The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1883-10-18

Z
sioa snd s,sgnsn, trade, buts girl with
I Eve thousand year aud pretty face into
the bargain 10 positive phenomenon,
aud, As such. eanno, fail TO be greatly Ad'
mired by numbered more or less eligible
young men with tAste for beauty OF the
rsos, substantial kind. Even middle-sged
bachelors awoko from their habi.uai lndif.
ference. when. on being introduced 70
lovely dsmscl OF two and twenty. they are
conscious that the possessor OF consider
able fortune stands before them. for al.
though money il the root OF ell evil. IL is
root which most people willingly under
take the risk Of cultivating.
Since Lydia Lirripip '. thus beautiful
and thus rich. il is not Surprising that she
bad not only admirers men Who dared to
wish uncertain thinas; but lovers, too
men Who hsd The presumption to hope.
II Is true that Lydia encouraged none Of
them. for she was quite con.ented 10 live
at home with her father. General Lirripip,
in Bruton street. Grosvenor square and to
ride in Rotten Row in the morning and TO
drive in the park n the afternoon. But,
fortunately young men do not require en-
couragement; hay, in some affairs the less
encouragement they receive. the more per-
sistent they become; and considering that
heslthlly constituted young women sell
dom, il ever. give any encouragement to
young men. the persistency OF these latter
| in the face OF alarming difficulties is a mat
ter on which all Of us may hesrtily con-
grstulste ourselves, Indeed, but for the
persistency. who knows whether the world
would 60 round'
II was the height OF the London season,
aud Lydis Lirripip vent with her father
one evening 70 great ball at the Countess
Of Carnaby's. Everybody was there-ev'
erybody. that is, OF rank and fashion aud
ere she had been in the brilliantly lighted
rooms five minutes, Lydia vas engaged
for all the dances on the programme.
| Now, TO most OF her partners she was onl
engaged for a single valse or polka. but
| for old acquaintance's sake. or for some
other reason, she allowed three gentlemen
| TO take two dances each 1t was no doubt
very indiscreet Of her to do so, but IN one
case, at least. it was very good natured Of
her for she permitted old Sir PertinaI
Popinjay, who, as every one knew. was far
too stiff and gouty to move about properly
to put down his name for the only two
sets OF lancers. Sir Pertinax was ELUSIVE
ly grateful and sfailed his sweetest upon
her as he returned her programme and
Lydia, instead OF regr,tting her kindness.
felt thoroughly rewarded by seeing that
she was giving ple,sure to the gray haired
barouet, who thirty years before had been
. Eoted dandy. but who now struck her as
being simply prosy old fellow whom very
few girls would be likely to dance with
Lydias other favored partners we're Mr..
Horace Freake, atyoung artist who bad
that year exhibited for the first t ime at The
Royal academy, and Mr.. Murton Murley,
. man who had no profession, and who, il
be had a private income, derived At from
source not generally 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 the same comel
at the same moment. Its 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 faith er
was going to take the chair at the annual
meeting Of the Society for the Encourage.
ment OF Cold water Bathing on the Cont
nent; that she was not going, but would
be alone at home; that sbo wished the
girls we're fable like the men to amuse
themselves, and that she envied her part.
ners their clubs, their theatres and their
socsble smoking concerts. Nor is it in
credible that, having heard this, Sir PERTH
max Popiniay, Mr.. Horace Freake and Mr..
Merton Murley all made up their minds
to call upon Miss Lirripip upon the fol-
lowing evening, and to make to her certain
svowals, which, although they had long
meditated them, they now felt impelled to
make as soon as possible and without any
unnecessary delay. What these avowals
were may be guessed. But why the three
| gentlemen oil determined at the same time
| TO make them is question which cannot
be explained. Although the fact that Ly-
dia that evening looked even prettier than
usual may possibly have been one OF the
causes Of the singular coincidence.
Lydia little dreamed when, in the small
hours OF the morning she dropped of to
sleep, OF what vas hanging over her Sir
Pertinsr had not been more attentive than
Tor some time bad been his wont; Mr.
Murley had made no sign, and Mr. Freake
had been actually more dull and uninter-
esting than Miss Lirripip had ever seen
him. She therefore slept soundly, and
vas undisturbed by fears OF the coming
evening and its visitors.
i The following day vas wet The Gen.
erai, Who hsd lived for many years in In.
diA and bad liver which caused him TO
be somewhat irascible, shut himself up in
his library and savsgely studied the stats.
tics Of Cold.vAter Bathing; and Lydia,
Who could not 90 out, painted in her bou-
doir. The Lirripips dined at hslf.past i've
TO enabis the general to get to the meeting
Al half-past seven; and as helhsd taken nc
exercise during the dsy aud bad been
unite unable 10 master all the information