Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-13

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ever, as l was already decidedly anxious
for pretty little Ruby Estcourt's society.
this question of financial detail did moi
weigh heavily upon me. Besides, a man
who has just come into twelve hundred a
year can afford 10 be generous in tue mat
ter Of hackney carriages.
We had delightful drive along the shore
of that beautiful blne gulf to Vallauris.
and another delightful drive back again
over the hills to the ParadIs. True. old
Mr.. ShacklefOrd proved rather a bore
through his anxiety 10 instruct me in the
history and technical nature of ceramic
ware in general, and of the ValIauris not
terry III particular, when | wanted rather
TO be admiring the glimpses of Bordigbera
and the Cap st. Martin and the snOw-clad
| SUBMITS OF the Meritime Alps with Ruby
EstcOurt But in spite of all drawbacks
and old Mr.. ShacklefOrd, with his univer-
sal information, really was a serious draw
back-l thoroughly enjoyed that first
morning by the lovely Mediterranean.
Ruby herself was absolutely charminG
Snch light, bright, fairy-like little per
son, moving among the priceless vases
and taZzas at Clement Masters as if she
were an embodied zephyr, too gentle even
to knock them over with a Whit of her
little RampOOr shawl-but there. | can't
describe her, and / won't attempt it.
! RuOy, looking over my shoulder at this
moment, says / always was an old stupid:
so that, you see, closes the question.
An Old stupid L certainly was for the
next fortnight. Old Mr.. Shackleford.
| only too glad to have got hold of willing
! victim in the carriage-sharing fraud.
/ dragged me about the country to every
aValla0le point of view or object of curl
/ 0slty within ten miles of the Square
| Brougham. Ruby usually accompanied
us; and as the two old people naturally
| occupied the seat of honor at the back of
the carriage, why, of course, Ruby and I
had to sit together with our backs to the
horses-a mode of progression which I
had never before known to be so agree
able. Every evening Ruby and 1 walked
out on the terrace in the moonlight: and
need hardly say that the moon, in spite
! OF her pretended GOODNESS, is really the
most romantic and sentimental satellite
IN the whole solar system. To cut a long
story short, by the end of the fortnight /
was very distinctly in love with Ruby:
and if you won't think the avowal a cons
ceited one, | venture to judge by the
sequel that Ruby was almost equally in
love with me,
One afternoon, toward the close of nv
second week at Cannes, Ruby and were
sitting together on the retired seat IN the
grounds beside the pond with the gold
nsh. 1t was delicious sunny afternoon,
WIN the last touch of Southern summer
pretter than usual, in her brocade nat
tern print dress, and her little straw hat !
Win lie scarlet peoples (Ruby always |
dressed-l may say dresses-in the very |
simplest yet most charming fashion, |
There was something in the time and |
place that moved me to make a
confession | had for some time been medi- |
tating; so | looked straight in her face, |
and not being given to long speeches, |
n IGf h NV ~.
sweetest girl | ever saw IN my life. Will |
SHu marry me?'
Ruby only looked at me with face full |
of merriment and burst out laughing, /
"Why, Mr.. Payne" sle said she had I
dropped that hideous prefix long ago), |
you've hardly known me yet a fortnight, I
and here you come to me with a regular /
declaration. How can l have had time /
to think about my answer to such point /
blank question:"
''If you like, RUBY [ answered, eve |
can leave it open for little; but it occurs |
to ME you might as we'll say yes at once, /
for If we leave it open, common sense I
teaches me that you probably mean to /
say yes in the long run" And to clinch 1
the matter outright, thought it best to /
stOop across and kiss Ruby Just once, by |
way of earnest. Ruby took the kiss calmly I
and sedately, so then knew the matter |
was practically settled.
But there's one thing, Mr.. Payne, l /
must really insist up0n,' Ruby said very I
quietly; land that is that ! mustn't be /
called Mrs. Akin Payne. If l marry you /
Mt all, must marry you as plain Mr.. /
Payne without any Akin. So that's clear /
ly understood between u.s."
Here was 3 terrible condition indeed! l I
reasoned with Ruby. explained to Ruby, I
| told Ruby that if she positively insisted /
upon it l must go back to nv three /
hundred year and my paltry school
mastership, and must give up my Uncle /
Atkins money. Ruby would hear of no /
refusal.
''You have always the alternative OF /
marrying somebody else, you know, Mr.. /
Payne" she said with her most provoking |
and bewitching smile: "but if you really |
do want to marry me, you know the con- |
ditions."
"But, Ruby, you would never care to |
live upon a miserable pittance of three |
hundred a year! | hate the name as |
much as you do, but think l should try |
to bear it for the sake of twelve hundreda |
year and perfect comfort"
No. Ruby was memorable. "Take me or |
leave me-" she said with provoking calm !
ness, ''but if you take me, give up your
uncle's ridiculous suggestion. You can |
have three days to make your mind up.
Till then let us hear no more about the
subject"
",
During those three days kept up brisk
fire of kilograms with old BlenkInsOpp IN
Chancery lane, and at the end OF them 1
came mOurnfully to the conclusion that |
must either give up Ruby or give up the |
twelve hundred year. IL had been hero |
of romance l should have had no difficulty
at all in deciding the matter; would have |
nobly refused the money Off-hand, count |
ing it as mere dr0ss compared with the
loving heart of a beautiful maiden. But |
unfortunately l am not hero Of romance,
am only an ordinary graduate Of an Eng
lish university. Under these circumstances
it did seem to me very hard that ! must
throw away twelve hundred year for a
mere sentimental fancy. And yet, on the
other hand, not only did / hate the name
myself, but | couldn't bear to impose it on
Ruby: and as to telling Ruby that |
wouldn't have her, because l preferred
the money, that was clearly impossible.
The more l looked the thing in the face
the more certain it appeared that / must
relinquish my dream Of wealth and 90
back with RUBY to my sch0Olmastering
and my paltry three hundred. After all,
lots of other fellows marry on that sum;
and. to say the truth, positively shrank
myself from going through life under the
ridiculous guise Of an Aikin-Payne.
The upshot of it ali was that at the end
of the three days, l took Ruby little
walk alone among the olive gardens be-
hind the shrubbery. "Ruby," I said to
her, falteringly. "you're the most fantas-
tic, self-willed, imperious little person /
ever met with, and l want TO make just
one more appeal 10 you. won't you re-
consider your decision, and take me in
spite of the surname?'
Ruby grubbed up little weed with the
point of her parasol, and looked away
| from me steadfastly as she answered with
her immovable and annoying calmness,
''No, Mr.. Payne, l really can't reconsider
the matter in any way. 1t was you who
| took three days to make your mind up.
( Have you made it up yet or not, prayY'
81 have made 1t up, Ruby"
! "And you mean-Y' she said interroga-
/ lively, with faint little tremor in her
! voice which l had never before noticed,
! and which thrilled through me with the
! ecstasy of a first discovery.
"And mean," ! answered. "tO marry
YOU. Ruby, if you will condescend to take
me, and let my Uncle Atkins money go
to Halifax. Can you manage, Ruby, to
be happy as poor schoOlmaster's wife in
very tiny cottageW
To my joy and surprise Ruby, suddenly
seized both my hands in hers, kissed me
twice of her own accord, and began to cry
Cfo kk'HhQr1 IN