Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-03-04
MISS G

y. ". BrOun ia Chambers JOWrH0L.
MISS IMOGENE.
Miss ImOgene De Forest was eighteen
years old, a beauty anda belle. GirlsOf
all kinds, if they live, can be eighteen
years old; but to be 4 beautyand u belle
needs Il concurrence OffayOrable circum-
stances. In Miss Imogcne these favor
able circumstances were of 4 decided
order. She had a lovely face, a graceful
figure, and Shewas the only daughter of
the Hon. Lysander De Forest, an *
Governor, an ex-senator, and u proba-
bile foreign minister.
Besides she had Il very respectable pri-
waite fortune, though young Jefferson
Duvaland Captain Milton FOntaine both
averred that vas the very least point i'll
her charms, and not worthy to be nam
Cd with her dark eyes and be~witchinS
smile. Girls of eighteen are not all-wlSe,
and perhaps Miss ImOgene believed
this; at any rate she looked rs if she be-
licvcd il; and both Duval and FOntaine
had many hOurSin which they certain
" firmly believed it. When wandering
i'm the moonlight under the orange trees,
or when whirling through the waltz in
some splendid feast, they were both
quite certain that nothing but Miss
imOgene's personal lOvlineSs entered
into their dreams concerning her.
Hitherto, though both pretenders to
ImOgene's favor, they had preserved the
Semblance of friendship. DuVal rather
,.-s-l,.l =. 4 , LN. - tr.a -. him an hnnnl-
able opportunity of watching his rivals
chances; and FOntainc was of that or
der of men who like u little opposition.
He intended mt some favorable OppOr-
tunity To make u coup dCtdt anu ut
once and forever put poor Duval out OF
the painful uncertainties OF love. For
somehow he regarded his OWN success
as certain, and ii the confident heart
wins the fair lady, andthe faint II loses
her, he had some reason for his DllSSiul
security.
One lovely evening in the charming
May-fOr May is charming i'll Central
TcXas-Imugene was slowly riding
across a prairie that was n billowy
sea of grass and flowers. Duval was by
herside, recitinG Byron in a very touch
ing mannc ImOgene had casually
noticed that two hOrSemen had emery
Ell from a little wood, and were slowly
following them; and she had.alsO MOTTO
ed that they had passed, ut rHher closer
quarters than she liked, a herd of battle
feeding. Whether the magnificent bull
leading them was irritated by DuvaPs
floating scarlet ncck-tie, or by the poet
nv, or by motives, beyond human COM
prehension, is uncertain, but his anger
was positive enough. Believing and
tearing up the ground, lie came furious
" after the lovers. Poetry and senti-
ment collapsed, and the first law of
nature asserted itself.
Both put their horses to their utmost
speed, but the prospect was not cheering.
In fact the question VAS this, would the
bull or the horses have the best Of It
i'm 4 a over two miles of open
prairie?
'He is gaining on IL, Duval; and am
turning sick and faint. On, what. shall
/ dO?'
"Let us separate. He al not follow
both. and perhaps he will select me-"
Suddenly the shouts of the men from
behind attracted their attention. Imo-
gene glanced fearlully around. Thetwo
horsemen she had noticed were coming
on at a laundering pace; and before she
could check or turn her horse, one or
them had risen in his stirrupS, and
thrown a la>SO around the furious AMI
NAL. Ii was now evident that Govern
or De Forest was one OttheSe hOrsemen;
the other, who still held the rope, was
quite unknown both to Duyal or lmO-
gene.
The Governor quickly dispatched the
bull with his rifle, and then, as the herd
were evidently growing uneasy, the
whole partyrode rapidly home. Thanks
and intrOductiOnS were practically de
layed, although the stranger knew that
no thanks and no Introduction would
ever he more satisfactory to him than
the glance and smile he had received
i'm the swiftest moment from lmo-
gene.
Duval was very unhappy. He won-
dered if he had behaved in 4 cowardly
manner. The whole affair had been so
sudden and rapid he could neither
anylize his feelings o his actions.
ImOgene had only said that she "quite
excused him." Had there been any
thing t~OeXcuse? And then this stanger!
He was quite as i~nexplicable. Govern
or De Forest had simply introduced him
as 'Mr. John Winthrop" He was a
little man, his hair light, and his eyes
of that steely blue which always annOys
weak and incapable persons.
Mr.. Winthrop made very light of the
adventure, and gave all the credit ofthe
rescue to the Governor, except perhaps
for one moment, in which Imogene and
he once more changed eyes. The news
spread through the little town, and Fon-
tame was very indignant at fate. "1f
only he had been with Miss Imogene!
Managing wild cattle was a tritie to
him. He would rather enjoy such IN
encounter than otherwise. He had half
a dozen plans always ready for such
emergencies" etc. And really he did
look so gallant and so handsome that
most girls would have been willing to
face a herd of wild buffaloes under his
protection.
Duval felt Fontaine's bravado q per-
sOnal slight, but he did not wish to
make ImOgene the subject of a quarrel,
and after a rather unsatisfactory visit
the two men went home together.
However, next morning Captain Fon-
tame had the most graceful little note
from Miss Imogene, asking him to bring
MS guitar and assist her in entertaining
aieW guests that evening. DuvaI had