The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-06-01
Select Story.
WOOED WITH A SHELL.
By K. C. SPRAGCE.

May have the pleasure OF your
company for this dance, Miss Wilber-
force? 1 have waited patiently all the
evening, while more favored cavaliers
were being made happy, and now won't
you reward my modesty? The music
will soon cease. Truly you cannot have
the heart to refuse! =
"Ah pray, Mr. Burroughs, why not?
If you wished to dance with me. why
didn't you present your claims earlier
in the evening? No, sir, shall give the
waltz to-to-let me see-to-yes, Char
ley Parker" and, with the utmost non
chalance, the audacious beauty singled
out gentleman from a group who
we're standing near the music, beckoned
him with her fan, and when he ap
preached said,in the most innocent tone
imaginable, "Charley, this is beauti-
full waltz"
"Will you honor me-" quothed the
keen-witted Charles, with comprehen-
sive smile at the nonplused Burroughs.
She made no verbal reply, but rising,
submitted herself to his embrace, and
in moment was gliding away with him,
while a low ripple of mocking laughter.
in which her partner joined, foated up
from her lips as they both caught a
glimpse of the angry light that flashed
from the dark eyes of the justly indig-
nant Burroughs
Parker's chums had also witnessed
this little rencontre, and Burroughs saw
more than one face relax into an lima
tured smile as he haughtily strobe to the
parlor door; but he was too well ac-
quainted with the polished insolence OF
fashionable society to be much annoyed
by the gibs and jeers of any of its de-
votees
John Burroughs wasn't great favor
ite with the social circle with which he
chose TO move. He was altogether too
honest, chivalrous, earnest, and intoier-
ant of gossip to suit the taste of most Of
the bellies and elegant young men who,
under the guise O. the FideIia Sociable,
danced together 90 winter nights in
the same parlors up on Murry Hill and
continued their festivities down here at
the Pavilion Bramble Beach, during the
summer, when the pitiless sun and heat
ed atmosphere drove them forth from
their magnificent places of rendezvous
in gay New York. No one was better
aware of this than himself He well
knew that were it not for his unexcep.
tionable ancestry, great wealth, hand
some house, superb turnout, rare wines
and expensive tobaccoand his liebrality
withal, which substantial qualities made
him one Of the most desirable members
of their coterie, the polite Fidelians
would long since have consigned him to
the most Stygian depths of that social
Inferno, Coventry.
Under ordinary circumstances, his
position with regard to his associates
was rather a source of amusement to
him than a cause for chagrin. When
however, Mamie Wiberforce, the "wo
man, of all women in the world for him,
showed so little consideration for his
feelings as to hold him up before all
these people, who were only too glad to
wound him with their barbed witticism:
and mocking glances, as a target fol
theirsplenetic arrows,it was quite anoth
er thing He felt bitterly, deeply hurt
Sine must have seen that he loved her
he reasoned; and yet she treated him
worse than impolitely. That she was
coquettish, and considerably inclined te
fiirt, he had always fully realized; buf
that she could be so heartless, even-lady
like, was something that he would have
deemed beyond the limits Of possibility
had she not given him such mortifyine
demonstration TO the contrary
If he wished to regain his peace oi
mind, there was but one course OF ac
ton left open for him to pursue. dc
must go away, and, amid new scenes
and companions, learn to conquer ano
forget his hopeless passion. He resoiV
ed to do 30. With him to determine
Twas to execute as speedily as possible
so as he restlessly paced to and fro OF