The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-10-26
MISS LIRRIPIP'S LOVERS.

Oh expectations. ITcJIy ldCcS are COlH-
mon enough, even in these days of
agricultural depression and stagnant
trade; but girl with five thousand a
year is a rarity; and a girl with five
thousand a year and pretty face into
the bargain is positive phenomenon,
and, as such, cannot fail to be greatly
admired by number of more or less
eligible young men with a taste for
beauty of the most substantial kind.
Even middle-aged bachelors awake from
their habitual indifference when, on being
introduced to lovely damsel of two-and-
twenty, they are conscious that the pos
SCISSOR of a considerable fortune stands
before them; for although money is no
doubt the root of al evil, it is a root
which most people very willingly under
take the risk of cultivating
Since Lydia Lirripip was thus bcauti-
full and thus rich, it is not surprising
that she had not only admirers-men who
dared to wish uncertain things but
lovers, too-men who had the presump-
ton to hope 1t is true that Lydia en-
couraged none of them; for she was
quite satisfied to live at home with her
father, General Lirripip, in Bruton street,
GrosvcnOr square, and to ride in Rotten
Row in the morning, and to drive in the
park in the afternoon. But, fortunately,
young men do not require encourage
ment; nay, in certain affairs, the less en-
couragement they receive, the greater
their persistency becomes; and consider
ing that healthily-constituted Young
women seldom, if ever give any encour-
agement to young men, the pcrsstency
of these latter in the face of alarming
difficulties is matter on which all of us
may heartily congratulate ourselves In
deed, but for the persistency, who knows
whether the world would 90 round
1t was the height of the London season,
and Lydia Lirripip went with her father
one evening to a great ball at the Count
ess Of Canaby's. Everybody was there
that is, of rank and fashion; and ere
she had been in the brightly lighted
rooms for five minutes Lydia was engaged
for all the dances on the programme.
Now, to most of her partners she was
only engaged for a single waltz 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 indiscrcet of her to do
so. But in one case at least it was also
very good natured of her, for she per-
mitted old Sir Pcrtinay Popinjay who,
as every one knew, was far too stiff and
equity to move about properly, to put
down his name for the only two sets of
lanciers. Sir PcrinaX was eifusivciv
grateful, and smiled his sweetest upon
her as he returned her programme: and
Lydia, instead of rcgrctting her kind
ness, felt thoroughly rewarded BY seeing
that she Was giving pleasure to the gray
haired baronet, who thirty years before
had been a 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 ia
vorcd partners were Mr.. Horace Freakc,
young artist who had that year. for the
first time, exhibited at the Royal Acade-
my, and Mr.. Merton Murley man who
had no profession and no occupation and
who, II he had private income, derived
1t from source not generally known even
to his friends.
In this world many strange coinci-
denccs happen. Two chemists have been
known to make exactly the same discov-
cry on the same day; and two astrono-
mers have claimed to catch sight of Il
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 men
toned to each of them that upon the fol-
loving evening her father was going to
take the chair at 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 amusc them
selves, and that she envied her partners
their clubs, their theatres, and their social
smoking 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 Lirripip upon the fol
lowing evening, and to make her certain
avowals 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 all determined at
the same time to make them is Il ques-
ton which cannot be explained although
the fact that Lydia that evening looked
even prettler than usual may possibly
have been one of the causes Of the extra
ordinary coincidence.
Lydia little dreamed, when in the
small 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 Mr.. Freake had been actual,
more dull and uninteresting than Mis-
Lirripip had ever seen him. She there
fore slept soundly, and was undisturbet
by fears of the coming evening and it
visitors.
The following day was wet. Tn
general, who had lived for many years il
India, and had liver which caused hin
to be somewhat irascible, shut himself N
in his library and savagely studied tn
statistics of coldwater bathing, an,
Lydia, who could not so out, painted il
her boudoir
The irri Minis 1innd Of hoIf Doet : 4