The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1880-08-19
he had left MI: Fcrnleiqh had ene,6ed !

he had left Mr.: Fcrnleigh had engaged
her for !. drive, telling Bel, as he slyly
pressed her hand in parting, as . friend
Of hers, he would do all no could to
! make her Cousins visit agreeable. =,
How the girls rushed down into the
parlor after ho had LETT and what q
Screaming and laughing there was! -:
Will rolled on tue floor almost in con-
yulsions, very much to tho detriment
OF. his long. train aud fair tresses.
~What . lark it was" he gasped, too
SEQ him sitting there, casting his kill
inx Rlances ut me 80 that you shouldn't
seo fhcm, Bell"
And he Went off into fresh out
burst OF laughter, while the object Of
their naerriment wendell his way leis-
urely to his hotel, thinking to him.
SELF
."By Jove, q regular little beautyl
Bel herself is thrown in the shade, al
though there is family resemblance.
"A lucky thing I Thought Of that drive;
but I'll have to be confounilcdly care.
fnl, or I'll rouse Bers suspicious.
Why, I do believe that girl considers
herself engaged to me, the way she
acted to-day! Well, it's only polite
to play agreeable to a guest Of hers,
and Pm going to do it."
The fun that followed the next few
days! Everywhere Miss Jennie went
Mr.. Fcrnlcigh was her devoted cava-
lier. 'Solely for your sake" as he re-
assuringly told Bel, and ''To oblige
Miss Rathbourne," the rest of the girls
understood it.
Every evening Mr.. Fernlcigh took
Miss Vaughan for stroll in the elm
groves, and perhaps his attentions
would have been little less loverlike,
and his words little more carefully
chosen, had he known that behind the
trees were hidden score Of mischicv-
Gus girls with their handkerchiefs
stuffed into their mouths and tears
streaming down their cheeks in their
efforts to keep themselves unobserved.
But the ending came as it always
does, sooner or later, and Mr.. Fern
leigh awoke one morning with the un-
pleasant conviction that he was deep
ly in love himself. He, the imprcgna-
BILE, the invincible, was in tho tolls at
last! And, stranger still to relate,
with a young lady Of whose affections
he was not at all certain.
Miss Jennie had pcrsistently reject
cd all his advances given him to
understand that she did not approve
of flirting-in fact, had piqucd him,
and close upon piquo followed love
that is, as much love as his shallow
heart was capable Of feeling, and he
determined that she should Weld.
And yield she did that very evening
very sweetly aud graciously, much to
his surprise.
"Had been so sure Of my prize, I
might at least not have been in such q
hurry" he thought, ruefully, "but
shall have to face the music now"
"And you will come over to-mor-
row and announce our engagement?'
asked Jennie, confidently.
How should he explain matters to
Bel, and to all the others? What an
idiot he had made of himself! But
he really loved Jennie, he told him.
self, and 50 would brave it out, as best
he could.
The next morning when he stepped
into Mrs. Rathbourne's drawing room,
he found himself in the presence of
not only Bel, but q dozen other girls,
every one Of whom he kneW-alas.
only too we'll! Jennie was nowhere in
sight, but Bel, coming forward, Offer
ed him seat, saying
"You will please excuse US, I know,
Mr.. Fernleigh, if we go on with our
parts; we are rehearsing for private
theatricals."
And turning to Tiny she went OIL
"Oh, Jennie, my darling, but for one
little ray of hope! love you dearlyl
Why, oh, why do you persist in think
ing am trifling with your feelings?"
I love you too we'll for that, my dar-
ling"
Then Tiny
But, Horace, you have made love
to my cousin, and to other girls, too:
that am sure off,
II may have flirted with them a
trifle, darling, only because 1 knew
you did not care, but you, my dar-
ling!"-a pause, only broken by Athe
subdued gigsle Of every girl in the
room.
What did it mean? His very words
to Jennie the night before!
"Mr. Fernleigh listened in blank
amazement. What could it mean?
Had the girl been fooling him2
"Young ladies'" drawing himself up
stifay, II am happy to SEQ you are en-
toying q rather unintelligible joke. If
Miss Vaughan is not in I will make
my adieux."
"Oh, you want Jennie p asked Bel.
Here, Will!' and in tumbled Will,
this time in his true character.
Throwing himself into the startled
gcntleman's arms, he murmurcd-
"Horace, here is your own little
Jennie! Why are you 80 silent, lover
Speak, if but one word, to your own
darling!" and he stranglcd him fin q
ear-like hug.
The truth flashed like lightning
across Horace Fernleigh's mind. The
girls had thrown themselves into
chairs, and were shrieking with laugh
ter. Will still held him in his bear.
embrace, pouring words of love into
his unwilling car. he had been trick
ed, dupcd, fooled outrageousty; but
there was 10 help for it.
With q frantic struggle he released
himself from Wills encircling arms.
and bounded through the hall into the
street, the girls shricks, and Willis
despairingi Farewell my ownw ring
ing in his ears.
By morning the whole village would
know Of his disgrace! He left that
afternoon for parts unknown, for the
time being, ut least, cured of his prc.
pensity for flirting. The girls had
had their revenge, and it was doubly
sweet.
A Dead Give Away.
she stood in the effulgent light of
short tallQH din. WAITING for him NJ Tho