The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1882-08-12
.IT'S AN I'LL WIND.v

On blowy, rather raw day early in
March. in the year 1S7-;a young man
of well-bred bearing and stylish pres
ence strides with quick steps along the
narrow sea-wall that protects the inhabi-
tants of st. Augustine from the overflow
of the ocean through Mantauzas river.
The breeze from the sea is SO very stiff
and brisk that it requires some balanc-
ing and acrobatic feats and contortions
for him to retain his foothold upon the
wall. Mr.. Sedley Dutton Lathrop-as
his visiting cards label him-is piqued
pleasure in bntting against the wind,
and conquering its ugly gusts. After q
valiant struggle, he reaches the fort in
safety The walk has sent rich tinge
of crimson to his cheeks, and having
changed the circulation, has somewhat
cooled his ire.
After rambling about the fort, and lis
tening with an increduloris smile, to the
blood-curdling tales of the cicerone, in
regard to the skeletons, instruments of
torture, and rusty iron cages found in o
certain dungeon. Mr.. Lathrop comfort
ably settles himself on the rampant in q
retired nook, and sheltered from the
and the distant white-crested breakers.
He is really uncommonly comfortable,
and the surroundings are so bright and
smiling and conducive to pleasant
thoughts. that after q slight introspec-
ton he comes to the conclusion that be
is the one at fault, that he has been un-
reasonable and disagreeable, and thinks
that if the men at home could know how
l.. L.. o1kz .tos,. of4n AIxar
would vote him q cad. The fact is, Mr..
love, and men when laboring under such
an influence are apt to be exacting and
suspicious.
Mr.. Lathrop, about fortnight ago,
travelled all the way from Philadelphia
to st. Augustine for the express purpose
of being near very charming young
woman with whom he is enamored; but
lately the powers that be have been most
provokingly against him. Miss Estey,
upon his advent at st. Augustine, was
most gushingly delighted to see him,
and for five or six days he lived in elys-
ium, but then change came, and it
dawned upon Sedley Lathrop's mental
vision that Ethel Estey was a sad CO.
quette. To be sure, there was some
excuse for it, as she was an uncommonly
pretty and attractive young wo-
man and wore sher gowns and hats
with such bewitching grace that q
thralled as Sedley Lathrop. When Mr..
Lathrop arrived, and Miss Estey ap-
peared so to approve his admiration and
devotion to the exclusion of all others,
there was gnashing of teeth, and bitter
ao1 cd
head by the young men IN question.
But now she seems to tire of the atten-
ton of only one man, SO she throws out
her lines again, and the twelve young
men are soon wriggling on the hooks;
then comes Mr.. La ashrop's turn to gnash
his teeth, but what is one against so
many? He sulks and he mopes, and
complains, but all to no purpose; she
still continues dancing three times in
succession every evening with that mis-
erable snob, Tom Wilton. On all sailing
and driving parties she takes particular
pains to snub him most numerically,
and his life, to Sedley Lathrop, grows to
be burden and a misery; he loses faith
in human nature generally, and the milk
of human kindness within him is rapidly
evaporating.
OA blI1S RdAblCUAsh1 4AoASA N0y AC
has told Miss Estey, at the conclusion of
another gentle remonstrance, that he sees
now clearly that they are not suited to
each other, and he intends returning to
Philadelphia tue following day. She
looks little startled when she hears his
last words, and her under lip and eyelids
culver, but she replies that she has long
been of his opinion, too, that he has
done nothing but scold and annoy her.
that he is horribly suspicious and jeal-
GUS, and it is probably just as well that
it should end now. So, as preliminary
to the long journey home, he takes the
walk on the sea wall.
AS Sedley Lathrop sits on the rampant,
idly digging little stones out of the wal,
and tossing them into the yawning mouth
of a cannon near him, he suddenly hears
low laugh, and coming round the pro-
iection-behind which he lounges at full
'ength-is Ethel Estey with Mr.. Wilton.
Mr.. Lathrop is on his feet in an instant,
and uncovering his head, returns Miss
Estey's naughty recognition with low,
grave bow. They pass without comment,
and Sedley, picking up his stick, starts
toward his hotel with, if possible, even