The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-06-20

Lund but as she spoke she started and
turned pale it was only with an effort
that she completed her sentence.
Bertram, looking around for the cause
of this emotion, saw that new arrival
at Spa, man whom he knew slightly In
England, had just entered the room,
and he experienced that plea'ing thrill
which animatrs pointer on snuffilng
gamey scent, or dramatic author when
the idea of plot comes into his head,
for he relieved the tedium of some
what lethargic existence by watching
the little social romances going on
around him. If he had been tattler,
this might have proved a mlschievous
propensity but he kept his discoveries
to himself, or only intimated them to the
principal actors, for his amusement con-
sisted in knowing what other people
failed to perceive. The young man
who had just entered moved up the
room, looking right and left for ac-
quaintances. Presently he saw Ber-
tram, who came forward and shook
hands with him, asked him when he had
arrived. what hotel he was staying at,
and other commonplaces, while he was
answering which he saw Miss Lund,
and could not prevent a slight start be-
fore he bowed coldly. The young
lady replied with distant bend of the
neck.
"You know Miss Lund," said Ber-
tram.
81 have met her once or twice. But
they are going to dance again, and as i
am not in mood for violent exercise,
having only just swallowed my dinner,
| shall 60 and have look at the 7rente
ct QUdrente."
Though not a gossip himself, Ber-
tram by no means objected to take oc-
casional advantage of the gleanings
| gathered by members of that frater-
nifty, so he went and sat down by Mrs.
| Cracket.
81 So you have been making love to the
heiress, said she.
Rash, under your very eyes, wasn't
it p he replied. "But what is there
between her and Graham?"
4" Do you mean to tell me that you
don't know?"
How should L? 1 was not aware
of Miss Lund's existence till this even
ing"
"Well, they were engaged for ever so
long he was at her house every day
most improper, with only that poor
old Miss Coney to act as chaperone
when suddenly she broke off the match.
The airs the parvenues give them
selves ~
"Was there no cause, then ?"
"Oh, l suppose it was some jealous
whim, and there may have been some
occasion for it. You men are all alike.
This was quite enough for Bertram to
start upon, and he made no other in
quiries. But he enlisted himself in the
troop of the heiress' admirers, which
were pretty numerous, took the Lund
shilling" as he himself expressed it,
and being an adept in the art of making
himself agreeable, was soon promotedto
the rank OF leading partner and first
shawl-carrler, vice Williams and Vena-
bles, told off respectively to Miss Cor
ney and the lapdog. This distinction
did not puff him up unduly, for the
discriminate young man perceived that !
the preference was afforded him because
he seldom approached the topic of love
or matrimony, and when he did it was |
always in tone of badinage.
Yet there were times when she as
N'tiuC' d IOulltbtlSll ttlI, WHICH seemed
to invite him to more serious Irritation, |
but this was invariably when Graham |
was present, and appeared to be OBJ
serving her.
Now" said Bertram to himself.
there are two courses for the male |
spoon to pursue either to clear out of |
the place altogether, or to follow the
female spoons lead. Graham adopted |
the latter course, and harnessed himself |
to the car of Il handsome young widow.
who dressed gorgeously, rode fearlessly, |
talked slangily, danced untiringly, and !
sat dorm to l)tdY.
The manners of the little English |
community assembled at Spa were very
much relaxed from the standard set up |
by each individual member at home. |
Persons, even of different sexes, spoke |
to one another without formal intro
duction; young ladies danced sometimes
twice consecutively with the same part
ner. The majority only went once to
church on Sunday, and devoted the rest
OF the day to long walks i'll the woods.
the perusal of secular journals. and
listening to the band, which played
other music than Handel's. Many who
frowned Mt siX-penny whist at home ms
gambling, staked their horins and
five-franc pieces at roulette and rouge
et-noir. But there was one tacit law
which the female portion of the British
visitors adhered to religiously, and that
forbade them to take seats Mt either of
the .play-tables. They might stand be-
hind and make their little stakes over
other peoples shoulders, with an air of
assumed indifference rs to whether they
lost or won, if they pleased. That was
considered to be mere looking on. But
to sit down like regular gambler with
big G., was held to be fearful breach
of propriety
And this crime Mrs. Geylass, the
young widow, committed. She con-
stantly took seat, which was obse-
quiously vacated for her, at the unso-
cial board, removed her gloves, took a
card and pin, piled her stock of napo-
Icons into little heaps in front of her,
and went in for the thing in the most
business-like way, her admirers clus-
tered around her and backing her luck
on the principle, l suppose, that imita-
ton is the sincerest flattery. The adj