Connecticut western news., 1880-05-05
ENGAGED.


 CT like ladies' society,"" said MT. Daffodil. stI always did" .. "And I suppose" Hugh Rexford re- torted, with a sort of grim humor, :" that they like yours P
 Mir. David Daffodil simpered and pulled his straw-colored moustache.
 ssNow, really, upon my word, " said he, "thats asking fellow to turn evidence against himselfl If they don't like it, their manner decidedly bellies their opinion, ha, ha, ha You should have heard 'em applaud me in private theatricals, the other night! I'm not vain, but really think I carried off the laurels of the evening. I was invited to Mrs. Petherell's morning concert to- day-iust come from there, in fact.
 ssYou must be very popular" said Rexford.
 ssThere, again, can't commit myself, /" said the beau-general, smelling daintli1y at boutonssiere of tuberose and sweet Qeranium leaves, before he pinned it into his coat. "But [ have several calls to nake-calls that positively can't be postponed-or I should deem it duty to devote myself to you, my dear Rex ford, on this first evening of your stay in town"
 CT suppose I couldn't accompany you 2" said Hugh.
 MT. David Dafod1 cast shocked glance at Rexford's rough-and-ready csat. hair that4yvas cut by the scissors of no metropolitan barber, and loose silken crayat. knotted carelessly at the noble throat.
 Well41to tell you the truth" he hesitated, ''the young ladies to whom propose to pay. my compliments this evening are---ahem l-very exclusive" ooh P said Hugh.
 "And I shouldn't like to introduce any friend without especial permission.
 :sNo?"
 "And besides-youn excuse my mentioning it-your dress is hardly the thing for evening calls in our most aristocratic circles"
 "Oh, it isn't, eh?"
 'sNot exactly"
 s And yours-is?" laughed Hugh .Well, all right, old college-mate. IT manage to cosole myself with a news paper until you come back-or perhap: I'll drop in on one of the theatres, if find myself at all lonesome.
 MT. Daffodil stepped into the waiting coupe, and drove away. Hugh Rexfort smiled grimly to himself.
 "When he came to spend the summe weeks at the old farm, he said to him self, I don't remember being at al particular as to the cut of his coat. Blu city life is so different p
 And he lighted his cigarette, and tool up the uncut pages of novel to beguil the time
 in fact, it was their at home evening" and the drawing-room was full. MT Daffod1 was in his element; but pres entity he became aware, by sort o magnetic prescience, that there was haf-suppressed ripple of merrimen through the room.
 "I hope Mir. Daffodil isn't afraid of general siege on the part of the ladies !? said Katherine Maurange, roguishly.
 "I?" echoed Mir. Dafiodi.
 "Though certainly it is leap-year, added Miss Ballou, plump heiress, wit hair the color of buttercup and yer pink cheeks.
 Ladies, am ever your humble slave, said the brave general. "Leap-year ca make no difference in my allegiance.!"
 "But if you're an engaged man" sai Helen Hartwick, who was literary, an wrote verses which her friends pro nounced to be "sweet poetry for th magazines.
 stBut assure you am not P
 "Then," said the youngest Mis Maurange, giggling behind her pocke handkerchief, "you've no business to | sailing under false colors P
 At this, there was general III bubbling of the wave of laughter.
 Two or three gentlemen came in ju, then, and Mir. Daftod1 took his leav, uncertain whether or not he was bein laughed at.
 "I hate these young ladies who set u for being wits p said the gentleman peevishly, to himself.
 Old Miss Mixcel was his second cal Why people called on Miss Mixcel nobody knew. She was cross, and ol' and caustic, and never took any pains make herself agreeable to any one; b' nevertheless she was the fashion. H parlor was full of old dragon-chin specimens of blue crackle-ware, carve wood, rare sea-shells, coins in velv cases, and bits of choice tapestry, whie might or might not have been wrougl by Lady Jane Gray or Queen Elizabeth maids-of-honor. Miss Mixcell's afte noon teas were always patronized by Il world of fashion, and 1t was consider, cosnBse C fauf to have one's card on b auaint Japanese receiver,
 Mias nixcsn stared hard at M