New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-04-05

/ y
always said you would never find any ma,
to suit you exactly"
| "ThaJ's just what I'm wanting, my dear
Man. l see plenty of amateur iockeyl
and polite letter writer's. What want is &
| man, one that is not afraid to be natural
or ashamed to be IN earnest. really thinl
| our average dandy, with his cool self-suffi
| cheney, and his insulting indifference, the
| most. unpleasant production of the age
There's the Major now
"WhO is that!'
"MajOr MsjOribanks, my dear; the glory
of his regiment and the idol of all the horse
| dealers, amateur actors and fast young men
for a circle of twenty miles. Why, Patty
your blushing You don't mean to say you
know the man.
II met him-that is-he is friend of nv
brothers." said the other lady, with some
hesitation.
"And you've been fool enough to believe
all his nonsense, child, dare say. Come,
now"
"Well, he certainly is an extraordinary
@0h, p yes, very. He can ride kicker. or
write burlesque; but as for heart-whv,
my dear child, he'd toss you aside, if it
suited his purpose, with "a much indiffer.
ence as l toss that withered camelia. Now,
don't you waste thought on him. don't
W, IuC WTctCUeO man mas
been making love to me in his quiet way
ever since he came. I'm afraid every day
he'll propose, and shall have the trouble
of refusing him without losing nv temper. ="
'But l can't help it," said Patty, family.
ooh yes, you can. You thought YOU
couldn't, down in that dull place, with
nothing else to think about, but You'll be
under different treatment here, can as
sure you. Plenty of exercise and excite
ment will soon cure you. I'll tell you what,
as great treat tomorrow yeu shall ride
Crusader. Well take quiet canter along
the lanes
ooh, but can't ride strange horses" said
Patty.
sob, but you'll soon get acquainted.
Mind, l consider this great favor, and YOU
of my habits will fit you nicely, and when
you return you'll feel spirit enough to defy
twenty majors
you are q darling girl" said Patty, get
ting up and kissing her.
''Im afraid you're in minority, my dear"
said Diana. "Most people say Pm intensely
disagreeable. Good night, and don't dream
OF the major"
And the pair kissed again, and parted for
the night.
CHAPTER II.
The next day was one of those mild,
hazy, November ones, which break out into
a glimpse of sunshine toward noon, and
then return to their former dullness. The
two girls rode along between the hedge.
rows, chatting pleasantly.
I'm sure shall never be able to manage
this animal, said Patty, timidly. "See how
he losses his head about"
That's because you let him feel the curb,
dear; l had it put on sharp on purpose.
Have power of punishment, but seldom use
it; that's the real secret of managing horses,
dogs and men. There now, you see he goes
quietly enough on the snatfle. Now coax
him little, and give and take more; re-
member he isn't phlegmatic donkey, with
a mouth like deal board"
''Well l must say prefer quiet horses;
one feels so much more at ease"
"Pshaw, my dear! l wouldn't give a
guinea for horse that any one could ride,
than took no more notice of steam engine
than of haystack. They have Just the
same dead-level of indifference that is the
ideal excellence of the young man of the
period, who hears with equal apathy Of
railway accident or a revolution"
"Well, l suppose they only follow the
fashion, just as in their coats and collars"
"But what an age it must be that makes
dead calm lts acme of good style, and
substitutes Jack Poyntz for Ranger or
Charles Surface"
"Good Heavens, Diana! yOr don't mean
to say you read those hOrrid old plays!
Mamma would not let me study such things
on any account"
Nonsense! AS if they could be worse
than the French plays one sees now, or half
a dozen English ones l could name. At
least enjoy the male character more than
in ours. They were infinitely more spark
hnI
wickeder at bottom"
Gentlemen now could be quite as witty
if they cared to try"
"Oh. don't doubt their abilities, my
dear; l suppose the breed of male animals
produces about the same number of prOdi-
gies in every age; but how is one to know
it! certainly prefer men who kept their
wits and their swords equally bright by
daily use. Here one is in equal uncertainty
as to their livers or their intellects."
"Livers, Diana! What an expression -
''Strictly Shakespearian, assure you.
"A lily-livered knave, see Macbeth l |
1aresay you can find a dusty copy of |
Shakespeare on the top shelf in the Ii |
brary."
"Ah, Di! I'm afraid you never will get
married at this rate"
mo, dear. As some one says of Morris, |
shall die the serene martyr of mean
ma melancholy time. ,"
"You must have had plenty of Offers"
ooh. dozens! all couched in the cOnde-
cending brevity with which the preur.
heralier OF the day deign to express his
wishes. Now just contrast the men we
AVE been talking about. Worship COM
nences by shower of more or less read
bile verses, which you have the option of
eading or committing to the flames. You
usually drop your handkerchief into
INNING stream or down precipice. and
our adOrer throws himself after it, and re-
torres it at the risk of his life. After
7hile he throws himself on his knees-both
nees, mind-and begs you to save him from
estruction. You relent; on leaving you he
leets his rival; glance is enough: swords
ut'|sO did Diana's eyes-''and woe to him
no flinches.'
HORRIBLE" said Patty.
will this suit you better! Stephen
rolls lazily into the room; remarks on the
Gather; allows himself to decline into
at by your side, and suggests that you {
lould become Mrs. Strephen. Eli, so1ant {
: meets his rival: treads on his toes: they |
lchange abusive epithets, light cigars, and {
l-bathos!-cut each other at the club" 7
swell, that's better than fighting said :
atty. +
"And infinitely safer. Well, my dear,
rhaps, after all, you are right. We
ustn't take our idea of the class from Sir {
AIRY Wlldair-there's darling name for c
u. They only show what was considered
9 thing. l daresay l am getting fearfully b
abbed. You see, when girl has money
Q becomes the centre of a circle of decep. i,
m, Let's change the subject. How well il
at habit fits you" a
1T feels rather strange You see SO
dom ride at home" T.
'Ah, of course. Now to me habit is sec t,
d nature, as some one says. feel infin- a
ly more comfortable in one than in low d
ass. l purposely lent you my regular
ing hat, for wanted to see how should fl
j in this new-fangled affair. I'm afraid n
wouldn't suit crashing through bull tt
ch; one wants something sitter for that. s;