The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-19
TWO SEASONS.
THE FIRSP sEAsON.

Unthinking young ladies, who est
mate man by his skill In steering theI
through a crowded ballroom In
breathless deux- temps. might hav
thought otherwise. but In the opinion
OF the sage and prudent Ralph Gains
mere was not catch. Oh, dear no no
by any means. He had not even tw
hundred q year to bless himself with
only hundred and eighty, which wa
not enough to provide bread and chess
for every day In the week; so he mad
IL q point to dine out as often as hi
friends gave him the opportunity, whicl
was about six times week In the sea
son. You see he was a useful man. ant
people were glad to invite him. Fl,
looked we'll. always had plenty Of small
talk, knew the last on dill and the newes
scandal; Hirted wen, but not too openly
said pretty things as IL he really mean
them and looked unutterable things
Ms IL he carried all his heart and SOU
about him; whereas, really and truly
he had very little soul and no heart a
all.
He was a clerk in the foreign office
and the son OF Col. Gainsmere of Gains
mere Park, and two or three other
places-all mortgaged to the teeth. He
was the fourth son, 80 you can guess
pretty accurately what his prospects
were, especially as his family was not q
rich one, had outrun the constable, and
had been obliged to withdraw from the
gaieties Of London for year or two
while Col. Gainsmere's town house was
let to a stranger, and Ralph was left to
the tender mercies Of his friends.
1 told you that Ralph Gainsmere had
no heart, and the reason was, not that
nature had forgotten to endow him with
one-nature had not been at all stingy
to him--but simply this, that he gave 1t
away one sunny June day, at Lords
cricket ground, while the Cambridge
men, remembering their defeat on the
Thames, were celebrating Its memory
with victory at st. Johns wood. It was
the second day of the match between
the two universities. Every one was
there Of course; and the number Of
pretty girls was greater than ever, for
they muster stronger at Lords than at
almost any other exhibition In Vanity
Fair.
Ralph took days leave, and strolled
1azily from his club that club which
was nearly the ruin of him, from the
expenses into which 1t led him-to ST.
Johns Wood, paid his money and
walked in. He did not take violent
interest In the game: but 1t was the
thing to show up at Lords, and
he showed up. He passed the little
knot Of betting men near the entrance,
The mass of carriages, and the idlers
who fringed the crowd clustered round
The ring, struggled on through the
were not then exclud-
I'd from the ground-passed the chat
ling, dawdling groups. who, having dis
posed OF their pigeon pies and cham
payne, were strolling round the ring,
which had just been cleared for the
game to reconmence after the interval
Tor luncheon; bowling to one and staying
10 speak to another. for the fourth son
,f the Gainsmeres knew nearly every
,ne In the fashionable world, and a |
great many out OF 1t. Then there was
mother barrier OF carriages to pass, and |
! denser crowd to get through; and he |
emerged close to the Grand Stand, and |
Itood for moment looking over the |
reads Of the people at the two elevens;
hen he turned and spoke to some more
,eople he knew, and bought card and
umbled In his pocket for q little tele-
cope pencil case he usually carried
bout with him; not that he had the
highest intention Of watching the
,ame. He was much too INDECENT and
he weather was much too not for such
n exertion. He saw number OF faces
e recognized on the Grand Stand. and
vacant seat; 80 he fastened to ill 1t,
nd prepared to take things comforta-
'ly.
Some one in the row OF seats imme-
lately above him touched his shoulder
nth fan. and he looked up.
Low uos Ao ShtOds dAd
ot know you were In town."
Yes, We came up at Easter, but we
ave been at Brighton for the Whitsun-
ide holidays. We have returned now
or good. Come up step higher, there
seat here. l know how good
atured you are. and l want you to ex-
lain the match to Gertie. Charlotte
toe. busy marking the runs to talk.
nd she Is the only one who under.
lands the game"
He gave mental groan as he thought !
ow the enterprising mother and her
ock had suddenly preyed upon him m
ut he rose instantly. and saw looking rs
p at him the sweetest, freshest. most {
innocent, childlike face he had ever be. !
ED that OF girl Of seventeen; a face /
pure and sweet that 1t puzzled YOU to !
ivine now Its wearer would eyefCrow
10 or change, and you rejected thsSno. | t
ION mat she would develop into a fash.
onapie woman Of the world as utterlSJ d
mpossible. The idea that It would 4 !
yer turn into . woman's face at ali