Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-07-23

none of the servants with me.
"WellP"
Then. Clementine, you are TO be the
widow Clare, and | your poor friend and
companion"
Good very good The Fair De-
ceivers'-an excellent comedy. How l
shall snub you, Fan And for once l
shall have the pleasure OF undressing
you. But has not Mr.. Selden seen you p
NO; was married in Maryland, and
went Immediately to Europe. | came
back widow two years ago. but Mr..
Selden has 9eyer remembered me until
now. l wonder who this friend is that he
proposes to bring with him ?"
"Oh. men always think in pairs. Fan.
They never decide ON anything until
their particular friend approves. l dare
say they wrote the letter together. What
is the geutleman's name? p
The widow examined the note. My
friend Mr. Cleve Sullivan "Do you
know him, Clemen,iue p
"No; am quite sure that never saw
Mr.. Ci6ye Sullivan. don't fall in love
with the name-do you? Bot pray ac-
cep, the offer az both gentlemen. Fan.
aud write Ibis morning, doar" Then
Clemeniine returned to the consideration
OF the lace in coguHcs for her now even
ing dress.
The plan so hastily ske,ched was SUBJ
sequeutly thoroughly discussed. and car
ried out. The cottage a. Ryebank was
taken. and one evening at tho end of
jan, ,hc two ladies took possession OF 1t.
Toe new widos Glare hsd engaged
maid ia New York. and tell into her part
with charming ease and very pretty as
sumption oil authority; and the real
widow, in her plain dress and pcnsiye,
quiet manners. realized effectively the
idea OF a cultivated but dependent COM
parton. They had two days in which to
reGearso their parts and get all the house
hold machine in order, aud then the geu-
tlemen arrived at Byebank.
Fan and Clemen;iue were quite ready
tor their tirs, call; the latter ia q rich and
exquisite morning costume, The former in
u simple dress OF spotted lawn. Clemen-
tine went through the introductions with
cousummate ease OF manner, and in bali
an hour they were a very pleasant party.
Johns ''cousinship~ afforded an excellent
basis tor Informal compauionsbip. and
Clomen.ine gave i, full prominence. ID
deed. in few days John began to find
the relationship tiresomo; i, had been,
Cousin John, do this, aud Cousin
John come here" continually and one
night when Clevo and he sat down to
smoke their fns' cigar be was irritable
enorch 10 give his objections thc form Of
speech.
"Clove, 10 tell YOU the honest truth, l
30 not like Mrs. Clare"
al hink she is a very lovely woman,
John"
IL say nothing agsius, her besuty.
Cleve; don't ike her, and have no
mind TO occupy the place that beautiful
ill-used Miss Marat fills. The way Cousin
Clare ignores or snubs woman to whom
she is every way inferior makes me angry
enough. assure you"
Don't fall in love with the wrong wo-
man. John
Your advice is TOO late, Cleve; l am
in love. There is 10 use in US deceiging
ourselves or each other. You seem TO
ike the widow-why not marry herP l
am quite willing you should"
Thank YOU, John; have already
made some advances that way. They
have been iayorably received, think
You are so handsome, fellow has
10 chance against you. But we shall
hardly quarrel, if you do not interfere
between lovely litslo Clement and my
self
Il could 10, afford to smile on her,
John; she is too poor And Whist on
earth are you going to do with a poor
wife Nothing added to nothing will not
make decent living"
al am going to ask her to be my wife,
and if she does me. the honor to say
Yes will make decent living out OF
my profession
From this time forth John devoted
himself with some ostentation to his sup
posed cousins companion. He was de-
termined 10 let the widow perceive that
he had made his choice, and that he could
not be bought with her money. Mr.. Sell
den and Miss Marat were always togeth-
er. and the widow did nol interfere bf
tween her companion and her cousin.
Perhaps she was rather glad OF their
close friendship, for the handsome Cleve
made much more delightful attendant.
Thus the party fell quite naturally into
couples. and the two weeks that the gen.
tlemen 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 quito evident TO the
real widow that the play must end for the
present. or the den0uement would come