Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-08-08
Ipu,ion WIlr.l ]

her. she seemed to him even more
beautiful in the daylight, and in sim
pie dress; he became momentarily
none AMI more i'll love. And now he
fancied that not only Miss Bracegirdle
but her II other, regarded him with
kindly eyes In that case, he had but
to go n and win. He resolved SO to
90 and left the house so full { his
pas>io IL and his thoughts that he forgo.
his umbrella. This wa, no unusual
circumstance. Capt. FortesIue was
g.v, to orgetting h s umbrella, and
leaving It in Il hanson cab or any other
convenient place. Thus it happened
that this which he had now left was the
only one he possessed. The next day
he knew Miss Bracegirdle was going to
an afternoon fete at the Botanical gar
dcns. He intended to meet her there
But ii was showery, thunderous weather
and hc felt that to visit the botanical
gardens without an umbrella would be
dangerous and difficult. Besides, an
umbrella is often admirably useful dur
ing the progress of love affair.
He Ia learned by accident that the
Braccg ~dle5 were going out shOpDing
IN the morning. He determined, there
fore, to call and ask the housemaid t.
give him his umbrella. Ibis seemed
exceedingly simple; but luck wa
against Capt Fortescue. The maid
who had admitted him on the night be
fore had this very morning departed in
four-wheel cab, with two boxes on
the top OF it, her month" being up.
A new maid had taken her place-one
OF less smiling disposition than the
last.
81 called here yesterday afternoon,
sad the captain, land left my umbrella
will you let me have it 2"
Something in the sternness of the
eyes which We're upon him made him
falt, before he had said the last word
of his request; it suddenly occurred to
him that he might find it little diff.
cult to prove that the umbrella in 1ues
ton was indeed his own.
"No, thank YOU. said the maid; "I've
had enough of that at my last place,
I'm not going to get into any trouble
here. Better take to an honest trade,
young man" With which piece of ad
vice she shut the door in Capt. For
te>cue face, leaving that officer aston
ishcd, quenched. and crestfallen. He
went straightway AMI bought new
umbrella. Arm ell with this, and ad.
m rably attired in other respects, he
went to the Botanical gardens, where
he met Miss Bracegirdle, who seemed
more beautiful. more charming, and
more gracious than ever.
As soon as seemed at all decent he
called again, feeling very contented
with himself and his fate. But when he
asked whether Mrs. Bracegirdle was at
home, and the stern maid eyed him for
silent awful instant, his spirits fell
strangely.
She is not" said the maid, and shut
the door with an abruptness that gave
him singularly disconsolated feeling.
When, about an hour later, the ladies'
came in, and the maid brought them
some tea, she said to Mrs. Bracegirdle
If you please, ma am. that Young man
has been here again who came one day
with the umbrella dodge. He asked il
you we're at tome-of course he knew
you were not-and l suppose he had
some plan for getting into the house,
but | shut the door in his face and
would Iot listen"
That's right, Eliza" said Mrs.
Bracegirdle. "Never give them q
chance to get inside the hall. There s
been too much of that stealing of coats
and umbrellas in this neighborhood;
it never would happen with sensible
housema d. Master Harry leaves his
things hanging in the hall, so that il
WON'T be quite easy to carry off a coat
or umbrella if you left the man there
aIons only for q minute. If he is SO
impudcnt as to come again, the mo.
mcnt you see who it is shut the door.
The next afternoon was Mrs. Brace
gir,lle's day "at home" Capt.
Fortescue had not intended to 60 then
he wanted the lovely Miss Bracegirdle
to himself, not surrounded by crowd
of admirers. But as he had not been
able to see her the day before he do.
termined to brave the crowd, and be
content if he got but one smile all his
own. And so he presented himself once
more at Mrs. Bracegirdle's door, this
time knowing her to be within. But
when it was opened, and he confidently
framed the phrase, not as q query, but
an assertion, "Mrs Bracegirdle at
homc?" and proposed Immediately to
enter, the maid said shortly. mo, she
is not" and quickly shut the door upon
him.
No words can describe his feel l.ngs.
He stared blankly at the handsome
door, well shut and firm, tina tsuddenly
had closed upon him and separated him
from hts love. What could this awful
thing mean? Had Mrs. Bracegirdle
heard something-false, OF GO ,rse, and
uttered by some other base admirer of
her daughter which had made ner
take 'hs cruel step? Itwas impossible
to knock again and ask: it was ridic-
ulous to stand staring at the door. He
turned. descen led the steps and walked
down the street.
Before he had gone half way he met
hated rival, a very nice fellow, whom
he had only begun to hate in the last
three or four days, since he had noticed
that Mss Bracegirdle sometimes gave
him very charming and encouraging
glanees. Captain ortoscue walked on
slowly. and listened for the confident
rat-a-t..t tat OF his rival He heard it,
ii.:e cred, and looked back. yhe door
was opened and the visitor Instantly
admitted.
The unhappy man who had been
turn" | away from that same entrance
s;gi q heavily, and went away down
The sunny street, hanging his head. He
tcld himself that it would be only a
to"l. or mailman, who could pretend
to misunderstood so plain a refusal as
t.i.e. r'lhaps it was meant kindly, he
thought; and groaned at the thought.
.'iss l>racegrdle was no coauettc and
did not care to have men offer her their
love when she had no intention of
accepting it. He was so des-
perately enamored of her that
he bused himself in trying to see
this cruel cut as kinl deed. His
hopes We're gone; but he could not
bear SO suddenly to lose his idol. He
determined he would not worry her by
his unwelcome presence where she
could not asily avoid him, nor permit
himself to be laughed at by his success