The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-12-03
WHAT JACK MOSTxN
LOST AND WON AT A FAIR.
CHAPTER I.
WHAT HE LOST.

WHAT HE LOST
They loved each other; there WASH
tile least doubt of that; but she, Ciss,
Devereux, was pretty, self-willed, an6
somewhat of an heiress; and he, Jael
Mostyn, poor, proud, and slightly sas.
picious in consequence ' 'e37ii
Cissy was eighteen, and Jack three
and twenty, and both were full of the
extravaganza Of youth, imperious and
sensitive, intolcrdnt of the least wrong
or slight--real or snpposed-and ex
pecting everything to yield, he, to bis
first brave attack, she, to her pretty
commands and cajoleries
This view of life might not perhaps
have done them any great harm, if ap
piled only to the outer world-they
might soon have learned the need OF
patience, as well as pluck and coaxinr,
without any very terrible suffering but,
hnluckily, they were Just as eXacting
with each other Cissy would 'amuse
herself" as she said Though / don't
think she really found much amuse.
ment in it, by making Jack jealous,
just as if he were comfortable, com.
plaeent "eligible." instead of the sad
dest Of detrimentals;" J" and he, for bis
part, rarely struck just balance be.
tween over-exaction, and morbid spir-
it of selfsacrifice, which prompted him
not to "spoil her prospects" He for
got that when two people really love
each other, they have one self between
them, with which nothing ought to be
done without mutual consent. 't-
However, everything, barring an oc-
casional tiff, had gone pretty smoothly
till the incidents / am about to record.
One day, early in the season, Jack Mos.
tyn was standing by the Park rails, leah
ing into the Deyereux's carriage, talk
ing very softly, saying most stupid and
disjointcd things, and making much
more use of his eyes than it had ever
occurred to him to do before Indeed,
he looked different altogether, thought
the lady who was the cause thereof
and who happened to be alone to-day
softer, and yet, it possible, more manly
than usual he was not afraid to look
her in the face-nay, he looked so fix
edly and fondly that he frightened away
her coquetries; and the crimson banner,
presaging conquest of the citadel, be.
gan to futter on her cheeks, and trait
or word or two stole out from between
her parted lips, and her blue eyes CLAN.
ced from under their black curtain OF
lashes, half welcoming, half afraid.
A small incident had brought on this
crisis-they had met at ball the night
before, and Gssy, who was perfectly
rash and fearless, had induced Mostyn
to dance with q Miss Laurence, who
was great friend of hers, at least, she,
Cissy, thought so.
Now Jack was gqod-lookihgz-Aali
gentle, half stern, wholly manly, irrita
tingly pre- occupied; and Miss Lau.
renee, who was accustomed to be at
least "great friends" with men in gen.
eral, and to make them laugh good
deal, was piqued by his vacant smiles
and Indifferent remarks.
She was not very nice girl, Nora
Laurence, not over scrupulous, and by
arts best known to herself she managed
to detain Mr.. Mostyn much longer .han
he wished, or Cissy could tolerate.
If He had been half dozen years
older, lie would have got away easily
enough hut he was inexperienced in
y0nng ladies-thought them all good
and refined, and could not bear to dis
comfort or iumliate them.
OF course Cissy quarrelled with him,
on principle; but she was sensible
enough, this time, to consent to make il
up at the last moment; and the sole re
suit of the evenings emotions, and Miss
Laureuce's machinations, was pair OF
extremely sentimental looking legs out
side the carriase. and two heads, one
small and black and wavy;giTen to toss
itself, and another massive and fair, in
close proximity within.
As to Nora Laurence, she rode past
on very screwy hired hack, feeling
exceedingly evil-tempered, hating poor
little innocent Cissy, and in a contra
dictory manner, feeling something quite
opposite toward the real offender, if
there were one at all. She hated to be
resisted-what did Cissy, who was an
heiress, want with poor man like Jack
Mostyn?
Whereas Cissy's theory was simply to
this effect -a
eff TIE got the money, why then of
course he doesn't want any!" AT which
the prudent world lifted hands Of hor-
ror.
Then you won't tell me if you think
you ever could9' spoken In an honest
voice that deepened very tenderly, and
with glance half shy, half bold-shyly
conscious of unworthiness, bold in the
knowledge of the depth and faith of the
affection it proffered; spoken, not with,
out hope, for when man of Jack Mos
tyn's masterful character gives voice to
such question, the sever is probably
not far Off to his imagination
"Not now. III tell you the day after
to morrow, at the fair. You shall buy
your answer in letter at the post of.
fec"
After which sentence, uttered in an
expiring struggle for majesty and in
difference, Miss Devereux anticipated
the promised answer by lifting two
large eyes TO bis, and returning, ever sc
faiatlY; the clasp Of his determined
hand.
Then she said, with excessive sever
ity, to make up for this momentary
lapse, '"Will you be kind enough to tel
the servants to go home, Mir. Mostyn ?
And Jack, having obeycd her, walked
away, quite alarmingly happy, and en-
deavoring in vain to sober himself by
ordinary means.
At the fair flor the benefit of some
distinguished institution), the stronger
sex the weaker, for once, trampled, ca
ioled, talked into, looked into impecu.
niosity-at least, so they say they are
on these occasions-much millinery,
many scents, various pretty faces, sun
shine, flowers, fiirtations, crashing music
IF n mif;tarr hand