Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1884-11-28
LADY MARY MINK.
Her Agency in Thwarting the
Scheme of @ Fortune Hunter.

hOSt1SilS Vi sb l. vi olalio l1ul1USl.
Lady Mary Mink was clever, strong.
minded and bad tempered, and she
imagined she held her good-naturcd,
vain old mother, the Countess Dow.
ager of Scilly, in complete subordna.
tion. When, therefore, one morning
at breakfast the latter informed her
that she had on the previous evening
become engaged to the able young
actor, MIR. st. George Coningsby, her
ladyship was both surprised and indig-
nant, and expressed her opinion of the
Countess and the Countess betrothed
with great vigor and little equivocation.
As long as the remarks We're applied
only to herself, the Countess bore them
in her usual meek and submissive man.
ner; but when Lady Mary proceeded to
denounce Mr. Coningsby in all the
terms of her varied and powerful
vocabulary, she suddenly became so
exceedingly wroth, and used such
strong language, that her daughter
found herself to her amazement, com
pletely eclipsed She then felt that she
had gone too far, and that it would be
wise to withdraw her observations and
express her regret for them. This she
accordingly did, as soon as her
mothers eloquence allowed her an op-
portunity. But the effect of her re-
marks was not etf'aced. Henceforth
the Countess bore herself towards her
daughter with coldness and hauteur
to which that young lady was not ac-
customed and which she did not like.
Lady Mary knew well the handsome
young actor to whom the Countess had
become engaged; and, before thatevent
took place, she had admired him very
much, and even liked him. But since
his engagement she absolutely detested
him. His presence was to her almost
intolerable; and when he came, as he
now frequently did, to lunch at the
Dowager's house, she usually found
some excuse for being from home. Oc-
casionally she had to meet him; and
then she watched his behavior very
closely. As far as mere bearing was
concerned, she had to admit to herself
that he was Il perfect gentleman. He
was easy, polished in his manners, and
there was about him n certain stateli-
ness of mein which, though to an un-
friendly critic like herself, might SAVIOR
of the stage, sat well on one of his no.
BILE and distinguished appearance. But
though in these respects he was all that
one could desire, every time Lady Mary
saw him she disliked him more and
more. To her keen eyes it was clear he
was insincere in his professed affection
for the fond Dowager. Again and
again she saw in the smile he cast upon
his betrothed something which seemed
to her very like sneer. She noticed
as everybody but the Countess did
that in company his attentions were di-
rected, not to the younger and more at
tractive ladies, but to the wealthy. To
another widow of very homely looks,
but of great fortune, Mrs. Blunt, he was
almost as aff'ectionate in his manner as
towards his betrothed. Before she had
watched him long, therefore, Lady Mary
became convinced Gf she had ever
doubted iD that he was nothing more
nor less than an unprincipled fortune
hunter.
Under these circumstances, since she
wished to believe it, she had little diff
ficulty in persuading herself that it was
not merely her interest, but her duty, to
break off the engagement; and she was
resolved it should be broken off. As to
the means, she felt no scruples. If she
could find any, be they fair or foul, she
would willingly use them.
For some time all her observation and
all her ingenuity were unsuccessful.
The course of the engaged couples love
was, ON the whole, running very
smooth. The Dowager was as warm
and constant in her affection for Mr..
Coningsby as ever; and if he seemed
other than as attentive as at first, he could
hardly be considered negligent. For
merly he came almost every day to
lunch, and not infrequently after he left
the theater he would sup with them;
while now he thought two or three visits
in the course of the week quite sufficient.
This inattention (Which Lady Mary at
tributed simply to his feeling secure in
his betrothed's affections) evidently an
noyed and alarmed the Countess. She
seemed to suspect that some one else
was making advances to him, and she
was therefore naturally anxious to have
the marriage hurried on. So il was
clear that if Lady Mary wanted 10 pre-
vent it, she must take some decisive step
without delay.
Though not SO regular in visiting as
formerly, Mr.. Coningsby was still very
attentive in writing to his betrothed,
Every morning, as sure as the sun,
came little note TO her from him.
Lady Mary sometimes in her mothers
absence, made voyages of discovery
into her apartments, in order to study
these productions. 1t was while en-
gagged ON one of these that device oc-
CURED to her which, though mean and
despicable as she knew it to be, might,
she considered, If carried out well, en-
able her to put an end to the match she
so hated. 1t was to be worked by
means of forged note. She would
write letter purporting to be from
Mr. Coningsby to some lady of the bal
let, and direct it to the Dowager. In
the morning it would, if posted after
the last mail of the previous night, ar
rive by the same post as his letter.
She. through whose hands all the let
ters by the early posts passed before