Omaha daily bee., 1874-07-13
ENGAGED.
(COncluded.)


"But," faltered Jack, his brain
giddy enough, ';an old friend-eveL
once upon a time, perhaps, more
than a friend-might be allowed
to"
"Miss Houghson, I have told you,
Is engaged" interrupted Mrs. Hare,
sternly. .'She will not receive you.
You make me doubt whether you
are aware, after all, Of the usages OF
polite society,""
ayes, 1 am" murmured Jack,
rising and taking his hat, which
had reposed on his knees all this
time. eff she is engaged she will
not receive me, and that settles it,
madame"
He was not melancholy now. A
terrible anger possessed him-ludi-
crOus it might have seemed to 9TH
ers, but real enough to such a child
ish Aimpleton as poor Jack. He
determined to give Mrs. Hare a
parting shot, cost what it might.
Engaged, eh!" his furious
thoughts ran, as he stood there
looking into the wicked eyes of the
little woman in blue. "You have
arranged it all, you blue cat!" I'll
bet my life she's engaged to your
son." He spoke aloud: ~ beg
pardon, but is Miss HOughson en-
gagged to Mr.. Mark Hare?"
"YOu are impertinent, sir J" cried
the little woman, getting angry at
once. 81 understand your vulgar
insinuadon. Miss Houghson would
approve of my conduct If l were to
order you out of the house, l am
sure; but / understand the usages Of
society too well to do 50. The cus-
toms of society simply require me to
say to you once more, Miss HOugh-
son is engaged" and she said it
emphatically, too.
ppm going, so don't be alarmed"
answered Jack, making for the door.
"You needn't say / called"
"The customs Of polite society"
began the lady.
But Jack babe her good morning
and was gone.
$780," thought he, standing
against the wall at the corner, "it's
all over, as l Eight have expected.
She's thrown me over, and is en-
gagged now to Mr.. Mark Hare. But,
no; she shan't think she's broken
my heart, and that will gall her
triumph a little, at any rate. I'll
Just write her a note, and see what
comes of it.
So he went to his hotel and wrote
to Miss Houghson, of Kirkwood
Place, Clifton Square, the following
rather foolish note:
Mss HoughsOn: 1 called to-day
to announce to you that l shall get
married next month to Miss Louisa
Harmon. Supposing that, as we
weie once acquaintance of yours,
you still feel some slight interest in
our welfare, | venture to commune
cate this intelligence herewith.
JOHN DILwYN.
Nothing came Of it but this:
Dear Jack: I congratulate you.
Eta.
He was disappointed, and for the
two or three days following unde-
cided what to do.
At length he resolved to find out,
If possible, what sort of person this
MI. Hare was, and so he contrived |
by a good deal Of maneuvering to
gain access to considerable society
and make a number of friends. He
did more than that, for he learned
to dress with much taste, and he
acquired polish and managed to
bring out all his good loo ks, and in
a month or so-who so much OF q
society man as Mr.. J. Wilmot
Dilwyn!
The WilmOt was his mothers
maiden name, and sounded, he
thought, more stately and fashiona- |
bic than vulgar Jack, and so he
adopted that change very wisely,
too.
Thus he learned at length that
Mr.. Hare was nothing more or less
than q penniless rake, and, though
Jack was certainly rather a noodle,
think he had still a very sound
heart, and all the pride he could
muster did not prevent him from
feeling sorry that his lost Eta was
about to throw herself away
The next event was, he met her !
at a party. 1t was q very fashiona.
BILE affair; and many a pretty girl
was present, but none SC beautiful
as Eta. She had no suspicion that
he was there for quite awhile but
when her friend, Miss Johnson
next beautiful celebrity to herself
said, "Oh, you must meet Wilmot
Dilwyn, deer; he is SO handsome
and agreeable " Eta consented
readily.
Behold in Mr.. Wilmot Dilwyn
her old friend Jack entirely trans
formed.
Delighted to meet you, Miss
HoughsOn,'' said Jack, with a !
grand air that might have adorned
the Regency-magnificently polite,
you know, but oh, so cold! 81
never saw you looking so we'll
hardly changed, though.
"But you, Mr.. Dilwyn," she re-
piled, with the same smile Of other
times, ''are altered in everything. /
received your note about two
months ago-wasn't it?-and it sur
prised me; and you must take me
at once to your wife, for 1 know she
Is here, isn't she? / am sure Louisa
will be glad to see me- and Is she
changed, too"
Jack became rather confused.
HThe fact-ahem lis, that l am
not married yet, Miss Houghson. 1
believe you are to be married very
shortly, though, are you MOTTO
Mr.: Mark Hare"
Eta looked down.
ave are engaged" she said quiz
city.
Simple words, but believe me,
they went into Jacks heart like q
knife.
ayes, / knew that long ago-in-
deed, when ! first came into the
city,"
Now she suddenly looked up in