The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1877-03-23
MY FLIRTATIoN.
BY a MARRIED WOMAN.

BY a MARRIED WOMAN.
/ had plenty of beaux when I was
young, and liked that very well. How
ever, 1 had heart enough at bottom,
and when Stephen Lashley asked me to
marry him, in tho end I consented,
though l kept him in suspense along at
first.
Neither Steve nor Iswere rich. My
father had sufficient income to keep the
family I'd q good style of living; but ho
saved nothing, and / could expect
nothing from him when / married.
Steve had just begun to practice rnedi-
cine, and was struggling as young doc
tors must. There was a pretty house
Just outside the town that Steve and
had our eye on for long time, and /
had promised to become his wife as
soon as he could call it his own.
by diut of such struggling and econ-
| omy SIS never could have guessed, he
had put by enough for the first pay
.ment, and was ptodding patiently. on
| toward the second and last.
| l can see now what selfish creature
/ | was, what wretch, indeed, to please
myself with the batteries OF others
l while Steve was working SO faithfully
for ne. q t
- That sounds asthough wasn't going
/ to marry Steve for love, but was
1 Our town was something OF fash
>ionable resort for SuEamer boaFders !;
and many of the people were III the
habit of taking boarders then. Father
had always objected to our doing SO ;
but this Summer of which / speak he
fell IN with q stranger, as he was re-
turning from long ride n the conn
try, who having shared his phaton with
him during the homeward drive, sue
ceeded in so ingratiating himself with
my father that he allowed him to board
with us.
f The stranger was very much IN my
line-distingnished looking, possessing
an eloquent pair of eyes, nearly the
color of my own, and having a propen-
sity to saying "pretty things that was
just delicious to girl of my turn. 1t
was such fun to draw him out, and then
laugh at him; to pretend pleasure, ther
siyness; to invite and repulse in the
same breath. 1t was genuine tlirta
ton, as much so to him as to me.
:. Steve came often to see me, but he
f did not see me alone, and lie never
: stayed late.
II Steve's sister Marian and were init
: mate, and spent much time together
t Poor Steve enjoyed my visits to Marian
: much better than he did seeing me any
, where else, and liked it too, as mucl
? because of seeing him as Marian. /
was then a miserable piece of heartless
9 ness for me TO permit Mr.. Fordyce TIL
! $ stranger to accompany me thitheI
thus paradfng, as It were, my conquest
>. and the Accomplishments and attrac
n tions of Steve's new rival, in the mos
i disagreeable manner possible.
q Steve was good. natured, ana KEEP
this disappointment to himself, bat h
y did not ike Mr.. Fordyce and he wa
!. quite alone in that. Everybody like
It Mr. Fordyce but Steve. He was a
I immensely popular man IN our sn1a
l community, entering as he did wit
: such genuine zeal into all our interest
2, and bearing himself genially toward
b all.
,e When pareon Hammond who hive
d nearest to as, lost available horse frol
st his stable, and came over to our hou.
u to see about pursuing the thief, M
y Fordyce, though lie had just got hon
. from . jaunt with some friends, whic
GO kept, lIina most of the night, insisted {
y being one OF the pursuing party, am
ne indeed, quite led it. Tt was the san
"a when MIR. Dpdevant's shop was broke
re open and robbed. Mr.. Fordyce we
ed over and over the ground. and ga
or shrewder guesses as to how the robbie
!. 1 had been managed than anyone els
When other tilefts Of q similar natd1
3. and also Of lesser degree, continued
n, vex and puzzle Us from time to time,
ell was Mr.. Fordyce who insisted on
ess we're measures, prevailed upon the .
~ thoritieaito effer large rewards for {
apprehension Of the offenders and MAJ
is, himself SO active in the matter as to "
he the graAftude'ot the whOIe town.
nd He ollen Joined cur social gathefin
.he ard became the life of sllon1. VI
z quite envied IN having his escort so
ng quenElys and the rumor was very SO
II circulated that we were engaged ).
I'D StaEa and + had some words on 1
subject several times; and because
.sik was So unusual for him to insist in 81
III 8 matter, resented it when be did; a
I'd, the more suspected myself to
of wrong, the more / resolved would /
lis own IL : sssss g
she detected Steye's dislike Of Mr.. f