The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1877-03-09
MET BY CHANCE.
A Romance Of the Centennial
Exhibition.
by JoNQUIL.

"0ut with him all day yester-
day seeing the city, and going
with him to the opera to-nightl
| Whew! the Louisiana tiger is
making love strongl He will pro
pose tomorrow, | presume"
The young girl colored a little
and laughed, and then said in de-
predatory tone: ~
"You are not jealous, Archie,
are yOu?" oh
He saw that she really feared
he was, and to avoid putting any
alloy in her pleasure, he said, with
generous tenderness:
jealous No, to be sure; |
would not be such an unreasona-
BILE fool as that !! know, of course,
that as a visitor in the city he can
not do less than ask your compa-
ny, and that as your fathers guest
you cannot deny him the pleas
ure."
"But il will not be as much
pleasure to go out with him as
with you," she said, pleased by
his assurance of confidence. i
"Well, 1 should hope not, Jen-
ME, though, of course, variety is
pleasant to all women, whether it
Is a man or dress she changes;
and besides it must be an addi-
tional pleasure to have a fine
looking, rich man like Mr.. Belle
vile with you"
81 do not know whether he is
rich or not; that would mako no
difference"
"If you liked him p said Archie, |
finishing the sentence for 'hery 0iE
"If l liked any man. Let me
speak fol myself, and no prompt.
ing, as you say in court" z |
So they dismissed Mr. Belle
vile to speak of other subjects, 1
and soon forgot that there was
such an animal as the fabled Lou
isiana tiger. 'nId ~ haf
But his presence was no fable,
for he came into the parlor, after
a stroll for the purpose of smok-
ing his cigar before retiring,l and
his fine appearance and evident
admiration of Jennie Evans were
as patent to Archie as his pres
ence. He was a man of varied
information, and Archie listened
to his conversation with as much
qualification as Jennie did. f".
He did more, for he went away
glad that his betrothed had such
an agreeable and well-informed
gentleman to beau her around,
while he was busy in his law Office.
But weeks wore on, and Mr..
Belleville was still in Philadel-
phia, pleased with everything in
genera! and with Jennie lin par. !
Archie was beginning to
get impatient, though he would
not own it, and Jennie was in
truth worried between trying to
avoid giving the stranger encour
or offence. -,~s A =
He made.no advances, so thaG
she could not show her celors; but
at the same he was SO 'confden-
tial in speaking Of his troubles
and disappointments in the past,
and his prospects and hopes in
the future, that she felt guilty
while listening TO him with de
serving politeness.
Now Archibald Ashten had a
little theory of his own which was
about to be tested at last. Be-
fore he had met Jennie Evans he
used to say to himself-tor he
never talked sentiment to others
that whenever he became en-
gagged to a girl he would like
some very eligible man to step
in and make love to her, so that
her love would be tested before
it was too late to transfer it with }
honor. Since he had known Jen-
ME he had not thought of this
beautiful test, for a doubt Of his
Or her love had never entered hisI I
mind. t...ts ,....,,ss agr
But in Mr.. Belleville's pres.
ence he had never avoided any
word or look that would lead him
TO suppose he was Jennie's lover;
Tor he thought that would betray
4 want of confidence in her, and
a vein of sentimentality in him- !
self. The gentleman had also
visited him several times in his L
office, and had betrayed his atiltf Il
ent circumstances in so many un-
ostentatious ways, that Archie,
who was not yet earning his own
living in his profession, often
wished that he did not stand be- I
tween Jennie and such an ele
CANT match. .a {
, "Our friend, Miss Evans, is a re-
fine girl-well- balanc- s
I'd head, sweet-tempered, and, as
rye from nonsense atd vanity'as :
he mother Of a convent ought, to I
De-" he said in an ofr-hand way
me day. rr-i..tg.f {
ayes, indeed; she was born to
make some man happy" he re- 1
1lied, with all the composure his
profession taught him to assume.
"She has not found that man !
ret, thenar he asked, not quite (
iure of his ground. s
N n.nnAl,r nnI. nhn 10 Gin rln