Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-04-17

! tSpS vi VIAL ny tuc WeiSHt ". WHAT
she said. She acknowledged no
compeer in knowledge of manners of
social life, however and one would
not expect her to admit a superior
by being baffled by Mrs. Plum's
words
Mrs. Plum, you are romantic--too
romantic eatifely for the present con
dition of society. Love does not
jump into the balance, nowadays, all
by itself. Money makes the scales
turn more accurately. If nothing bnt
love influenced man to seek wo-
mans hand in marriage the position
you take would be sound enough.
But when Miss Clara's fifty thousand
are weighed against his friendship
for CHARLES Clifton, friendship goes
up and Philip Graves don't care
whether Miss Clara puts any love in
the scales with her money or not;
and besides after he has taken the
fifty thousand out of the balance
what does he care whether Clifton's
friendship comes down to the same
place or not? Oh, pshaw. IT'S
something else than friendship for
each other keeps them back and
Mrs. Blowsum reclined in her chair
with an air that said plainly, such
an obvious point don't require argu-
ment.'
Here was Miss Green's opportuni-
ty, who, not defeated by any means,
was quietly awaiting it and she let
fly another shaft.
MY opinion exactly. 1t must be
more than friendship keeps them
back. 1t can't be they have pro
posed and been rejected for that we
well know is not the case (gossips
are always informed upon this aud
kindred points,. 'What then can it
be? Does Mr.. Morrow despise the
smaller fortunes of the young men.
And has he given them previous
warning? / don't believe that Mr.
Morrow is not heather. / have
known him from boy Shocking
oversight on the part of Miss Green,
tor Mr.. Morrow was past fifty and
she is unmarried). He would not
throw the money question in the
way OF his daughters happiness. 1
believe the reason neither of these
young men marry Miss Clara is be
cause neither of them care for her.
You are welcome to think so,' re.
piled Mrs. Blowsum. For my part
l am inclined to think the young la.
dy's father has a hand in the matter.
But then, if neither of these young
men suits him, don't know where
he can look in our village. I don't
suppose we will know the true cause
of it all, but we can see how things
turn out anyhow; and l guess that is
what we will all have to do
This was said so decidedly and in
such finishing way, that it was Ia
ken as signal to ldrop the subject
for the present; so the conversation
took turn. But the reader must
not think nothing more was ever
said on the subject, dear me, MOP 1t
was prolific theme in Benares for
many days; and yet the gossips
brought it no nearer a solution.
But fortunately for the peace OF
mind Of these society meddlers, the
!antalizing question which had so
long annoyed them and racked their
brains was solved in due time; and
| this is how it came about.
The windows of the great house in
which the Morrows lived were all
ablaze-from top to bottom in the
house all was life and motion. 1t
was the event of a magnificent ball
ION smaller scale, perhaps than
some Mrs. Southworth has described
but yet magnificent ball for Ben
ares). 1t was to commemorate Miss
Clara's twentieth birthday. 'and, the
gossips said, 'to publish to the world
that she was now open to any suita-
BILE match and that she would get no
older until she was matched
All the respectable rich of the
place were invited; some disrespect-
able ones, too, Of course. Such
things will happen. Money is a pow
erful influence. And to do the fami.
ly full justice, some were there, who,
having no fortunes depended on
good characters alone tor their
standing.
Philiy Graves and Charles Clifton
were there of course. And what
must Mrs Blowsum and her para.
sites have thought when they heard
that the latter acted as escort to Lu.
cy Archer and the former to Laura
Macon. But since it was by special
request of Miss Morrow probably it
nothing remarkable. yet such trifes
often produce remarkable results
These two young ladies were bos.
ON friends of Miss Clara's, were par
ticularly beautiful, and even present
ed a better appearance than the telle
herself, if such thing were possible,
besides uniting with it all substantial
minds carefully trained by good and
wise mothers to adorn any position
in life. While they were surpassed
by none in the arts of music and the
dance they were trained to house.
hold duties. and could make as good
a loaf OF bread "a the accomplished
baker who had lately set up in the
place as a model. 1t is shocking, I
know, that the daughters of men
who counted their money in thous-
ands should have learned to bake,
and disgrace themselves by prying
into the vulgar mysteries of the pam
| try, but such had been their fate and
it could not now be helped.
Their mothers were mothers OF
foresight for they knew that such
women as they had brought up their
daughters to be were the ones most
likely to get good husbands. 1t al.
ways had been the case and always
will be. A man likes best to marry
girl who does not leave it till after
the wedding to domesticate herself.
He prefers to run no risk in matri-
mony. He may risk in business, for
money can be recovered and it don't
matter much if it cant; but then hap.
piness, once it slips his hold, no fox
was ever shyer on the second chase.
These young ladies the young men
were doomed to take under their
charge for the evening; and it can.