The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1884-03-08

his heart.
That is the one | mean" said the
Young man the instant he set eyes upon
it. That's the pretty one-now Mrs
Hobson."
But l tell you that is .Annie-Miss
Annie Creep cried Mr.. Mattard,
turning crimson.
"Not now, my dear fellow. She
may have been Miss Annie Creep once
but she is now Tom Hobson's wife.
You may take my word for it, said the
young man convincingly, as he restored
the photograph.
Good heavens :" exclaimed Mat
tard, sinking into chair, "can it be
true? When did it happen2"
"By Jove! Pm awtully sorry" re-
turned the other, apparently realizing
the situation for the first time. at
never struck me, till this instant! I'm
afraid I've brought bad news"
"When did it happen?" repeated
Mr.. Mattard furiously.
Quite recently-only day or two
before l left England. l don't know
the particulars for l only heard the
story by chance. If l hadn't met him
in Paris | shouldn't have believed it.
didn't think Tom was such fool"
Il suppose there is no doubt about
it, murmured Mr.. Mattard, turning
suddenly pale.
'I'm afraid not. Come and have a
peg, old fellow" said his friend, loon-
ing at him alphabetically. Of course,
if | had guessed, l wouldn't have said
anything. But | think you are very
well out of it, and that is the fact. Lit
tie Mrs. Hobson was always desper-
ate flirt and she will curl Toms whisk-
ers for him Iii be bound"
Thanks, l won't come-not Tow, "
said poor Mr. Mattard, as his compan-
ion took him good-naturedly by the
arm. please don't say anything about
this to anybody.
Not on any account. l tell you
what, Mattard," added the young man
cheerily, Il can congratulate you at
this moment with a much clearer con-
science, than l did just now, when |
heard you were engaged to one of the
Creep girls. l don't say there is any
harm in them, but l don't think they
can muster a heart between them"
But consolation of this kind, how
ever well meant, was not calculated to
soothe Mr.. Mattard in his present state
of mental anguish. In fact, he was SO
-whelmed by the news he had heard
that he was hardly conscious of what
his companion was saying. When the
latter took his departure, Mr.. Mattard
became prey TO the most abject mis-
cry. At first he endeavored to buoy
up his spirits with the hope that, after
all, his informant was laboring under a
misapprehension. He carefully read all
the letters he had received from Annie
Creep, and their perusal almost con
WINGED him that he had been needlessly
alarmed. On the other hand, however
it was impossible to believe that his
late companion had mistaken the pho
tograph of Annie for one of her sis
tiers. The resemblance of the three
girls hardly amounted to family like
ness and Annie was SO much prettiel
and more striking-looking than the
others that no one could fail to dis
tinguish her. Even the evidence af-
forded by the letters began to lose its
value when he reflected that they nigh,
have been written for the purpose o.
deceiving him. 1t was not at all i'm
probable, moreover, that Annie Creep's
elopement was a sudden affair, arising
out of an old attachment and it die
not necessarily follow that she haC
never intended to carry out her en-
gagement to marry him.
When a man has hardly recovered
from an unsuccessful love affair he i:
inclined to take a lenient or hopefu
view Of suspicious circumstances point
ing to repetition of his first exper
fence. Mr.. Mattard found it impossi
bic to resist the conviction that he wa:
once more a victim of woman's pro-
verbal fiCkleness. His lingering
hopes were crushed by the ominou:
circumstance that the next mail from
England brought no letters from hi
faithless sweetheart. He was seizeC
with a sort of frenzied recklessnes
which impelled him to return home by
the earliest steamer in order to set hi
doubts at rest. This, at least, was tn,
excuse he made to himself for his alb
rupt departure but the real reason
probably was that he shrank from bein.
pointed at and condoled with as a maj
who had been Tilted. His engage
ment was known all over the station
and it would be vain to attempt to con
ceal what had happened.
1t was certainly a great relief to Mr.
Mattard to escape from the gossip ant
title tattle which would ensue when
became known that Miss Anne Cree
had married some one else. He real
lied this, when, after being day Q
two at sea. he recovered his spirits in
very remarkable manner. Before tn
end Of the voyage it dawned upon hir
most Enthusiastically that he was alread
getting over his disappointment. L
fact, there were moments when h
fancied that he could not have care,
as much for Annie Creep as he imag