Savannah weekly echo., 1883-08-26
THE MAJORS CHOICE.

THE MAJORS CHOICE.
The fair feminine society of Tort
| vile was much exercised in mind when
Major Trixton bought the great brown
house across the park.
Year in and year out that house had
stood vacant. Summer suns had
woven their threads of light through
the closed blinds; winter SHOWS had
piled their white drifts against the
| threshold.
Some said the house was damp,
others that It was haunted, yet others
shrewdly surmised that it was in
litigation, and couldn't show a clean
title.
But nobody knew anything for Ger
tain, and when Major Trixton bought
it, and an army Of decorators, masons,
painters and upholsterers took pos
session of it, the interest and curios-
ity of Portville was at the eliminating
point.
That the major was bachelor was
very certain. That he was forty years
old, if not older, appeared an incontro-
yertible fact. That he was immensely
rich, rather eccentric, and decidedly in
want Of wife, everybody in town
knew before the title deeds of the big
house had been twenty-four hours in
the possession of the new owner.
"Yes," the major had averred, seri-
ously, when facetiously cha lenged on
the subject by Mr.. Miles Rideau, one
Of his most intimate friends, 81 do
want wife. You may chaff about it
as much as you please, but it don't
alter the fact. But want wife, not
q bundle Of giggle, and frizzes and
Paris millinery.
young ladies'" said Mr.. Rideau, cheer
fully, "and then you can pick and
choose for yourself"
Major Trixon was silent.
"a regular old bachelor" said Ri
deau to himself. "He'l never marry.
He wants perfection, and there's no girl
living that can come up to his stand
ard"
The ladies, as matter of course,
were much interested in the bluff,
brown, elderly major. Miss Serena
Silver, whose grandfather had been
commodore, and whose genealogical
tree had more branches than a star
fish, picked out the last gray hair from
her tresses and plumed herself for
conquest.
"He'll want lady of undisputable
'''~th I'd -osition," she thoupht.
ood. the pretty dressmaker's
assistant, pinned an extra blush rose
In the front of her bonnet as she
tripped to and fro to her work past
the windows of the brown house.
1.-The old story Of King Cophetua
and the beggar maid is often repeating
itself" she thought. "And Pm not
quite beggar."
While all the beauties in PortviIle
frightened up their armor and pre-
pared to enter the lists.
Major Trixon went into society, and
society was puzzled to know what to
make of him.
Twelve shirts" said Gertrude May,
holding up her hands in dismay
"Twelve shirts r echoed Mrs. Lacy,
who was a pretty widow on promo
ton.
"But, my dears," sail Mrs. Hedge,
the mother of two dimpled, velvet
eyed brunettes, "you must be mis-
taken n
"We're not, mamma" said Bertha.
"He really did say SO, mumsey," de-
clared Ida.
"You see, Mrs. Hedge" explained
Erminia Bruce, he has founded
hospital or poorhouse or something
out West, and he wants box made
up to send to the poor people there.
And he has asked the young ladies
hereabouts to contribute twelve shirts
one each, don't you see? And they
must be made by their own hands,"
$50 ridiculous !" said Mrs, Hedge.
"But old bachelors always do have
their quips and cranks," said Mrs.
Lacy, complacently, as she remembered
Q garment Of the late lamented Lacy's
wardrobe which she promised herself
to "do up" and pass on to the Western
paupers IS piece of genuine domestic
manufacture,
We'll, gitis, you'll have to get your
workboxes," said Mrs. Hedge.
"If it was worsted work, now,"
said Ida.
"Or Kensington STITCH" sighed
Bertha.
"But shirts Who ever heard of
shirts2 said Gertrude. However, we
AL A - ~ l.
worth few pinched fngsrs--eh,
girls?'
But Erminia Bruce, who had no
liking for plain needlework, looked !
with disgust at the Wamsutta muslin,
the card Of buttons, and the compact |
paper patterns on the table.
II haven't time for it." said she to |
herself, "if | practice that sonata for
the Thursday evenings musical. I'll |
put it out, and the major will never
know that didn't make it myself. A
shirt, indeedl Why, he'll be expecting
us to scrub floors and make soft soap
next. The brown house is very nice,
but / mean to be lady Of it without
any of this odious drudgery."
So Miss Bruce, who was tall, with a
superb complexion, flashing black eyes
and figure like Diana's own, rollel
up the obnoxious materials and car
ried them to a little house around the
corner, where pale, doye-eyed young
woman, no longer in her first youth,
sat at her sewing.
agatha" said Miss Bruce, curtly,
II want shirt made. Very nicely,
now. And you must make it cheap;
do you hearP"
Agatha Fontaine looked up, wist-
fully.
But, Erminia," said she, "I am
very much hurried just now. If you
could wait week"
Every WELL" said Miss Bruce, with
D toss OF her imperial head, then I'll
take my materials elsewherei It's
always the way with you suffering
p3Orl If one takes you work you won't
10 it. and then you come and tell us
ali sorts OF stories about your priva-
ions. But. mark my words, Agatha,