The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-09-29

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stuck-up, and rather lamented that he
should have been classified in so obnox-
ious a species as the genus fortune
hunter. If he was inclined to be airish,
what made him sit there and talk so
pleasantly to her, while Mrs. Glenn APP
propriated Mrs. Wilmer, when he was as
absolutely nothing to Hecuba as Hecuba
to him? In some way the conversation
turned upon female costuming, and MIR.
| Austin said:
What lot of money you ladies
spend on your wardrobes! Not that l
condemn it! Heaven forbid that should
so misrepresent myself. 1 have no re-
| spect for woman who is content with
less than the proper thing in dressing
herself, and Pm told the proper thing
is very expensive. Not being a we'll
dressed woman, although one of the
most admirable and rare of natures ex-
periments, is a condition which has it's
disadvantages"
" don't know that l think that, Miss
Lyon said. =" Let me hear what you con-
slider these disadvantages to be-"
" Oh, my meaningwa rather involved,
think, but it was prompted by a
thought something like this Imagine
that man, being in like degrees poor
and civilized-a horrible combination, by
the way, if you'll think of it a moment
| imagine, / say, that such a. man desires
to marry. Now, being civilized, he de-
sires always to see his wife well dressed,
and being poor he is bound to put her on
stinted allowance for the purpose
Now, but for the existence of the we'll
dressed class of women, he would per-
haps remain in blissful ignorance of the
fact that cotton dresses and Shaker bon
nets were not CONNIE IL fGut. The disad-
vantage which your state of being pos
sesses then is in illustrating possibilities
in the way of feminine adornment that
make less effective costumes intolerable.
My meaning is involved, you see. l
warned you so, you remember"
Miss Lyon observed the fact that he
had passed from the third to the second
person in describing the interesting
species under discussion, and she con-
sidered it a very dexterously- managed
compliment; but she took no visible no.
tice of it. A thought suddenly occurred
to her, which made her say:
"Isn't it a good way out of the diff
Guilty, Mr.. Austin, to marry a self-sup-
porting member of the species?"
Exactly" Mr.. Austin responded.
It's quite the best thing to do in the civ
ilization-poverty business; but when l
| spoke had in view the case of a man of
another sort-the old-fashioned, out-of-
date sort, who married for love, and re-
| nd oil hat Of
old-fashioned needn't prevent such a
man from being fastidious, and men that
are fastidious about their jewels are fas-
tidious about the settings. Now, being
poor, and being civilized, and being old
fashioned, and being very much in love
with woman who possesses quite the
same attributes, the poverty included,
consider the mental agony of that man
at having to say his inamorata: 'Sophy,
my dear, if we get married, you will
have to dress on $500 year. Can't you
finish out the scene? Tears, embraces,
protestations, and separation. Sophy
would sensibly remark that the thing
was out of the question, and SO the story
would close"
"You are getting things terribly
Mixed" said Miss Lyon. =" You accred-
tied Sophy upon her introduction with
the quality of being old-fashioned as to
her motive in marrying, and you end by
making her entirely sordid. That has to
be accounted for"
Mr.. Austin laughed.
"My theory of women won't hold
water, won't it? Well, l am not sur
prised; but how have you and / wan
dered out of the beaten paths and got to
discussing love-marriages? You must
remember you are in the rural districts,
Miss Lyon, and attribute it to that. The
subject is rather an Improbable one, at
any rate"
Don't your" said Mr. Austin, laugh
ing. "That gives me an idea about
you. Now l dare say you might be con-
victed of a proneness for investigating
the habits of Dodos. Come, now, Miss
Lyon, own up. haven't you been reading
up on Dodos lately? l don't believe you
could otherwise be brought to say you
consider the extinct race of men we've
been discussing profitable talk"
Miss Lyon laughed, too, as she an
! SWOIcu' uOu any luOIo COuSlutI
that race of men extinct than the race of
women who could dress on $500 year.
Dress nicely, ! mean."
"Why, Miss Lyon, this is positively
rejuvenatingp' Mr.. Austin said "Tell
me again; do you really think you could
dress-in manner to win your own re-
gard, l mean-upon $500 Year,"
" can make my own dresses and trim
my own bonnets Il am a very accom-
plished young woman, l beg to state, en-
pGSsdn0 and so l am sure l could dress
on that"
Seriously, Miss Lyon, will you marry
mc?" said Mr.. Austin with the most can
did earnestness and disappearance of
every trace of smiles
"Why should II" Miss Lyon asked,
with artless earncstness.
Why not?" said Mr.. Austin, promptly.
Miss Lyon appeared TO reflect a moment
and then:
THAT strikes me as very forcible OBJ
servance of yours" she said, thoughtful
ly. "On the whole / am inclined to
agree; but who is to furnish the $500,
you or II"
=" l am" said Mr.. Austin az have sud.
denly developed Dodo aspirations the
| effect nf tho riIral dictr;cte op.;r NO.,