The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1880-02-06
Miscrl lanrn1ls.
Other Peoples Business.

There is scarcely anything more unfor
tunate for man than the absence of loving
women around his childhood and YOUTH
Mark Ripon had never known such women
and offer this fact as some palliation for hi
want of faith in them.
| He was Ignorant of his parentage; he hat
been found one summer morning on the steps
of the Foundation School in Baxtersgate
| Rpon; and as it was Oh the festival OF ST
Mark, he had received the name of the sain
and the name of his native city, and beer
adopted by the institution.
Wholesome food, stout clothing, and de
cent trade had been given him by the Founda
| ton, and in many respects he was felt to have
done it honor, for after fifty years of credit
able citizenship, he was one of the cathedral
vestry, sat in the Common Council of the
ancient city which had adopted him, and was
said to be worth at least 100000.
| But there is q success which the world sees
| little of-that of the heart-and in this respect
Mark Ripon was the verest pauper OF the
| nurses and matrons who had been around his
earliest years he had not one tender memory
none of them had fed thehunger of his heart
He had no h0nle, no mother, and no sister,
| The school had been simply place in which
| to eat and to sleep and to learn.
Unfortunately, when the lad fell in love, ii
was with apretty flirt infinitely more heartlcss
than himself But Marks love had been
cruelty deceived and Knocked, and he had como
out of his chagrin and sorrow with con.
firmed belief in the general and natural un.
| faithfulness of women Popular maXims and
| jests confirmed him every day in his idea, and
like most Englshmen, having once avowed
| this as his opinion, every reiteration of his
own idea was q fresh confirmation of it.
But he had many friends among his own
SEX Men generally spoke of him as a crusty
old bachelor, but otherwise a wellto-do
shrewd, and honorable fellow. Chief among
these friends was young George Downcs, the
child of the only companion his boyhood had
ever known, and his own godson. If Mark
Ripon loved any human being it was George
Downes, though as the latter grew up to man
hood, he gave him great deal of anxiety
For George preferred the society of women
and would not credit Marks positive assur
ances oftheir universal falseness and unworth
mess.
One moonlight night as Mark was coming
from vestry meeting he met George in the
cathedral close, and on his arm was a very
beautiful girl. The old man looked angrily
and doubtfully at the pretty face lifted to his
| favorte's. The bright moonbeams touched
her long fair curls, and made the white vel
around them like a glory. Mark remembered
Just such a lovely, innocent face lifted to his
and he had no doubt whatever that this CIR
would he Just as false to George rs pretty
Fanny Malbyhad been to him.
George, however would not be persuaded
to doubt her. Then Mark offered to pay his
expenses if he would go abroad and travel fol
two years but George said "he had just got
place in Butterlelds Bank, and preferred 9
h0me" The young man, in Marks eyes, was
bent on running himself, and in a few weeks
he celebrated his wedding with an elaborate
rejoicing that reused the old mans bitterest
contempt.
George fully expected that he would now
| be ignored, and probably lose forever any
chances he might have had of inheriting his
godfather's wealth. But Mark was unlike
| the generality of men in many respects, an(
| in none more than his behavior to the young
man who had so flagrantly disregarded all hi
advices and entreaties.
He rcdoubled his care over him, an(
watched all his movements with constant
| Embarrassing interest. In fact he did no
blame George at all; he regarded him as on,
who, in an unfortunate hour, had fallen into
the hands of power which was too grea
for him. He pitied the happy bridegroom
and resolved as soon as possible to releas
him from the tolls of the woman who hat
charmed ana enSlaVeQ MN.
In vain Georges wife smiled upon and en-
tertained Mark Ripon. He visited her house
indeed for it was necessary TO watch he
movements; but neither her smiles, MOI
songs, nor attentions moved Mark. He hat
gone through that delusion once, and wal
not to be deceived again. 1t was one grea
point in his favor that George had taken
house in such situation that he could keel
the young wife under very close surveillance
and he was confident that sooner or later Ii,
would prove her all that he believed womer
universally to be.
But month after month went by, and Georg,
was more in love than ever There had alst
come to the happy home, over the way from
Marks, fine little boy, that had been called
after him, and blue eyed girl, whom no
even Mark could yet find in his heart to re
gard as false and dangerous. He was evel
venturing to make Mrs. George Downes tina
exception said to be contingent on ever,
rule, when suddenly all his suspicious wer
forced into active life and prominence
One day-a very wet one-a close carriag
drove up to Georges house, and Mrs. George
heavily cloaked and yelled, was driven ava,
in it.
every well, ma'am," said Mark suspicious
ly, to himself, 1--WE shall see whether you con
fess to having been out to-day"
So he went over to Georges, played rub
Der or two with his favorite, and tried ever,
way to induce confession as to the drive ii
the rain; but the young wife would make n,
allusion to it. This was on Monday. Oh
Thursday at the same hour, the carriag
came again, and Georges wife went away il
it. The next week she went out on tire
different days, and twice, the weather bein
fine, he noticed that she wore her very bes
4
been one of her wedding suits
The affair was beginning to look very blac
to Mark, for he satisfied himself that Georg
had been told nothing whatever of thes
clandestine excursions. On the next Monda
he had carriage waiting, and when the lad
went out again he directed his driver to kee
her well in sight. In this way he followe
her beyond the aristocratic precincts of til
city, TO a little house set back in garde
quite in the suburbs. A very handsome fol
eign looking man met her at the door, an
| led hpr with MANY a,nilao into fha bnuen