Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1883-08-09
DELILAH.

Sir Thomas Winston was a widower,
and his present family consisted of two
daughters somewhere between eighteen
and thirty and a son. There were
several guests besides myself at Win
ton hall-Capt. Seymour, a brother Of
fcer of young Winton's, with sus-
pected desire of forming another fra
ternal connection with him; Paddy"
O'Brian, a sort of social Crichton, and
others. OF the fairer visitors, | need
only mention one, Ada Dart, for what
man of sound mind could notice any
other girl when she was in the room !?
Well, Capt, Seymour, could do so, but
then he was infatuated and not of
sound mind suffering from younger
Miss Winton on the brain in fact. 1t
surprised me very much to see the
beautiful Ada sail into the drawing
room before dinner on the evening of
my arrival. | had met her at din
ner party and three balls; Ihad attend
ed her with grateful humility through
out the whole of a picnic, and her
image rose before me rather more than
liked.
/ could not remain long by her side;
the room was full of strangers, with
many of whom | had now to form &C
quaintance for the first time, even the
ladies of the house being unknown to
me. | was eventually paired off with
a companion, and dinner was spoiled
by perpetual dread of speaking with
levity of things she reverenced.
The place | coveted at the side of
Ada Dart was filled by Paddy O'Brian,
who had a wonderful and enviable
power of showing politeness and ap-
parent attention to the general COM
pany while really attaching himself to
one selected individual.
Before the evening was over / felt
certain that had no chance of "walk-
ing over'3 for the prize, and also, that
she was worth winning; for Paddy
was not the man to court uncovered
beauty. Indeed, he could not afford
so romantic proceeding.
When the ladies retired, most of the
men repaired to the billiard room,
where cigars were provided, but the
majority were tired and went to bed,
early, leaving O'Brian and myself to
finish a game.
"Well." said he, rs soon as we were
alone, 81 suppose that you and l have
been asked down here for the same
thing"
'"Oh yes; the shooting, you mean," l
replied.
"Shootingl That's the polite way of
paying us. They want us to help them
with their private theatricals."
"Oh, they're going to get up private
theatricals, are they?"
ITO be sure, or you would never
have been asked to Winton hall, nor |
either, faith! l got it out of Miss
Dart"
"Who i'll tell us what to do about
scenery, dresses, and all the little de-
tails?" said Miss Winton, when the
family took the stage fever badly last
summer. Don't you know some one,
papa?"
81 have it," cried Sir Thomas. "On
of my acquaintances is great on the
: drama; at least he talks of nothing
else, and though not Solom on, that
seems to be his specially"
'But is hepresentable?" asked Julia
Winton-"Seymour's girl, you know"
"Oh, yes" replied Sir Thomas; "he
has paid up on his shares, and he as
pirates his h's, and he has really very
fine whiskersl'
"Shut up, O'BrianP' said 1. "Do not
foist your own impertenencies upon
the innocent. And what were you
asked here for?'
"To act, of course. If it had not
been for my success in Sir Lucius
O'Trigger at Lady Socks Knight have
gone hang before ever I'd have been a
guest in this elegant establishment.
Oh, there is no shirking the truth with
me. my boy; nobody does anything for
nothing in this world"
There was undoubtedly sentiment
of truth at the bottom of this frothy
cynicism of O'Brians; for on the fol-
lowing day the subject of private theat-
ricals was quietly broached in my pres
cree by the Misses Winton.