The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-06-19
THE TWO MR.. SMITHS.

"IT is not either her money or her
position that dashes me, Carol; it is
my own name. Think of asking
Eleanor Bethune to become Mrs. Will
lam Smith! If it had been Alexander
Smith"
"Or Hyacinth Smith,"
eyes. Hyacinth Smith would have
done; but plain William Smith,
"Well, as far as can see. you are
not to blame. Apologize to the lady
for the blunder of your godfathers and
godmothers. Stupid old parties!
They ought to have thought Of Hya-
cinth;'' and Carol threw his cigar
into the fire, and began to buckle on
his spurs.
Come with me, Carroll"
"No, thank YOU. 1t is against my
principles to like any one better than
myself, and Alice Fontaine is q tempta-
ton to do sou
II don't like Alice's style at ALL"
"Of course not. Alice's beauty, as
compared with Mrs. Bethune's settled
income, is skin-deep"
If sarcasm was intended, Smith did
not perceive it. He took the criticism
at its face value, and answered, Eyes,
Eleanor's income is satisfactory; and
besides that, she has all kinds of good
qualities, and several embellishments.
If only could offer her, with myself, a
suitable name for them!'
could you not. in taking Mrs.
Bethune and her money, take her name,
also?'
"N.n-no. A man does not like to
lose all his individuality in his wife's s.
Carol"
"We:l, then, have no other sugges-
ton, and am going to ride"
So Carol went to the Park, and
Smith went to his mirror. The occu.
patton gave him the courage he want
ed. He was undoubtedly very hand.
some man, and he mad, also, very tine
manners; indeed, he would have been
very great man if the world had only
been a drawing room, for, polished
and fastidious. he dreaded nothing so
much as an indecorum, and had the air
of being uncomfortable unless his hands
were in kid gloves.
Smith had a standing invitation to
Mrs. Bethune's five-o'c clock teas, and
he was always considered an acquisi.
ton. He was also very fond of going
to them; for under no circumstances
was Mrs. Bethune so charming. To
see her in this hour of perfect relaxa-
ton was TO understand how great and
beautiful is the art of idleness. Her
ease and grace, her charming aimless.
ness, her indescribable air of inaction,
were all SO many proofs of her having
been BON in the purple of wealth and
fashion; no parvenu could ever hope to
initiate them.
Alice Fontaine never tried. She had
oeen taken from life of polite shift.
and struggles by her cousin, Mrs. BE
thune, two years before; and the cir
cumstances that were to the one tn,
mere accidents of her position were t,
the other u real holiday-making.
Alice met Mr.. Smith with enepresse
msent. fluttered about the tea-tray lik'
butterfly, wasted her bonmots ant
the sugar recklessly, and was as full o
pretty animation as her cousin Bethun,
was OF elegant repose.
50 am glad you are come, Mr.
Smith," said Mrs. Bethune. "Alic
has been trying to spur me into q fight
l don't want to throw lance in. Nov
you can be my substitute"
''Mr. Smith," said Alice, impetu
ously, "don't you think that womel
ought to have the same rights a
men?"
"Really, Miss Alice, IL dom
know. When women have got wha
they call their rights do they expec
to keep what they call their priv
leges' alsoP'
Certainly they do. When the
have driven the men to emigrate, t
scrub floors and to jump into the Eaa
River, they will still expect the corne