Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1883-11-05
MISS LIRRIPIP,S LOVERS.

number OF more or less eligible young mon
with q taste for beauty Of the most substantial
kind Even middle-agod bachelors awoke from
their hsbitual Indifference rhsn, on being in
tToduct : 10 lovely damsel Of two-and twenty,
they are conscious that the posseasor Of q
considerable fortune stands before them; for,
although money is the root Of all evil, it is :
root which most people very willingly under
take the risk Of cuitivaing. .t.# XIII
Since Lydia Irripip was thus beautiful and
thus rich, it is not surprising that she had not
only admirers-men who dared to wish uncsr-
tain things; but lovers, too-men who had the
presumption to hope It is true that Lydia
encouraged none Of them, for che was quite
satisfied to live at home with her father, Gen.
Lirripip, in tBruton street. ~ Grosvenor
square, and to ride in Rotten Row In the morn
ing, and to drive in the park in the afternoon.
But, fortunately, young men do nat require the
encouragement; nay, in certain affairs the less
encouragement they receive the greater their
persistency becomes; and considering that
healthily constituted young women seldom. ii
ever, give any encouragement to young men,
che persistency Of these latter in tho face Of
alarming difficulties il q matter on which all Of
MS may heartily congratulate ourselves. 20 In-
deed, but for the perslstsncy who knows
whether the world would go round? ~
1t was the height Of the london season, and
Lydia Lrripip went with her father one even
ing to great ball at the countess Of Carna-
by'a Everybody was there-everybody, that
is, of rank and fashion-and ere she had been
in the brightly lighted rooms fer five minutes
Lydia was engaged for all the dances ON the
programme. Now, to most Of her. partners
ahe was only engaged for q single yaise or
polka, but, for old acquaintances sake, or for
some other reason, she allowed three gentle-
men to take two dances each. 1t was. DO doubt,
very ;ndiscreet OF her to do 80. But in one
case at Toast 1t was also very good natured OF
Der, for she permitted old Sir Pertinax Popin-
jay, who, as every one knew, was far too still
down his name for the only two sets Of larfeers.
Sir Partinax was e1fnslvely grateful, and
smiled his sweetest upon her as he returned
her programme, and Lydia, instead of regret
ting her kindness, felt thoroughly rewarded by
seeing that she was giving pleasure to the gray
haired baronet, who, thirty years before, had
been noted dandy, but who now struck her
as being simply prosy old fellow, whom very
few girls would be likely to dance with. Lydia's
other favored partners were Mr.. Horace Freake
"a young artist who had that year for the first
time exhibited at the Royal academy-aud Mr..
Merton Murley, man who had no profession
and no occupation, and who, II he had q pri-
vate income, derived it from q source not gen.
orally known even to his friends.
In this world many strange condolences
happen Two chemists have been known to
make exactly the same discovery On the same
day; and two astronomers have claimed TO
catch sight Of a new comet at almost the Same
moment. 1t is not, therefore, Incredible that,
while dancing these six dances with her three
favored partners, Lydia casually mentioned to
each of them that upon the following evening
her father was going to take the chair al
the annual meeting of the Society for
the Encouragement of Cold Water Bathing on
the Continent: that she was not going, but
would be alone at home; that she wished that
girls were able like men to amuse themselves;
and that she envied her partners their
clubs, their theaters and their socable smok1
ing concerts; Nor is it Incredible that, having
heard this, Sir Pertinax Popinjay, Mr. Horace
Freake, and Mr.. Merton Murley all made up
their minds to call upon Miss Lrripip upon
the following evening, and to make to her GER
tain svowals, which, although they had long
msdisated them, they now felt impelled to
necessary delay. What these avowals were
may be guessed; but why the three gentlemen
MI determined at the Same time to make them
Is o question which cannot be explained, al
though the fact that Lydia that evening looked
even prettier than usual may possibly have
been one Of the causes of the extraordinary
coincidence.
Lydia little dreamed, when in the smal1
hours Of the morning she dropped off to sleep,
Of what was hanging over her. Sir Pertinax
had made no sign; Mr. Murley had not been
more attentive than had for some. time been
his wont; and MIR: Freake had been actually
more dull aud uninterestiug than Miss Lrripip
had ever seen him She therefore slept soundly.
and was undisturbed by fears OF the coming
evening and its visitors. ,as,.r.,' .y&-}&5Fft
Tho following day was wet The general,
who had lived for many years in India, aud
had liver which caused him TO be- somew hat
irascible, shut himself up in bis library and
savagely studied the statistics Of cold water
bathing; and Lydia, who could not go ont,
painted in her boudoir.| The Lirripips dined
ct half past five to enable the general to get
to the meeting at half past seven; aud as he
had taken no exercise during the day, and had
been quite unable to master all the information
he required relative to the average Of cleani-
ness upon the continent. Lydia's father was
not in the best of tempera. F.Sit UP for me-"
he said; 81 shall be in by 1880" These
were his last words, as, the carriage having
table, stopping for an instant at Lydia's side
to kiss her hastily on the top of the head. And
Misc Lirripip was left alone in solitary
grandeur, sitting at one end OF the dining
room. She did not stay there long, but went
to the drawing room, whittier she babe .
lighted the large apartment Then, taking her
seat st the piano, Lydia began to play and to
sing alternately. Il. 81. On EE#I' IN r#$f:
The drawing-room at Bruton street was like
many other London drawing rooms. It occu-
nia6 tina whole nf the firat fioor Of the honse.
saya where in one corner the staircase All,
cendsd. And 1t was Therefore I,:shaned the
Longer arm Of the 3 having three windows
Iookinp ont into ths straet and the shorter
Arm one winiiow looking ant over son,e news
in the rear. Heavy curtains Of tapestry hung
between the back and front portionssof the
room, but were usually loo. ed np; and tn TIE
back room was The piano. at which, within the
mao Q, inc s~o canoiss' Lyois rr'p'p play ",
ana sans. #s: Z y .sh III N y 4 y =
She had considerable knowledge Of music
and a. fine voice, and, wrapped up insher oecu-
patton, she started when the door Of the front