The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1882-03-30

IulTeTS, IL buey are SeuSlDle Iueu, uu
derstrand this, and regulate their con
duct accordingly.. Lacy, who was
quiet, easy-golng fellow, understood
it. | suppose, well enough; but poo
Percival didn't understand it all, ant
the agonies that he suffered when h
was left out in the cold were pitiabl,
to witness. He was at Cannes alto
gether about fortnight, | think, ant
am sure | don't exaggerate when
say that he must have lost stone.
weight in that time. His face grew
quite haggard and lined, his eyes hac
an unnatural brightness as if he die
not sleep well at night, and-most
portentous of all-his vile temper
seemed to have been completely cast
out of him. At dinner, one evening
a waiter upset plate of soup over his
shoulder, and he got up meekly an6
went off to change his coat without
saying word.
In common humanity | felt bound
at last, to direct Florry's attention tc
these symptoms, and to warn her that
Percival was not a. other men are.
Poor, dear old Carrotsr' she said
land so you really think he has grown
thinner? How nice of him! It will
be long time before you will allow
any woman to reduce your weight
Charley"
| said l humbly hoped it might be
very long time indeed.
''There is great deal that is de-
lightful and original about Carrots, y
she went on pensiyely. Sometimes
am almost inclined to give him what
he wants, and become Mrs. Carrots. y
And won't he lead you life if you
dol" thought I to myself; but | only
said, You'll have to make haste
about it then; for if he goes on vast
ing at his present rate of progress,
ther'll be nothing left of him at the
end of another month"
Perhaps Florry was alarmed at this
prospect; for she now took Percival
into favor again. and began snubbing
Lacy, who didn't seem to care much
Lacy appeared to me to hold wise and
philosophical views of life, and to ac-
cept the pleasures of dalliance for
what they were worth. When Florry
smiled upon him, he basked in her
smiles with perfect contentment;
when she frowned, he wrapped him.
self in his own virtue and took hand
at whist, while his lady-love and his
rival wandered about the garden, en-
joying the scent Of the orange-blos-
Suns and the balmy breezes of the
Mediterranean, and the moonlight,
and all the rest of it. Other things
being equal, | know which of the two
men | should have chosen for hus-
band, if [ had been a young woman.
and the choice had been offered me;
and in this case other things were
about equal; for Mrs. Neville inform
ed me that Lacy was very well off,
and had excellent prospects. She
also confided to me that she was
dreadfully frightened of Percival, and
wished to goodness he would go away.
"a red Othello" she said; II couldn't
bear to think of my daughters pass
ing her life with him
| don't know whether Florry was
beginning to think seriously of pass
ing her life with him; but it soon be-
came evident that she did not intend
to pass the whole of her time with
him at present. After day or two
Lacy was whistled back; and others
besides Lacy had their share of en-
couragement. Then, just as Percival
was upon the point of despairing ut
terly, he, in his turn, was recalled;
and so the game of see-saw went on.
See-saw is as good form of amuse-
ment as another, so long as you re-
member where you are, and have your
feet ready to touch the ground when
your end of the plank goes down.
You then descend gently and rise
again in graceful and dignified man
ner; and this was what Lacy did. But
if you imagine that your seat is steady
one, you are apt to bump Mother
Earth suddenly and heavily, and to
be carried aloft again with ridiculous
plunges and total loss Of balance; and
this was what happened to Percival.
He took it all, as | have said, with
wonderful submissiveness. [ suspect
that Florry must have given him a
a hint that despite appearances, he
was really the favored suitor; at least,
| cannot account in any other way
for the fact that he never once pro-
posed to punch Lacy's head.
But rude awakening was in store
for him. There was good deal Of
gaiety of a mild order going on at
Cannes, and the Nevilles were con-
>tantly dragging me off to balls given
by one or the other of the English
people who had villas in the place I
am not very passionately fond of
dancing myself; so | generally con-
trived to slip out and smoke a quiet
cigar in the garden while the others
were suffiing about and making them
selves hot indoors; and | was enjoy
ing myself in this way, one evening,
when Percival came out of the house
and flung himself down upon the
bench beside me.
[ had had the privilege of seeing
MIN dance once-his performance
much resembled that Of the proyerbial
bear upon hot plate-and at once
conjectured that Florry had sent
him about his business, and tn t
he had sought me out with
view to pouring forth the pent-up
bitterness of an overcharged spirit.
But that, it seemed, had not been his
intention. He was rather detected,
but not at all wrathful. and, although
he talked about nothing but Florry.
he did not mention her by name. He
spoke. in subdued and somewhat
pathetic tone, of women generally,
and laid down the proposition that
their conduct was not to be judged by
the standards which are supposed to
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