The Republican journal., 1874-07-16

thinking of Fid Fid is only our poodle
and Rob- admit it, is surprisingly hand
some man lie was the handSomcSt man
that season. at the Cape of Rocks. where
handsome men were by no means Il rarity
Nor do | inSinuate, by the comparison,
that Rob was Of the puppy order. On the
contrary. you are to fancy 4 clevcrish man,
an easy talker. and agreeable acquaint-
ance. But there was about Rob a gentle
tingc of melancholy when silent and So
there was about Fil when MOI barking
Roh's deep. soft brown ewes spoke OF Snt-
tering, and a depth and tenderness OF
feeling OF which common men are ncap-
able: Just SO with Fid 1t was impossible
TO look inlo her sad ln~trons eyes and be
lieve that her highest aspiration was a
Juicy chop. and that the whole range OF
intellect was taxed to play ''dead dog.
But after several wears acquaintance am
obliged 10 believe that the poodle's deep
est sorrow is Ia he driven from the sofa
cushion, and that Fid and Rob agree on
one point Neither OF them is capable of
feeling what he looks
Nv view is not the general view. BY
no means Rob'S conqucsts are written
m the annals Of every watering place OF
note 1t is seldom that You find a hand
soma. man who is clever and can talk
we'll tdd o this faculty of looking
like hero. and of stepping into the shoes
OF every ladv's ideal. and who can Won
der? Other men freely admitted the fact .
and claSsed ii among other mysterious
workings Of the female mind: but Rob
was bored by il; for il is among mascn-
line peculiarities that when 4 man is quite
sure that certain Young ladies will only be
too happy to drive or dance with him. he
is apt to he troubled with doubts whether
he himself is willing.
50 it happened that Rob was longing
about the hotel. moped and diSconsolate
when Bessie came
Bessie was in our charge; at least, She
came with my wife. for | had stoutly OBJ
jccted 10 her visit Not that | dislike
pretty girls of seventeen. Quite the con-
trary Only l objected on the same prin-
ciple that should to the guardianship of
an invaluable mist wreath. OF a priceless
cobwcb for in Bessie there was comhi-
nation of undesirable circumStancos--un-
desirable from my point of view, | mean.
She was of that age when 4 Girl some
times unites to The charming audacitv of a
child the attractions OF very lovely WO-
man. II was her first season anywhere.
She WAS extremely intelligent and very
| ignorant; pretty, with that poetical beauty
not easily catalogued, rs item two gray
eyes. ana so on; but capable at times Cf
| lighting up with a sort of inspiration and
spIendor-a brilliant rare little creature
a novelty Fid's natural prey, | mean
Rob. not the poodle; but the truth is, we
have fallen into such confirmed habit OF
calling him Fid. among ourselves that |
find shall be unable To call him anything
| else
knew what was coming from the first
evening when Fid lounged easily into an
Introduction. and in halt an hour had evl-
IDENTITY installed himself in that character
of our hero and fairy prince by which
girls like Bessie are so apt TO be haunted.
Here was Il prospect for middle-aged.
case-loving man! A willtul. impression
able. precious only child in charge, and
Fid commencing attentions, PcrplcXities
and woetul disappointment We're sure to
be the result nor was this all. There
was another interest involved. Barry
Lugan fancied Bessie Why. ii would be
hard to say unless Fate would have it. He
was commonly supposed to be proof lie
was twcnty-eight or nine. and they had
tried him with every thing -croquet
tableauN, tetes, champetres, travelling par
ties. Heaven knows what not pretty girls,
gay girls. domestic girls, stron@-minded
girls-and all to no purpose,
But on the very first day OF onr arrival
Barry, coming in suddenly, surprised
Bessie. her tawny hair about her should
ers, her cheeks dimping with laughing,
and in the very middle of 4 fantastic
pirouctte which she was executing on a
pair of feet so dainty that it always SEEM
ed to me waste to walk on them. She
certainly made Il very pretty picture, and
showed to better advantage than in the
draWing-room, where she was apt to be
missyish in manner; but why should Barry
have fallen in love with her? He had seen
other pictures inst as pretty, However
the thing was done, and love is something
like measels-the later in life the harder
YOU oct it, More veXation; Ton from the
very start it was manifest that Barry had
no chance with Fid. lie labored under
the immense disadvantage that is apt to
attend the real thing when compared with
the counterfeit He was 4 man worth tho
name. deeply in love; and Iris passion
made him at once doubtful Of himself anc
drtrrential Fid was Il coquette, bent on
+ conquest. and as cool rs he had ever beer
in his life. Barry binndered, and Fi'
seized every advantage Barry was il
earnest. ana therefore cautions. fid mean
nothing srrions and so had no tear of con
sequences; and from the outset Bessie
preferred Fid's cheap gracea to the rea
j. gentleman, Just as babies choose the penn,
j, books in red and yellow to Shakespeare.
Stll, who could blame the child? On
of her child'S life, in q quiet home, st'
al ;,fo Jx-f II
tull of flowers. Strauss waltZes. and ador
; alton. Three weeks before she was
subject under maternal discipline. Nov
= she was sovereign, in virtue OF her lovli
> ness; and in that enchanted time she wa
: truly lovely. Beauty, all beauty is worn
and can be worn. 50 rarelessly that it
:, = marred like fine dress badly arranged
. Specially was this the case with Bessie
: style of prettness. Consciousness of he
. success doubled her charms. Every ia
! Barry, like Sparkler, put on new set {
" letters, and even Fid's admiration wa
: genuine. All those were halcyon days 10
= Bessie, What did not Fid know An
= with what easy GOODNESS he treated every
y body about him, and took whatever h
:. wanted, He had finer handkerchiets. an
" wore more gloves, and had 4 prettie
locket than she herself. and he was nevC
ruf1ed OF at n loss He had no Weaknesse:
i, and made no mistakes. and how handson
ID he Wasl Bessie often wondered why /
re loved her. He had never said that !
ne loved her but then ii was evident. ii
Ds scarcely left her, he would hold her han
I'd under her shawl, he had one of her lit
ld gloves as II treasure. OF course he love
s, her, and she-she never asked herse
e. point blank how it was with her, hcr sill
p little heart fluttered so only at the MOTTO
lg For Barrys pertinacous attentions.
nc suspect they added to the piquancy OF Il
IS entertainment | have never had tas
of absolute power myself. Before II
marriage my mother and sisters manage
ls- me quietly Since then Mrs. Lumpkin h
se ruled me with a rod of iron; but judy
er that the handling of it is pleasant. Bess
ny seemed to find ii SO. The people at Ca