The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1874-08-19

Well, I give you my blessing; sht
pays nice little income tax. Bu
> |'speak of angels and you hear thei
wings Here comes the rival belle:
now"
With something like a sigh, Roy
Templeton threw away the stub o
his ci gar, and gave his attention tc
: the rising star, while Fred walked
off in the sweet summer sunshine
with winsome, witty Adria. ii .:ai)
"That couple do try my patience
So" said she as they went, throw
ing a backward glance at the pail
sitting in lazy impassibility upor
the piazza.
aHow 4 1so?" queried Fred
"They appear to me a very lnoffen
sive duo.'" ....... ......a
''That's just the difficulty. i
they would quarrel between them:
selves, or with any one else, ]
should feel better about them.
When they first came here [ dcci.
ded in my own mind that they
would make match. After Ia
boring a month to give them every
possible chance for sentiment,
there they sit, manifesting about as
much interest in each other as il
they were a plaster of paris dog and
cat sitting upon some, restroom
mantelpiece.'' .r .,:.
"Well, match-makers usually do
have their labor for their pains.
Don't you know that it is very
wicked in you, Miss Adria, to be
cherishing such designs upon the
lifeand liberty of your friends 2"
"You are wonderfully sympa-
thetic, Monsieur Travis, I cry pee
cavy! But it wonld be such a COM
fort to see Constance in love: be-
sides, I really think them perfectly
suited to each other" -
'Indeed, l 90 sympathlze, mann :
sellc, to such an extent, that [ wish
YOU would take to matchmaking
on your own account" "ja. "'.
"You might regret it forever af-
ter if I did. But tell me, do you
think Mr.. Templetou fond Of my
cousin 2" .,- a.. ....-.
"Indced, I am as much in the
dark in regard to the state of his
feelings as you. lie is as uncom-
municative as an oyster, ard as
hard to understand as proposition
in Euclid. Dt '.# ..'.
"Quen desespor! 1t is enough to
exasperate a saint. One day they
are so friendly and apparently ab-
sorbed in each other, that 1 am
quite encouraged, and the next
they act very much as if the North
Frigid Zone had dropped dewn be-
tween them. Oh, dear, it is too
provoking! and Constance knows
that I won't marry until after she
does!n' = E..s
"Alas =" r1#ti.sa -
"And I don't dare to say a word
fortea I shall spoilit all, they are so
queer; but I feel certain that If
this uncertainty continues much
longer my nervous system will suf-
fer serious disarrangement."
OF course Fred laughed at the
idea of her having a nervous sys-
tenn, but could lend her no light on
the perplexing Templeton-Marble
question-which goes to prove that
a third party 'can't most always
sometimes tell" just how matters of
a private interest do stand between
two people, even though those two
people are the Fsdus Achates of
ones daily life.
Notwithstanding the apparent in
difference of Roy Templeton, he
was determined to make Constance
Marble his wife; but he was wise
in his day and generation, and,
knowing that theDrace is not always
to the swift, he waited, like aTsan-
guine, philosophical Micawber, for
something to turn up in his favor.
While apparently the case stood
in statu quo, and; that pretty little
i,hi;qanf Adria was bewailing the
situation and beguiling Fred Travis
of his heart, Mr.. Templeton was
conducting a seige that, had it been
to carry any fortress but a woman's
heart, would have entitled him to a
generalship.
While the other men were bow
ing down in figurative alteration OF
the perfect beauty, and making
fools of themselves generally over
her, he contented himself with
showing her that aggravated kind OF
politeness that man might show
lis grandmother, and daring to
criticize her style by insinuating
that touch of rouge would be a
great relief to the opaqueness OF
her complexion.
This policy was good. 1t won
him, first, liberation next, con
sideration; and lastly, pique. AT
first she found his presence tolera-
BILE, because he did not nauseate
her with compliments, nor offend
her good taste by exaggerated at,
tentinns. After q little. his not