Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-08-08

like Kate; she is great fun"
"And you, Jack, have you any chance,
do you think-I mean
''Chance? / rather think I have" said
Jack. interrupting. "Chance, indeed
Why, have to keep the girls away from
me at the point of my stick.'
Nov, Jack dear, do be serious. I am
so interested in all this. Are you sure
about the money ?"
| II believe it is all right
'And, dear, would you really marry
her ?"
"If it is case of coming "a copper or
marrying her, shall select the latter
said Jack.
Lady Francis was in futter Of excite
ment during the ensuing week.
"Fancy. dearl A nice girl with $780,
000," she remarked to Glare Melton.
American girls are quite the rage
now the men are all wild after them,'
said Glare.
Lady Francis face assumed serious
aspect.
1--WE will take care that dear Jack has
plenty of opportunities. 1t will be shock
! ing if all the men run after her," she an
swered gravely.
''The best thing that you can do will be
to give out that they are engaged" said
| Glare.
"Y GU can do that for me. dear.''
"Of course, but you will have to enter
tain and make much of them-Amer-
leans are mad after our society and our
set.''
1T will be very expensive, but I sup
pose there is nothing else to be done,''
sighed Lady Francis.
| The Browns arrived in London and put
up at the Langham Hotel. Lady Francis
called on them Immediately after their ar
rival. She was delighted with Katie, and
told her friend Glare that with the excep-
| ton of the American accent, ssshe was
| just as good as anyone else."
''They are so quaint and original, my
dear Fancy, they call their father I'm
Gle SAM"
"They will soon settle down to our
ways. Look at Lady Wilton-who would
imagine that she was an American ?"
said Glare, soothingly.
THAT'S true, dear. I assure you Katie
will create quite sensation. She is really
! very pretty and graceful, and full of vi
vacity."
eff she is so nice Jack will haye to be
very careful, and you had better not intro
duce her to anyone until it is all arrang
ed"
$50 told him, dear, but he won't lis
ten to me. He says we must give a din
ner to them next Thursday, get all our set
to call, and give ball next week"
81 don't think it is wise,' said Glare
Melton, seriously.
perhaps not, dear, but what can I do ?
Jack is so obstinate, and I positively be-
| lieve he is serious at last"
| Lady Francis had half dozen of her
relatives to meet the Browns. The din
ner was, of course. perfection. and the
guests we'll chosen-tWo Lords and a
Duke, with their respective wives-and as
there were no young men, Jack had Katie
all to himself. Samuel w. Brown did not
appear bit abashed in the presence of
nobility. He was shrewd man, who had
studied human nature, and had seen
many phases of life, and his anecdotes OF
America were most interesting. He de-
scribed graphically his experiences of
California life in the old days of gold min
ing and wild speculation. and his noble
listeners, WHO had never before met a
character like Samuel, were deeply inter-
ested in his narratives.
Next day when Lady Francis was talk
ing over the dinner with her old friend,
she said:
"Oh, I am so nervous and excited
about it all. Fancy the Duchess praised
her most warmly !"
"Her position will then be assured"
added Glare, decisively.
"And Lord Olden wants to get the
eldest sister for his son. continued Lady
Francis. ut will be such nice connec-
tion."
81 am sure I don't know. Perhaps at
the dance. [ wish, dear, it was all ar
ranged, for it will be most expensive for
me If it lasts long, and really cannot af-
| ford it.'
1t was most expensive. for Jack got his
mother to pay for every thing, and he and
Henry Smiley, Lord Olden's second son.
had pleasant time Of it, running the
! heiress," as Jack expressed it. at her ex-
pense.
! The ball was great success, and Katie
G. Brown created quite a sensation. Jack
was most attentive to her, and she actu-
ally danced six times with him. He al
owed, however, the opp ortunity to pass
without proposing to her, much to Lady
Francis Indignation.
Jack and the Browns once again relaps-
ed into the same Bohemian life. One day
they went to Windsor, the next to Hamp-
ton Court or Sandown races, and SO on.
Lady Francis was nervous and shocked,
for Samuel Washington Brown allowed
the girls to do exactly as they liked, and
seldom accompanied them.
II calculate young people like being left
to themselves. You and did. long ago,
Lady Francis" he used to say.
Eyes, but it is not our custom" she pro-