Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-05-23

for her equanlmlty, ana hence the eager
start, followed by an exclamation of de-
light, which by her less excitable sis |
tiers was summarily and sternly put |
down.
i" Major Compton," I continued,
"made his first appearance among US as
a single man"
"Tnen he was married I" in voice |
of utter dismay from Nina, while even |
grave Laura calculated so, Aunt Bes- |
sic, how very hat?"
I was silent for moment, feeling
sorry in my heart for the poor chill
dren's disappointment, and then | said
scothingly:
eff you will wait little, and listen
patiently, my dears, you will perceive
that the individual in my story in whom
expect YOU will take the most inter
est is not the handsome Major who, for
| short while, turned all our heads,
more especially that of Gertrude Ruck-
mann. When this girl, whom l was silly
| enough to call, Tor short time, my
dearest friend, was first introduced to
Burford Compton--he had Irish blood
in his veins, which may partly account
for the peculiarities of his conduct
she had not been many days in Ham
burg. Her youth and girlhood had
been passed in England, and the Ger
man relatives with whom she had come
to spend the winter months being quite
unworldly people, there was little
chance of their young guest becoming
early initiated into the gossip and on
dts of Hamburg society.
"The ball at which Gertrude Ruck-
mann made her DEBUT was as brilliant
an affair as money and iberality COM
bined could make it. The festive en-
tertainment was given by the gay
young mercantile bachelors of the city,
foreign as well us German, and the cost
of it was said to be prodigious. By some
it was estimated at 100000 marks, but
that must, think, have been an exag
geration. l shall never totally forget
: our first dinner at table dhote, for that
dinner was at the Hotel Petersburg,
where a number of young men who
were seated opposite to our party gave
free vent to Stheir high animal spirits,
while they discussed now in English,
and now in German, the arrangements
for the already famous fete, which was
in few more days to come off.
D Among those who were most remarka-
e BILE for their reckless talk and extrava-
. CANT propositions stood first and fore.
3 most a Young offcer-for such he, even
4 to our uninitiated mirds, appeared to
:, be-whom we were destined to know
S later as Major Burford Compton. ]
y can see him now, in his fair Saxon
), -blue-eyed, brown-haired, taw.
S ny-bearded! That handsome beard Of
S his was, recollect, subject for good
n humored chatting among his friends
If for, as it would appear, foreign officer:
= are obliged to be closely shaver, anc
IS Compton, who had been six months or
Il leave in England, could hardly venture
to report himself at headquarters with
l. that decidedly ornamental appendagt
: to his face. The dinner, as is Away
1t the case in Germany, was very lons
b affair and as it progressed, our neigh
Is bors grew more and more uproarious
E. sending the champagne-corks right up
Is when the startling pop came, to tn,
y vaulted skylight ali owe our heads, ant
1t at last when the numerous courses hat
g been discussed, ard only the desser
ID remained upon the table, coolly takini
n out their cigars, preparatory to thel
l. and there enjoying the smoke il
lie which their souls delighted. You ma,
1T suppose that after such a demonstra
ia ton on their parts, our stay anon
Of those noisy, ight-hearted, and, fear,
lie little excited young men was but short
Your dear father was evidently trif
le put out; for, as he said, he was an ole
e, fashioned person, and could not brin
p himself to approve of tobacco-smok
c. being pulled from strange mems liz
ly into the faces of his womankind.
in "And what conceited- looking fe
IT. low the fair good-looking one is ~ sal
ed your poor dear mother, when we bega
rs to talk them over.
In this opinion l was inclined
n, agree; but your father, althoug
ng strongly Directing to anything a
ny preaching to puppyism, differed-a Ii
t tie to my surprise-from US both.
b. 6 don't know when l have ever see
as so pleasant face" was his remark,
as he warmed his hands over the b
We white earthenware stove that stood
a the corner of our sitting-room. rs
ut thoroughly Englishl countenan,
to which makes one feel it would be in
7" possible to mistrust the man. l mu
ur inquire who he is-no common chara
en- ter, I'll be bound"
ps 1t was thus that my brother spoke
so. the handsome soldier, who, little mo-
il. than week later, l watched evident
he making himself so agreeable to Ge
ke trude Ruckmann on the night of tt
es, famous bachelor ball. She had dance
on with him twice, and was admiring-
ize hope without shade of envy-tl
lis beautiful color which exercise ar
rs: pleasant excitement had called to h
"a cheek, when your dear mother, WI
Id had been for some time in close CONVEX
20, with Hamburg lady who was connec
i'll ed with her by marriage, approache
FOR the place where | was standing, ar
he said in low voice,
Ter 81 have been hearing the strange
Us, story about Major Compton. He seen
in to be very unfortunately situated. T
IRE is married man-which 1, for on
To never should have guessed-but
er- wife and he-owing, as most Peep
IN, say, to her bad conductive apart. 81
le- is in England al present, and l shou
ce think it would be just as well to gil
ne Gertrude Ruckmann hint of her ext
ed ence. Only look how she is going {
Ter with him I"
nd Poor girl she was indeed, as yo