The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-04-20
A TIMELY JILT.

| a I1M11 IL JILL.
Il wish Mark Merryw6ather woul,
keep away from Alma Mrs. Jewet
said uneasily, as she glanced across thu
room To where handsome but briefles
| young barrister was paying more thar
his respects to her niece. Miss Carew =
Il don't think he realizes her engage
| ment at all
II am sure Alma told him of it, > hel
daughter Edith answered soothingly
| ''lou need not worry about a ballroom
| Irritation, mamma.
But it looks SOP Mrs. Jewett re
| turned If Alma is bent upon marry,
ing Mr.. A1athers, she need not adver
| tise her indifference To him by flirting
| with his former rival so outrageous
ly."
Alma isn't flirting, mamma, Edith
said generously. 1T is Just her way
Her manners are peculiarly fascinating,
| and she uses that gracious air to every
| one, even the servants. | think she likes
Mr.. Merryweather entirely too well To
trifle with him,
That is just what troubles me, Ed
it'll. / am sure ! wish she had made up
her mind to marry Mark, poor as he is
but since she hasn't, / object emphatic
ally to anything ike an eSclandre.
''Oh, don't think you need fear any
thing of that sorti'' Edith said quickly.
Alma is too sensitive to reproach to in
dulge in such folly
Mrs. Jewett did not make any further
remark, but as the band played the pre-.
lude to one of Offenbach's reckless
waltzes, and Alma Cafew placed her
little gloved hand on Mark arm, flash
ing up into his eyes a look of bewitch-
ing grace, Mrs. Jewett turned to Edith
with an expression of dismay.
Mr.. Mathers is so peculiar she said
in low voice. If any one were to
drop him a hint, he might make it very
unpleasant for Alma.
He won't be back till the day of the
wedding Edith said lightly; land it is
hardly likely that any one would write
10 him.
MRS. Trask might. Mrs Jewett OBJ
served, suggestiyely ''She is Jealous
enough to do anything She will never
forgive Alma for having carried off the
prize of the season-the prize which
she had set her own heart on win
ming"
Poor Alma Edith murmured. -
hope she HASA made mistake.
"A mistake Who ever heard of sucl
marrying an income OF fifty thousand
year, even If ones heart were left out of
the bargain?"
Alma had managed admirably, the
worldly wise-acres had said. She had
been badly entangled in Irritation with
Mark Merryw when his uncle, Mr..
Hercules Mathers, a bachelor of fabul-
GUS wealth had made his advent into So
ciety. This crotchety old Crmsus was
at loggerheads with his handsome
nephew and never dollar of his abund-
ant wealth went to line young Merry
weather's purse.
So bitter was the grudge he had
against Mark, that hardly had he noted
how madly in love with Miss CareW his
nephew was, than he conceived the ami
able design of matching his money
against Marks good looks. The result
had been As he had hoped it to be. and
Alma as his affianced wife.
But she had managed well, certainly,
because her heart was a true
one, despite the semblance of worldli-
ness which it wore. She had honestly
tried not to cause Mark any unnecessary
suffering, and such was the charm of
her manner, that she cOntriYed to reject
him, and vet to keep him with her in
the old relation, to which she gave
the fancifnl name of friendship.
Perhaps she was little thoughtless
when she accepted Mark escort during
the month that preceded her wedding;
but Mr.. Mathers was away in the west,
and there could be no harm in her going
about with her future nephew Besides
she had some notion of bringing about
between Mark and his
uncle
So matters stood on the night of Mrs. |
Temples party, when Mrs. Jewett made
the foregoing remarks to her daughter
Edith.
1t was just within week of Alma's
marriage, but she had not allowed her |
mind to dwell much on that thought
Somehow it was not altogether pleasant
by no means SO pleasant as having |
Mark read Tennyson to her, and tell her |
that her sympathy was necessary to his
success in life. 1t never occurred to
her that such q state of affairs would be |
difficult to maintain.
The morning following Mrs. Temples |
party Alma sat alone in her cosy little |
ooudoir, suffering with q dissipation |
headache.
At eleven the servant brought up a |
etter from Mr. MatherS. She glanced |
1t it carelessly, and then proceeded to
open it. After reading the first few
ines, she uttered low cry, and caught |
Ter breath convulsively. In few mo-
nents she had dashed the letter to the
loor, and was pacing the room like
aged lioness.
Chow dare he! How dare he!2 she
ried Historically. s.Oh, the shamei the
Then she flung herself upon lounge
nd burst into flood of angry tears.
A glance at Mr.. Mather' letter would
ave quickly revealed the cause OF her
-iolent passion. .,,.4 e.
.sMy dear Miss Carew:-I am aware that the
ten am about to take will seem 10 you aS- |
0norable: but am quite prepared 10 take al al
he blame you may thrust upon me. IN INA, an
eferenee to your superior merits, your De sau
' and ACCOMPLISHMENTS i beg leave 70 VIII. III
raw nv claim TO your hand. AimosI =. ne ne
Ieventli hOur have resolved TO TonQW liz
isfnteresfpd advice of a kind friend Wno nas
hown quite plainly how incompatiDle ny i ten !
erameIlt Is with yours and how surely unnaR,, |
mess svOuld follow our union. III you Will
arcion me for saying SO, Miss Carew, 4 do nol
minis YOU will take this matter seriously W
II have no desire to place you in a bad posi-
lon. and therefore make the following sug"
estion, which is. that you accept my nepneWs