Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-10-19
MISS LIRRIPIP'S LOVERS.


thousand year, not to speak of expectations. |
Pretty faces are common enough even in these |
days of agricultural depression and stagnant |
trade; and a girl with five thousand year is |
q rarity; and girl with FIVE thousand year
and pretty face into the bargain is positive
and, as such, cannot fail to be
greatly admired by number of more or less
eligible young men with taste for beauty Of the
most substantial kind. Even midde.aged
bachelors awake from their habitual indifer.
ence when, on being introduced to lovely
damsel of two.aud twenty, they are conscious
that the possessor of considerable fortune
stands before them for although money is
the root Of all evil, it is root which most
people very willingly undertake the risk of
cultivating.
Since Lydia Lirripip was thus beautiful and
thus rich, it is not surprising that she had not
only admirers-men who dared to wish uncer.
tain things but lovers, too-men who had the
presumption TO hope. 1t is true that Lydia
encouraged none of them, for she was quite
satisfied to live at home with her father, Gen.
eral Lirripip, in Bruton-street, Grosvenor-
square, aud to ride in Rotten Row in the
morning, and to drive in the park in the after.
noon. But, fortunately, young men do not re.
quire encouragement; nay, in certain affairs
the less encouragement they receive the greater
their persistency becomes and considering
that healthily constituted young women sell
dom, if ever give any encouragement to
young men, the persistency of these latter in
face of alarming difficulties is a matter on
which all of us may heartily congratulate our
selves. Indeed, but for the persstency who
knows whether the world would go round?
1t was the height of the London season, and
Lydia Lirripip went with her father one even
ing to a great ball at the Countess of Carna-
nv Evaryhodv ypap 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 single waltz or
polka, but, for old acquaintance 5 sake, or for
some other reason, she allowed three gentle
men to take two dances each. 1t was no doubt
very indiscreet of her TO do so. But in one
case at least it was also very good .natured Of
her, for she permitted old Sir Pertina1 Popin-
jay, 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 Ian
GERS. Sir Pertinax was efusively grateful
and smiled his sweetest upon her as he re-
turned her programme, and Lydia, instead of
regretting her kindness, felt thoroughly re-
warded by seeing that she was giving pleas
ure to the gray haired Baronet, who, thirty
years before, had been 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 favored
partners were Mr.. Horace Freake-a young
artist who had that year for the first time ex-
hbited at the Royal Aeademy-and Mr.. Mer-
ton Murley, a man who had no profession and
no occupation, and who, If he had a private
income, derived it from a 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 new comet at almost the same
moment. It is 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 father was going to take the chair at the
annual meeting of the Society for the En-
couragement 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 amuse themselves and
that she envied her partners their clubs, their
theatres, and their sociable smoking concerts.
Nor is it incredible that having heard this,
Sir Pertinsx Popinjsy, Mr.. Horace Freake,
and Mr.. Murton Murley all made up their
minds to call upon Miss Lirripip upon the
following evening, and to make to her GER
tain svowas, which, although they had long
meditated them, they now felt impelled to
make as soon as possible, and without any un-
necessary delay. What these avowals were
may be guessed but why the three gentle
men all determined at the same time TO make
them is a question which cannot be explained,
although the fact that Lydia that evening
looked even prettier than usual may possibly
have been one of the causes of the extraordi-
nary 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.. Freak had been
actually more dull and uninteresting than
Miss Lrripip had ever seen him. She there.
fore slept soundly, and was undisturbed by
fears of the coming evening and its visitors.
The following day was wet. The General,
| who had lived for many years in India, and
| had a liver which caused him to be somewhat
irascible, shut himself up in his library and
savagely studied the statistics of Cold water
Bathing and Lydia, who could not go out,
painted in her boudoir. The Lirripip's dined
at half past five to enable the General to gel
to the meeting at half-past seven and as he
had taken no exercise during the day, and had
been quite unable to master all the informa
tion he required relative to the average oi
cleanliness upon the Continent, Lydia's faith
| er was not in the best of tempers. 'Sit W
for me, he said II shall be in by half past
eleven" These were his last words, as, the
carriage having been announced, he hurried
away from the table, stopping for an instan
at Lydia's side to kiss her hastily on the toI
of the head. And Miss Lirripip was left alon'
in solitary grandeur, sitting at one end of th'
dining room. She did not stay there long
I,N 10 ha 1ra xubffhar oh
bade the servant bring two candles, which bu
dimly lighted the large apartment. Then
taking her seat at the piano, Lydia began t.
play and sing alternately.
The drawing room at Bruton-street was lik'
many other London drawing rooms. 1t oocu
pied the whole of the first floor of the house
save where in one corner the staircase ascend
ed and it was therefore L-shaped, the long
er arm of the L having three windows look
ing out into the street, and the shorter arm
one window looking out over some news il
the rear Heavy curtains of tapestry hum
between the hack and front portions of tn
room, but were usually looped up and in th
back room was the piano at which, within tn
halo of the two candles, Lydia Lirripip playe
and sang.
She had considerable knowledge of musi
and fine voice, and, wrapped up in her OF
cupation, she started when the door Of th
front room opened and servant, who was
her invisible, announced Mr.. Horace Freak'
Lydia rose and received her visitor, meRI
time ordering the gas to be lighted. 1t wa
half past eight. Why had he called at tbs
, hour? Why had he not come in the daytim
while she was so dull, rather than while sh
was singing? But upon the whole, she WI
| glad to see Horace, who, no doubt, simply d.
sired to inquire how she was after the dane
of the previous evening, and had not bee
able TO do 30 earlier. As he betrayed, neye
> theless, a certain hesitation in his manner, 81
led the conversation, and asked him wheth,
5 he had enjoyed Lady's Carnaby's ball. i
? had he said, pretty well and then ensued
pause, during which Horace rather awkward
? ly took a seat at Lyda's side on an ottoma
: aud gazed at the carpet Mr. Freake was NJ
altogether stupid, but even wits often becou
r rather dull when they are meditating an in
1 mediate proposal; aud the situation is so tr
s ing to almost every man who finds himself
| it, that it amply excuses the exhibition OF