Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1883-11-22
Miss Lirrlpip's Lovers.
chambers Journal.]


tions. Pretty faces are common enough,
even In these days of agricultural depres.
SION and stagnant trade; but girl with five
thousand year and a pretty face into the
bargain is a positive phenomenon, and, as
such, can not fail to be greatly admired by
number Of more or less eligible young men
with taste for beauty Of the most substan-
tial kind Even mddle-aged bachelors awoke
from their habitual Indifference when. on
being introduced to a lovely damsel of two
and twenty they are conscious that tho pos
sessor Of a considerable fortune stands be-
fore them; for although money Is the root of
all evil, it Is root which most people very
willingly undertake the risk of Cultivating.
Sincc Lydia Lirripip was thus beautiful
and thus rich, it Is not surprising that she
had not only adMireis--lnen who dared to
wish uncertain things; but lovers, too--nen
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 lirripip, in Bruton street.
Grosvenor square, and to ride III Rotten Row
In the morning and tn drive in the park in
the afternoon. But, fortunately, young men
do not require encouragement; nay, in GER
tain affairs the loss encouragement they re-
ceive the greater their persistency becomes;
and considering that healthily constituted
young women seldom il ever, give any en-
couragelnent to young men, tho persistency
of these latter in tho face of alarming diff
cultics is matter on which all of lis may
heartily congratulate ourselves. Indeed, but
for the persistency who knows whether the
world would go rounds
It was the height of the London season, and
Lydia Lrripip went with her father one
evening to great ball at tho countess of
Carnabys, Everybody was there--every-
body, that is, of rank and fashion-nnd 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 shc was only engaged for
single valse or polka, bat, for old acquaint-
nnce's sake, or for some other reason, she al
lowed three gentlemen to take two dances
each. 1t was no doubt very intliscieet OF her
to do no. But in one case at least it was also
very goodnatured of her, for she permitted
old Sir Pertinax Popinjay, who, as every one
knew, was far too stiff and gouty to move
about properly, to put down his
name for the only two sets of lam
GERS. Sir Pertinax was eifusvely grateful
and smiled his sweetest upon her as he
returned her programme, and Lydia, Instead
of regrcttng her kindness, felt thoroughly
rewarded by seeing that sho was giving pleas
urc to the gray-haired baronet, who, thirty
years before, had been noted dandy, but
who now struck her rs being simply prosy
old fellow, whom very few girls would be
likely to dance with I.ydia's other favored
partners were Mr.. Horace Freakc-n young
artist who had that year for the first time
exhibited at the Royal academy-anl MIR.
Merton Murley, man who had no profession
and no occupation, and who, il he had a
private income, derived 1t froi 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 a 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 mentioned
to each OF them that upon the following even
ing her father was going to take the chair at
the annual meeting of the Society for the
Encouragement of Coldwater 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 envici her partners their clubs,
their theatres, and their sociablo smoking
concerts Nor is it incredible that, having
heard this, Sir Pertinax Popinjay, Mr.. Hor-
ace Freake, and Mr.. Merton Murley all made
up their minds to call upon Miss Lirrpip
upon the following evening, and to make to
her certain avowals, which, although they
had long melitated them, they now felt i'm,
pelled to make Us soon as possible, and with
out any unnecessary delay. What these
lie h@ 1,,t 4ha
three gentlemen all determined at the same
time to make them is question which can
not be explained although the fact that
Lydia that evening looked even prettier than
usual may possibly lave been one Of tho
causes of The extraordinary coincidence.
Lydia little dr.amed, 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 won't; and Mr.. Freake had been
actually more dull and uninteresting than
Miss Lir1.ipip 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 liver which caused him to I've somewhat
irascible, shut himself up in his library and
savagely studied the statistics of Cold water
Bathing; and Lydia, who could not so out,
painted in her boudoir. The Iilripips dined
at $50, to enable the general to get to the
meeting at 7:30; 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 Of
cleanliness upon the continent, Lydia'S
father was not in the best of tempers. "Sit
up for me-" he said; ~ shall be In by 1880"
These were his last words, as, the carriage
having boen announced, he hurried away
from the table, stopping for an instant at
Lydia's side to kiss her hastily on the top Of
the head. And Miss LrripiD was left alone
in solitary grandeur, sitting at one end OF the
dining room. She did not stay there long,
but went to the drawing room, whittier she
bade the servant bring two candles, which
but dimly lighted the large apartment. Then,
taking her seat at the piano, Lydia began to
play aud sing alternately.
Tha drawing-room ut Bruton street was
like many other London drawing rooms. 1t
occupied the whole of the first floor of the
house. save where in one corner the staircase
assembled and it was therefore Lshaped, the
longer arm of the L having three windows
looking out into the street, and the shorter
arm one window looking out over some news
in the rear. Heavy curtains of tapestry
hung between the back and front portions of
the room, but were usually looped up; and
in the back room was the piano at which,
within the halo of the two candles, Lydia
Lirripip played aud sang
She had considerable knowledge of music
and fine voice, and, wrapped up in her oc-
cupation, she started when the door of the
front room opened and servant, who was
to her invisible, annpunoed Mr.. Horace