanced
aside at Mrs. Henry Inglesby, they would
have seen that she was smiling peculiar
sort of smile TO herself as she bent her face
down over photograph album which she
had taken up.
1t was Mr.. Brent who spoke first ndul-
gently and kindly, as one might to child.
That's hardly fair conclusion, Rose,
when l say of Kennon only what everybody
said long before his grandfather's death, and
before the suit about the property was deci-
ded. Everybody knows too that he has
only himself to thank that his cousin inherits
the estate. Mr. Devereux would never have
disinherited his grandson for his nephew il
he had not good reason for it. -
"His mind was poisoned against Mr.. Ken
non, said Rose, with the prOmptness of one
who has learned lesson and knows it by
heart.
Nobody who knew him is likely TO credit
that, answered the old gentleman, with q
shrug. "There never was juster man, OIL
man less likely to be deceived It mus
have gone hard with him when he was
obliged to leave the bulk of his fortune away
from his own grandson but doubt if any
body who knows any thing about Laurence
kennon could blame him..
lie spoke the last words gravely; then
before Rose could reply turned to the colo
mel and proposed game of whist.
I'VE are four" he said, even if Mrs. In
gesby'-glancing at the stately young wild
Ow-"does not play"
4As ~ cndnceu, uOW6VeI, mIb' lnBleSDy UT
play, and willingly agreed to take hand
80 the card table was brought forward
and the quarter sat down-ColOnel Inglesbl
claiming his daughter-in-law as partner, ant
bidding Rose give them some music as &C
compartment
The girl obeyed, playing waltzes, galops
and the like for some time but at last tn
gay strains ceased, and, when her fathe
looked up at the close of hard fought game
the piano stool was vacant, and the muscial
gone.
:, Several days went by, and the tide o
Northorpe society flowed in again upon tn
lngesby family, receiving, indeed, an unu
sual impetus from Northope curiosity to Sc
the beautiful young widow, concerning whom
many good judges of beauty had already be
gun to rave.
j. How does Rose like a rival so near tn
mrone :" people asked each other, shrug
ging their shoulder but az yet nobod
could say that Rose showed any signs of III
eaSlness or jealousy.
1t was rather providential from a sociG
point OF view, that, just in this languid sum
Mer, weather, too sensations came TO MOI
horpe at the same time-i. O., Mrs. mglesb
and MIR. Devereux.
n