The Labor enquirer., 1883-03-03
A RUNAWAY MATCH.

"Hallo, Barton | hear you are going
to be married. Accept my fluctuations,
and all that sort Of thing"
Thanks" drawIed Barton, slowly re
moving the cigar from his mouth. "But
there is some mistake. I am not going
to be married"
"Why, 7 was told the knot was soon to
be tied; the girl was awfully pretty, and
awfuIly rich. have been envying you,
and cursing my luck ever since l. heard
it,"
''No cause, Hexter, I give you my
word" said Barton, continuing his prom
enade on the deck of the Newport boat.
81 see how it is, old fellow she Tilted
you" replied his friend.
"Who Tilted me"
Miss Bradfute."
Il have not the honor Of Miss Brad
flutes acquaintance"
HeXter stared.
"Come, that's good. Not know a girl
who has been living at your mothers
house for the last six months..?"
,"And where have been. for the last
six months, if you please P"
I'm Paris, amusing yourself, you lucky
dog"
Exactly. I have been in Paris.
return home in August My mother and
her guest, Miss Bradfute, are in Virginia,
at the White Sulphur springs, My
mother writes and asks me to join them
there. don't like sulphur water, so l
don't 60. l have never seen Miss Brad
flute, and l am not going to marry her"
How do you suppose the report OF
your engagement got afoat?"
Cant say" said Barton, with a shrug.
"You will oblige me by contradicting it,
however"
"Certainly, my dear boy, III say it's
a confounded lie"
"Not necessary. Be kind enough to
simply state it's a great honor to me, but
no such marriage is in contemplation,
and that Miss Bradfute and Ihave never
met"
"AII right" said Uexter, a wish
she'd have me, though, She is rolling in
money and deuced pretty. Speak
good word for me when you do meet
say, let US GO below and eewhat we can
get for supper am as hungry as a
hunterH
They supped and smoked and Iounged
up and down the deck, listening to the
band, which crashed out an innumer-
able quantity Of galopS and waltzes,
They discussed many mutual acduaint-
ance, but there was no further aIlusion
to Miss Bradfute But Barton thought
much about her, nevertheless, and was
extremely amazed to find that he was
reported as engaged to her. Just before
leaving Paris he had received a letter
frqm his mother, limiting at her earnest
wish that he should marry her young
guest, Miss Nora Bradfute This young
lady was the only child of a widowed
father. General Bradfute was man of
fabulous wealth, but he was of a rowing
disposition and led life. of wanderings
Nora had spent her days in travelling
from country to country, from town to
town, and now at 10 she had found a
tenn porary home with her mothers old
friend, Mrs Barton.
Of course, good 1Irsa Barton had at
once set her brain at work to make a
match between her son Philip, who was
then. abroad, and Nora. She talked Of
Philips wonderful cIeverness, and Phil
ip's good heart, and Philips talents, till
Nora felt that, if there was person on
earth that was destined to love her to
death, that person was Philip Barton.
They were at the White Sulphur more
for the benefit Of the mountain air than
for any gayety. But Nora was bright,
- amusing, easily-amuSed little thing, and
she soon had lots of new friends about
her. H er pretty foreign manner and
rich dreBs were enough to attract atten-
ton any where, but at the White Sui