Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-09-04
LANCASTER. WISCONSIN. THURSDAY SEPTEMBER H. 1879

to the speakers. Il ought to have in
troduced my friend Let me presen
you, Mr.. Ruse-Mr Beckwink, Mr.
Falkham. Mr. Ruse is attached L
the American Legation, and has onl
been in England week, so I'll troubl
you fellows to be civil to him.
| Then there was feeble laugh an,
buzz and an awkward, ooh, yer,
glad ! Ah,yes, delighted = and Beck
wink and Falkham held out the,
hands to the stranger. This gave
pleasant turn to the talk, which for
moment had promised to be other
wise; but after one or two NOR,
conventional remarks, in which, o
course, the lady's name did not an
pear, the knot of men broke up
Beckwink soon after, however, wa
buttonhollng Hernehill in a corner
for that purveyor of gossip could no
rest until he had learned the top ant
the tail of this startling news abou
Fair May.
'Well,' said Hernehil, Il had bes
give you the tip, straight out, as fal
as | know, or else you'll be dra wing
on your imagination. l know you
Mark You never like to appear il
the dark long. Ruse there, the Yam
kee, brought very good letters-ont
to Lady Tressleton-and like hi,
countrymen went ahead in no time
had not been to the house twice be-
fore he proposed for the girl, put hi,
circumstances before the old lady
she approved, aud the American goes
in to win, and wins. The girl says
'Yes, and there's an end OF it, and
they are to be married the end of the
season.
Astounding 7 says Beck wick and
20 think you should have heard al
this before me!'
'Ah,my boy, behind hand for once
eh ? and I'll lay odds you don't know
another bit of news about our friend
You are getting quite out of the run.
ming. What has come to you, old
man p
%, humbug! What more do you
know? True, | have been away in
Burke's yacht for a fortnight; lots
of things happen in a fortnight. Tel
US, what is it?'
well, then, simply this the day
before the Hon. Jasper turned up
Fair May refused Charlie Hampden.
what! you don't mean to say he
proposed p
Positive fact !; and he is gone of,
very hard hit, to the States. Going
to fight for the South, he says, and
hopes a Northerners bullet will set
tie the question, and that sort OF
thing
You do sstonish me Who would
have thought it! Why, Charley Hamp
den has been about the whole season
looking as fit as a fiddle. He kept il
very dark
Yes; still waters, you know. But
what say is true for all that.
why, he has not penny in the
world What was he going to mar
ry on?'
'Ah, there's the rub the old lady
woul Int stand it. Good family all
very well, but money is her caper.-
Girl has not screw, we may be
sure; and her ladyship means to set
tie her well. as she had her other
pets. Now the Hon Jasper is no end
OF catch, and for a Northerner
comes of a good stock; but Lady
Tressleton in this case looks more to
money than birth, take my word for
it. There, Marco, my boy added
the speaker, giving his friend slap
on the shoulder, 4 fatter myself /
have told you enough to make you
happy and keep you going
'Daresay you have retorte' Beck
wick, somewhat grimly for him. 'But
now | should just like to ask you a
question apropos of this young per-
son. Hernehill, old man, you are a
shrewd observer, and / wonder if
you have ever noticed it. Very few
fellows have +; indeed it has only
struck me quite lately but have you
ever seen her hands?'
What Miss Mays? p
Yes
why, of course! How can a tel
low see girl without seeing her
hands q
'Pshaw! l mean without her
gloves, continued Beckwink impa.
tiently.
Hernehill paused, cogitated, and
then answered No; l don't know
that Haven that you put it TO me.
No, nor any one else ? said Beck
wink trnmphantly Il have asked
lots of fellows who have met her and
danced with her, and they all say
they have never seen her take her
gloves off. No sir; she never takes
her gloves off, not even at dinner
That's curious; but what do the
women say?
Just the same they never catch
her without her gloves
It's pretty little hand, as far as
| remember said Hernehill. Color
wrong, or what? 2
IT'S tremendous mystery, that's
what it is, exclaimed the little gentle
man almost gravely. The more |
think of it the more I'm bothered |
will find out the reason somehow
We'll. Mark, you'll have a chance
soon. She must take her gloves of
when she gets married.
True, by jove! cried Beckwink
with glee. | never thought of that,
of course. When do you say the
wedding is to be p
The beginning of August, be
lieve so Mr.. Ruse told me he ought
to know.
Il shall assist at that ceremony
said Beckwink deliberately, and with
the air of man who saw his way -
when the ring has to be put on, il
something strange does not happen,
my name is not Mark Beckwink.'
Hernehill was convulsed with
laughter at his friends manner.
what fellow you 7 he cried;
you have the FUNNIEST notions
But Beckwink evidently did not
see the joke
Sits all very we'll he said shu,