West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1884-06-27

! "Oh, Sald Lillian, Pm afraid YOU
will think me very silly, but when
read that adyer sement | longed / sim
! ply yearned-for I'm very curious, Har-
! ry, as you'll soon find QUITO see i'm the
! flesh the human being who could be so
consummatoly cunceited as TO frame an
| advertisement like that and so | re-
piled to it, directing my letter from the
! post-o,lce a Picca lilly Circus and
! signing myself by fictitious name. |
also sent the photograph OF "A pretty lit
lie ma ii ! once had, and next day re-
ceivcd the photograph and letter you
| have just seen. So, with BERTHE ms my
companion, feeling sure that the adver
tiser couldn't possibly mistake me for
the or ginal of Parkcr's photograph, |
went to the Westminster landing pier at
he appointed time. Imagine my de
| light, then. when | saw you, the original
OF the photograph, stalking up and
down the pier, apparently awaiting the
iaithless dam sci. But. Harry, dear. il
you did not 90 To meet me. why in the
world did YOU go To the pier at that
very timcp''
II went on n commission" said he,
for a college friend of mine, named
Methven -
What! Mr.. Mcthven, Of Brazen-
facet said she.
why, yes; is he friend of yonrsP"
"Oh, only met him when staying i'm
the country last Christmas; and think,
Harry, he liked me better than | did
him
"Well,' continued Crofton, IL went
there to meet cousin of his, and to
| give her message from him, but
have shrewd idea this is one of his
practical Jokes he is always playing "
But, tell me, how were you TO know
this young lady, Harry?" said Lillian.
HE showed me IA photograph by
| which i was to recognize her
"Was it that of pretty girl with a
large hat and feather, with fan in her
handP' said Lillian with smile
The very same, said CrOfton.
"Ihen, Harry, you are quite right, IL
was practical Joke. for that was Par
ker's photograph which | sent to the
mysterious Mr.. ii. {. And now, Harry
dear, it's not a bit of use getting angry
about II, Tor we were both sold little,
and it has ended very happily for you
and me; and SO we will make n promise
not to chatf one another i'm the future
Tor the parts we have each PLAYED i'm the
strange little Comedy of Errors"
need hardly say Crofton sealed the
bargain with n kiss.
When Harry next returned to Brazen-
lace the October term had begun. Port
Meadow was flooded, the elms outside
o. John 5 were rapidly losing their
leaVes' and the creeper on ST. Mary's
/ porch was IN all the glory of its autumn
| lollaSe' CroltOn arrived, first day of
/ term' gust in time for "halln and as he
was finishing his dinner the scout who
waited on the third year table handed
him the following brief epistle, scrawled
on the back of the dnner-bill:
after g" !b Maingar2omCome to my rooms directly
So after hall" Crofton went
straight to llornby's rooms, and found
MN nncorking n bottle of college port:
ana over this bottle, soothed by the
| fragrant weed, Harry CroftOn told
hOrnDy the story of his love, the whole
'a'e-, how 1t had happened, and what a
| very lucky dog he was He had lust
finished his narrative, when a knock
came at the door and in walked Meth
ven, Just arrived
How dye do, Jack? Hillo. Kanga.
roo, how are YOU, old chap?n he began
But, somehow, the look on Crofton's
race Nethven had never seen before,
an0 what more, didn't like il.
However, he continued, well did
! you meet my cousin ehP Come, come.
ola chap, you must really forgive me:
IL was beastly shame. own"
Now, look here said Crofton.
! quietly and There was an ugly look i'm
his eyes, and a firmness i'm his law that
made Mcthven unconsciousIy Green
near the door 81 don't want TO have n
row with any man, much less i'm Jack
Hornby's rooms. But tell YOU plain
I ly, | think it was awfuly low of YOU TO
take advantage of my good nature i'm
the way you did strongly advise YOU
lor the future, if you ike a whole skin,
rot 10 try the game on again. | nav
tel you, your scheme entirely failed.
AMI us entirely through your ATTEMPT
at hoax | have become engaged to the
incest little girl in England.''
/ Really said Mcthven with sheer.
| then think the least YOU can do is to
| Introduce us, as she may possibly like
to make the acquaintance If the uncon-
selous author Of her happiness
!" Perhaps she might replied Croft
ton. quietly, IF She hadn't unfortu-
naJcly made it before. Goodnight.
Jack, and so saying hc left the room.
There Mcthvcn.' said Hornby. 81
knew quite well some row would come
Of this hoaN of yours"
q, ~ u'ii ln' "laJ happened, Jack,
/ If YOU know
Thcreupon Hornby told the whole
/ story, from beginning TO end when he
had finished, Meth, en- said
Il wonder who the Girl was and
/ when and where she met me"
"Oi course ! can't tell you the lat
| te",' said Hornbv. as he walked up TO
| the chimneypie,e to refill his pipe. but
her name, If ! remember rightly, is Miss
Lillian West
Hornby heard sharp groan. and on
| looking around saw Methven as white
as sheet, with his head buried in his
| hands
Hornby.
'Oh Jack. said Methvcn. chat &
the very girl loved myself / met her
last Christina. i'm the country. and I
would have sold my very ,oul for her,
. And now. he continued. with a sob.
% and now she's lost forever" With
these words he walked ont. LEAVING
Hornby to ponder deeply ON The strange
irony Of fate.
Two years have role ON, Lillian West