The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-07-30
From Harlsrs.I
A BOATING ADVENTURE
By JOHN ESTEN COOKE.

By JOHN ESTEN COOKE.
Mr.. Percy Warning WAS going ont Ia
spend threvrni!4E, and having completed
his toilet. WAS sanding IN front Of his
mirror admirng himself. The face WIS
rather Il pleasant Onc-broad forehead,
brown hair parted nearly i'll the middle,
straight nose, aud Il smiling mouth under
Il delicate moustaShc. Mr.. Warning con-
trmplated the rnoustache with IN express
sion Of satisfaction, but looking more
iutcntly. observed two undeniably gray
hairs III il, and vent and lit cigar, and
sat down III an cnsy-chair and sighed
1t was hard for Mr. Warning to face the
melancholy fact that he was no longer n
Young fellow. Nobody had tell him So,
il was true, and he was still one Of the
brightest stars of society, he reflected;
but there were the two gray hairs, and
the sight Of them were depressing. He
had recently had other sources ut mental
depression. He had lost heavily ut the
races, where he had backed the wrong
horses, and had been compelled to part
with a considerable slice ont of lis bank
stock. This had caused Mr.. Warning Ia
I'M llllo IflltNAlol. ~ ih'iA'.N
and the question WAS becoming serious
how to supply the deficit. After mature
consideration, he Thought that to marry
an hciress would he the best thing
He had selected the person III Question,
made gratifying progress, and nov, Just
rs he was going To spend the evening
with her, lIe had caught sight of those
two unlucky gray hairs, which reminded
4 4 ....l -.
II was really depressing. He "0N IL
youugyellow still, a. fresh III fcc!'ug as he
had ever been; but other people might
not consider him Young. Would the
prospective Mrs. Warning? The qaes-
ton was nervous one, and Mr.. Waring
knit his brows and gnawci his cigar
slightly. But gradually the hrows re-
laxed, and tine cigar was left III qni"t.
Had Mr.. Warning come Ia the conclusion
that the gray hairs would not bc OBJ
served, or, If observed, that his young
friend would not consider them fatal
obstacle? He smiled with the air of Il
soldier going into action, and determined
10 risk his fate; had another look ut the
mirror, and went To see his inamorata,
who resided on one of the upper avenues
Ot the city.
He came ont about eleven, in company
with young friend, who had also spent
the evening there. This was Charley
Walton, aged twcnty-three, and cousin
of the young lady.
Have n pleasant evening, count 2
said Mr.. Walton, smiling, and using the
designation Of Mr. Warning III the bosom
of his bachelor family.
Quite 80, Inv dear Charles, returned
Mr.. Warning, with IA patcInal air. He
was not certain that his young friend
was not his rival. "Your cousin is really
charming"
eyes, Int she's aggravating."
Aggruvating?'
"Shc looks on me as OnI Y young one,
tho I'm quite as old as she il. Every
man under thirty is baby i'll her eyes,
and believe she thinks fellow doesn' :
attain his majority till he's forty"
Mr.. Warning smiled. Theyoung lady,
views did not displease him.
"Td try in that direction, except |
knew she would only laugh ut me, " said
Mr.. Charley Walton.
"Why not hunt easier game, Charles?'
his friend said, with an elderly air. al
twenty -three-your Cousins age, you tell
me-is 80 difficult TO please, try sweet
sixteener. | regret to use slang, but il
expresses the idea | don't fancy that
age myself, but then, you know, Charles,
I'm an old fellow"
Mr.. Warning paused, anxious to be
contradicted, and as his young friend
exclaimed, "Oh, no, count" he pro,
ceeded.
"They are easy to please, I'm told
succumb without difficulty. You've
ONLY to talk moderate amount of moon,
shine, and then hold out your arms, and
the affair is arranged"
care you certain, COUNT"
81 am told that is the ordinary re
suit You might try, you know, ant
find, Charles"
al think / will" said Mr.. Walton
with IN air Of resolution. "And now
must go home. I'm off to the Chesa
peake Tomorrow on duck hunt"
"Well, Charles look up Il young duel
of about sixteen, and make love to her,
said Mr.. Warning, paternally. You'll
not find it hard task TO bring heI
down, my boy"
Mr.. Waring reached his lodgings, ant
sat down, and fell into reflection. ii,
had spent II most agreeable evening be
side very handsome woman, the frou
frou Of whose rich silk dress had sug
gestions Of Il heavy bank account abou
il. Then the eyes belonging to til,
owner of the silk had beamed bright,
as they convcrsed i'll II corner-it was
yeritable tCtr-a-tote, and remembering
everything, Mr.. Warning was in higl
spirits. There might not be millions il
it, but there was Mt least two hundre,
thousand; and falling into rcyeric, Mr.
Warning INDUCED i'll rosy dreams Of tn
amount of satisfaction derived iron
gradually spending that sum. The pros
pect of things was charming. Miss Tw
Hundred Thousand appeared to hav
made up her mind. He would go an
see her again on the next day, and o.
all days after that, and
His eyes fell on two letters lying o.
his table, which the servant had brough
from the poBt-oflice. He opened thu
first, which was in mans handwriting
and read
TmE REEDS, October 10, 1877.
Ny DEAR PEncY-That postiferons exect
tniai business will require your presence her
neat week. You uTe one Of the parties TO tn
decd, and thc matter may an well be concluded
shall have tia satisfaction ut least Of tallfn
CONT without fail.
Your aifcCuonatc CARTER ALLEys,
That was annoying. His cousin, Judg
Alleyn, was man Of business, VIII,
never summoned people unless il Wiz
necessary, and he must go. But u
would return in three days, and resum
his matrimonial compaign with vigoi
Then he opened the second letter, whic