The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1878-10-24
TWO YARDS OF JACONET, OR A
HUSBAND.
BY JAMES GORDON BENNETT.

/
complete this dress for the next birthday
at Richmond. | want besides a pretty
large length of pea-gTeen ribbon. l want
a teather-a white teather-to my last
bonnet. Iwant''--
We'll, my dear" said Louisa, her COM
panion, ''well, my dear it seems you have
never enough. Pray how many NOR
J,ingS do you want beside.p
"Morew returned Mary Ann, "wny a
hundred more, to be sure" said She,
laughing; "but III name them all in one
i want a husband--a real downright
husband"
Indeed !" said Louisa, ''this is the first
time l ever heard you talk of such an
article. Can't you select one from among
your many admirers"
"A fig for my admirers. I'm tired
I'm sick, I'm disguised with my admirers.
All come and make silly compliments;
ne says, Miss B, how pretty you
.ook to-day; another sickens me With his
silly looks; another is so desperately in
love with me that he can't talk; another
is so desperately in love with himself that
he talks forever. OH | wish l were
married! l wish l had husband: or at
least two yards OF j:e onct to finish the
dress for the Richmond campaign.
Mary Ann b was gay, young,
rattling creature who had lest her father
and part of her heart at fourteen. She
was now seventeen: possessed a fine fir
urc, rather cmbonpoint; not tall, but very
gracefully rounded off Her profuse
auburn ringlets clustered negligently
round a pair of cheeks In which the pure
red and white mingled so delicately that
where the one began or the other ended
no one could tell. Her eyes We're dark
blue, but possessing a lustre when lighted
up with feeling or enthusiasm which de
fed any one to distinguish them from
burning black. Her motions were light,
airy and graceful. Her foot and ankle
were most elegantly formed; and her two
small white hands, with soft, tapering
fingers, were as aristocratic as could be
imagined by a Byron or an Ali Pasha.
Since the death Of her father which was a
period of about two years or more, she
had many admirers, several decided offers,
and not a few who had hoped, but durst
not venture upon the fatal question. She
laughed at their Offers ridiculed her adj
mirers. and protested she would never
marry until she had brought at least
hundred to her feet. Fer several counties
round up and down the James River Size
was quite toast among the young plan
| ters.
In those days the White Sulphur, Blu
! Sulphur and Hot Sulphur Springs WEI
not much frequented; but people of fash
ion in lower Virginia, the wealthy plau
tiers, were Just beginning to escape to th,
Rlue Maintains during the autumnaI
| months. In one of those excursions til
party, of which Mary Ann made lively
member, was overtaken one afternoon ii
a sudden rain-storm at the entrance OF
one of the gorges Of the mountains. The
party was travelling in an open carriage.
with a sort of top resembling that Of Il
gig, to spread out when a shower broke
over them with sudden violence. On the
present occasion the leather top afforded
to the ladies a very inadequate shelter
from the torrent which fell down from
the dark, heavy clouds above. The first
house they approached was therefore tru-
ly welcomed They dismounted, went in
and found several young gentlemen sur
rounding the hickory fire which Wa
cracking merrily on large, wide hearth.
A young man of rather modest, easy.
but unobtrusive manners rose at the ap-
proach of Mary Ann and offered her his
chair. She accepted it, with a slight in
clination of the head and quiet glance
at his general appearance. Nothing .e
markable took place at this interview;
but a few days after, when they had
cached the foot of one of the mountains,
which was appropriated as the place OF
gavetv and fashion, the young gentleman
vas formally introduced to Mary Ann as
Mr. c., from Williamsburg, in West
ern Virginia. In a very short time he
became the devoted admirer of Mary Ann
extremely and delicately attentive, and.
of course, gave rise to many surmises
among the match-makers and match
breakers of the Springs. At the close of
the season he put forth his pretensions in
form. He offered himself formally to
Mary Ann. As usual, she spent whole
night in thinking, crying deliberate
grieving, wondering, and next morning
sent him a fiat refusal. So this affair,
which is a specimen of about thirty or
forty she managed in this way, was con
sidered closed beyond ali hopes Of revival.
The parties never again met till the mo-
ment We have now reached threw them
accidentally into each others company.
Since the period Just referred to Mary
Ann had considerably altered in her feel
ings and her views. She had pursued the
game of catching admirers, Of leading
them on to declare themselves, and of
then rejecting, with tears and regrets in
abundance, till she and the whole world
of young men became mutually disguised
with each other. Yet she had many eX-
ccllent QualitiesF-was fast and enduring
friend, knew as well as any one the folly
of her course Of life; but her ambition,
her love Of conquest, her pride Of TALENT
her desire of winning awsy the admirers
of her female rivals, entirely clouded and
obScured her more amiable qualities of
mind and heart.
How long have you been in Williams
burg, Mary Ann?" asked here chere ami.
"Only three days, and have only pick
ed UP three boauS. What dull place
this is. 1t is called the classic shade
the academic groves Of the Old Domin-
ion, and all that sort of thing. One OF
the professors entertained me good two
hours the other evening with the laws Of
Dido and .Aeneas. l wish had couple
OF yards Of jaconet."
"Or husbandn--
'Or husband, either. | doR't care
which; come, my love, let's go shopping
IN this classic town.
The two ladies Immediately rose, it
was about monday, put on their bonnets,
took their parasols and sailed forth.
For husband or jaconet, you say2"
'Two yards of jaconet, or a husband"
The town of Williamsburg like every
other little town in Virginia or even New
York, does not contain many stores. A
shopping expedition is therefore soon
completed. The two ladies sauntered in
to this shop, then into that, sometimes
making the poor fellow OF shopkeeper
turn out his whole stock in trade, and
.ewartiing his pains by the purchase Of a
! -;x-,nrnx,a.or-tk 81. ta,aa Thay had 1nrn=