Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1876-03-23

Captain Somebody; Iancled bruce was
his name,
"a good name remarked Margaret.
II dare say he is a relative OF Lord
Bruce"
| But / was doomed to undecieve her
shortly. for on addressing him as Cap
| tain Bruce he smiled and told me that
was not his name, his name was Bebb.
Bebb, I thought, was very funny
name However, it did not prevent me
thinking him very pleasant, and being
secretly glad when he told me he was to
be quarterea at ton-Folgats for some
months to come.
! To be brief: After several meetings,
Captain Bebb, whose name had now
transpired in my family, began to pay
me marked attention; but, although in
my lnmost heart liked him, still | was
well aware that for " a Howard to ally
herself with Bebb would be regarded
as an irnpossibility by my family.
His personal appearance was stigma-
tized as the most vulgar that had ever
been seen his hair. which was really
brown, was always alluded to as carrots;
and shuddering fit frequently overlook
Louisa as she described the horror she
had experienced when, on one fatal oc~
casion, he had shaken hands with her,
and his hot, clammy clasp had almost
given her fit. .ft
Perhaps, owing to this his name de-
generated from Be5b into Blubber, and
several times my mother herself mars
rowly escaped addressing him as such,
so persistently was he called it behind
his back. .4k
A dead pig having been found in the
sly one morning, l was strongly advis-
ed to 90 down and see the likeness,
which. from my Partially to Blubber,
nv sister felt sure wonld be interesting
TO me. I am ashamed to confess that |
had not the moral courage to retute
these uncalled for calumnies these in
cessant cruel taunts were enough to me;
and when I did receive proposal from
Captain Bebb, my answer may be i'm
agined. refused him and cried N.Y.
self to sleep for many nights afterwards.
But the deed was done, and Captain
Bebb was not one to ask me again, aud
| heard soon afterwards that he had left
,, Norton>Folgate. a.
Very little was thought of the affair
in my own family, and of the general
opinion of course l am unable to speak.
The idea that l, "a H oward," had been
asked to become Nelly Bebb, or Nelly
Blubber, sometimes elected would-be
witty remarks from my sisters but by
degrees the existence of Captain Bebb
came to be totally forgotten by every
one except myself.
Meanwhile we did not grow younger
as the years rolled quietly on, and as
they went l became more and more con-
scious of the error had made in rejects
ing man whom l felt I could have
loved and respected, simply because he
was ridiculed by my sisters, and bore
the unaristocratic game of Bebb.
Seven years had passed away, still
we were ''going out to practice" l un~
willingly, but my sisters more persist
emily than ever. But, alas! time had
changed for us; partners were no longer
plentiful, and we were obliged Ito be
thankful for the few who asked us to
dance, or offered to escort us to supper
and who were, generally speaking.mere
boys, whose nursery days seemed like
yesterday. However, rather than return
home without having danced at all, l
was indeed glad to take turn with
them. But on one particular occasion
at ball ia the Assembly rooms, even
| the boys failed us, and the three Misses
Howard were standing together i'll a
most palpable family group, when the
entrance of large party gave us some
momentary diversion,
1t was the Aylmers' Court party
Lord and Lady Aylmer, two or three
dowagers, bevy of bright>eyed, pretty
girls, and several gentlemen. Among
the latter who should I recognize but
my old friend and rejected lover Caps
tain Bebb. XIV
He was looking remarkably well, hap
py and handsome; no resemblance to a
pig was possible now surely, and for an
instant wild hope shot through my
poor heart that he might see me and
speak to me again. He did see me, but
instinctively I felt he did not recognize
me.
Seven years had not improved me-
with bitter pang I felt that. He bow
ed, and passed on with young and
pretty girl leaning on his arm. Oh,the
modification of that evening, the wea~
ry. desperate longing had to hide my
self somewhere; but there / stood, ia
ded "wall flower" youthtully attired in
white tarlatan and blue satin ribbons,
unnoticed, neglected, and, what l felt