The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-05-02

was taken, and one evening at the end
of June the two ladies took possession
of it. The new widow Glare had en-.
gagged a maid in New York, and fell
into her part with charming ease and q
very pretty assumption of authority
and the real widow, in her plain dress
and pensive quiet manners, realized eff
fectively the idea of cultivated but
dependent companion. They had two
days in which to rehearse their parts
and get all the household machinery in
order, and then the gentlemen arrived at
Ryebank.
Fan and Clementine were quite ready
for their first call; the latter in rich
and exquisite morning costume, the
former in simple dress of spotted
lawn. Clementine went through the in
productions with consummate ease of
manner, and in half an hour they were
a very pleasant party. Johns cousin
ship afforded an excellent basis for in
formal companionship, and Clementine
gave it full prominence. Indeed, in a
few days John began to find the re-
slationship tiresome; it had been,
Cousin John, do this" and Cousin
John, come here" continually; and
one night when Cleve and he sat down to
smoke their final cigar, he was irritable
enough to give his objections the form of
speech.
"Cleve, to tell you the honest truth,
do not like Mrs. Clare"
"I think she is very lovely woman,
john" ;
"I say nothing against her beauty,
Cleye; 1 don't like her, and l have no
mind to occupy the place that beautiful
ill-used Miss Marat fills. The way
Cousin Clare ignors or snubs woman to
whom she is every way inferior makes
me angry enough, l assure you"
"Don't fall in love with the wrong
woman, john"
Your advice is too late, Cleve; am
in love. There is no use in us deceiving
ourselves or each other. You seem to
liksethe widow-why not marry herr I
am quite willing you should"
Thank you, John; / have already
made some advances that way. They
have been favorably received, / think" :"
"You are SO handsome, fellow has
no chance against you. But we shall
hardly quarrel, if you. do not inter
fere between lovely little Clement and
myself"
John; she is toe poor. And what on
earth are you going to do with a poor
wife? Nothing added to nothing will
not make a decent living"
al am going to ask her to be my wife,
and if she does me the honor to say
Yes l will make decent living out
of my profession"
From this time forth John devoted
himself with some ostentation to his
supposed cousins companion. He was
determined to let the widow perceive
that he had made his choice, and that
he could not be bought with her money.
Mr.. Selden and Miss Marat were always
together, and the widow did not inter-
fers between her companion and her
cousin. Perhaps she was rather glad of
their close friendship, for the handsome
Cleve made m uch more delightful at
tendant. Thus the party fell quite
naturally into couples, and the two weeks
that the gentlemen had first fixed as the
limit of their stay heightened into two
months.
1t was noticeable that as the ladies be-
came more confidential with their lovers,
they had less to say to each other; and
it began at last to be quite evident to
the real widow that the play must end
for the present, or the denouem'ent would
come prematurely. Circumstances
favored her determination. One night
Clementine, with radiant face, came
into her friends room, and said, Fan,
/ have something to tell you. Cleve has
asked me to marry him"
"Now, Clement, you have told him
all; know you have"
dNot word, Fan. He still believes
me the widow Glare"
d" Did you accept him?"
"Conditionally. / am to give him a
final answer when we go to the city in
October. You are going to New York
this winter, are you notp'
eyes. Our little play progresses
finely. John Selden asked me to be his
wife tonight"
al told you men think and act in
pairs"
"John is noble fellow. I pretended
to think his cousin had ill-used him, and
he defended him until / was ashamed
of myself: absolutely said, Clement,
that you were sufficient excuse for Mr..
Clare's will. Then he blamed his own
past idleness SO much, and promised if l
would only try and endure & the slings
and arrows Of your outrageous temper,
Clement, for two years longer, he would
have made a home for me in which /! |
could be happy. Yes, Clement, | should
marry John Selden if we had not FIVE
dollar bill between us"
at wish Cleve had been little more
explicit about his money affairs. How
ever, there is time enough yet. When
they leave tomorrow, what shall we
doW
We will remain here another month
Levine will have the house ready for me
by that time. Ihaye written to him about
refurnishing the parlors."
So next day the lovers parted, with
many promises of constant letters and
future happy days together. The inter.
val was long and dull enough; but il
passed, and one morning both gentle
men received notes of invitation to 9
small dinner party at the widow Clare's
mansion in - street. There was gooc
deal of dressing for this party. Cleve
wished to make his entrance into hi
future home as became the prospective
master of million and half of money
and John was desirous of not suffering
in Clements eyes by any comparison
with the other gentlemen who woulo
probably be there.
Scarcely had they entered the draw
ing-room when the ladies appeared, tn
true widow Clare no longer in the unas
suming toilet she had hitherto worn
but magnificent in white crepe lisse ant
satin, her arms and throat and prett.
head flashing with sapphires and dia
monds. Her companion had assumed
now the role of simplicity, and Cleve wa
disappointed with the first glance at he
plain white Chambery gauze dress.
John had seen nothing but the brigh
face of the girl he loved and the love
light in her eyes. Before she coul
speak he had taken both her hands an
whispered, Dearest and best and love
liest Clement"
Her smile answered him first. The
| she said: "Pardon me, Mr.. Selden, bu
| ,,,a Lox,o loo,, do II N,