The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-11-27
!. rsnrv Good Enough 20 Fosfo~
Thannsgtvfug.Day

. asorv Good Enough 20 Eosso~
Thanksgtvfug.Day.
~ nYGor.or's oRDEALs.
W., ,rnre told some weeks ago how my
rrsnch friend Blsise Ricolot became ena'
100 NJ the dowry Of Miss Ruth Cum
,nsnb and succeeded In intrudipg himsei,
nan her attention. This week he ana
have been staying at Cumleigh Lodge ~
Snrrr, to honor the pheasant preserves ans
we have been doing something e'se :s;, y,
shooting thanks to the ingenious spa" "
Miss Ruth. .os that Mr.
Cumleieh had fallen into osd ouoA sn,U ~,
society, owing to Miss RUINS eseInTS m
oad,n1s Having a romantic mania for test
;nc ,b. personal courage OF her adorers, TINS
rnnng laGy had played pranks upon GER
;a;n wcli.connecied gentleman notably
n,ardsmau or t;To--apd these prapks haa
ssednnndpd more to Miss Ruth's perspica.
citv Than to the glorifcation Of her victims.
To revenge themselves, the weil-connect-
Oh gentlemen, who had been made to
chow the white feather, had spread
the report that Mr.. Cumleigh was dis
gracefully bad-a person Of whose antecc-
dents nothing was known, and must have
made his fortune by modes of which no
risht.thinking mind could approve. AS ior
me. | only half believed this; but having 3
great opinion OF myself, like the rest OF you,
hesitated 10 accept Mr. Cumleish'S ipvlta'
t;on. md il was only at the instant suppllca.
tion of Ricolot that lat length condescended
20 accompany him. When we arrived, Miss
Ruth thanked me with demure little bow,
for the honor / was doing her fathers ROOF,
and hoped that l should not find the hospi-
tality Of it too humble.
This was nonsense, for less humble place
could not be found for advertising. CUM
leigh Lodge is rich, luxurious, ana YET taste-
full; for those who, knowing little OIL the
houses of city plutocrats, pirate OF the osten-
tatious yulgarity of these a6odes, iorget tnat
men like Mr..Cumleigh seldom consult their
own tastes in the matter OF furniture, but
appeal to artistic upholsterers. Before had
spent clock.round at the Lodge could not
help wishing that some of the aristocracy,
among whom my acquaintance chiefly lie
as think was good enough to explain TO
You before-wo uid take 4 leaf out OF city
mans book. The only thing TO complain of
was that among the other guests invited were
q trife too many fellow city-men strongly
perfumed with gold; but, after all, gold is
good perfume.
The other morning, then, after satisfy
ing breakfast OF game pics, we observed that
the sky was weeping, and as sport was diffl-
cult under the circumstances l Strolled in
the billiard-room and began knocking the
balls about, waiting for Rigolot to join me.
/ had scarcely been so engaged minute
when Ruth Cumleigh gidcd in with gra.
witty Of purpose on her pretty face. She was
adorably fresh, dressed in buff costume, or
ecru linen, with velvet band and large me-
dalton round her neck, velvet bracelets round
n.,I LOT OH ,nly &c u "a
merest accident, in her girdle. Laying her
finger on her lips she motioned TO me TO fol-
low her into the conservatory adjoining the
billiard-I DOM, and there, when had let fall
the door curtain, she said:
"Mr. Trefoil."
"Miss Cumlcigh."
"Your French friend is making violent
love to me-"
81 do not wonder at it,
"Il's q matter of taste; but l should be
careful before marrying Frenchman.'
san authentic Vscount. l believe"
go, foreign Viscounts! And, then, /
have no faith in the courage of these French
men. They boast too much, and would
not give pin for man who Boosted and
had no courage. He would be sure to ty-
rann!ze and make one wretched and ashamed
of him. What is your opinion of Monsieur
Rigolot?"
"Try him."
"That is what I mean to do if you will
HELM me. There is ghost who is said to
haunt church-yard near here. Do you
think Monsieur Rigolot is afraid of ghosts?"
81 have little taste for them myself but
Frenchman may be above such prcjudice.'
"And do you tbink that Monsieur Rigolot
would like to be awoke at night by two
armed burglars pointing rcyolvers in his
face?" asked Miss Ruth, fixing her large eyes
on me.
~ can only answer for myself, and con-
TESS that night so disturbed would he most
disagreeaby noted in my memory"
"Well, think that will do then," said the
pleasant young lady gravely; "and to-mor-
row, if he gets through the two trials credit
ably, will tell him that papa has received a
telegram saying that his fortune is in jeo-
pardy. shalt see then whether your friend
cares for me or my money"
laughed, she laughed, and between us
we agreed to submit Rigolot to as uncom-
Portable series Of ordeals as l have ever
heard devised. So that evening at dinner,
just as the soup was being removed, and be-
fore any of the guests had time to draw an
artificial courage from wine, Ruth Cumeigh
remarked quietly: "Papa, IFS tc-night the
ghost pays yearly visit TO Gravehill church
yard"
"My dear child, how can you say such
foolish things?"
Mademoiselle believes in ghosts, zen?"
inquired Rigolot, displaying his white teeth
on the other side of the table.
."In undoubted ghosts, Monsieur Rigolot,
and this one has frightened several people to
death. Pm sure it makes ones flesh creep
to think Of it. Do you not believe in
ghosts?"
kigolot's handsome face at once became
serious.
"Zere are more Zings in Heaven and earth |
zan we dream Of, as your Shakespeare says,
Mademoisele; cannot deny vat know |
noZing about; bnt | care not for ghosts; |
] mock myself of ZEN; for what can zey do |
to me-"
"The answer of sensible and brave man, /
Mossheer Rigeot,' exclaimed Mr.. Cumleigh, |
with approval, and the other city men, their |
wives and mobile membranes, concurred. /
But Ruth CALCULATED, smiling, as if skeptical, |
~"Well, should you dare TO go and stand
in Gravehil church-yard alone at midnight,
Mossheer RigolotY"
My friend made one of his inimitable |
French bows, and asked whether NJ ISIS Ruth |
would favor him with her company but |
she answered that the test of pococurantiSm |
in these cases consists in being quite solitary.
Accordingly 1t was understood that the /
Frenchman should set out for Gravebill un-
attended at half-past. IL; and am bound to /
own that the prospect Of this excursion did |
not interfere in the least with Rigolot's good |
humor or appetite. He ate, chatted, and |
joked RS usual, took rather less wine than /
his wont, and ut the appointed time, not. |