The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-11-21
"whether she'd have you or not, sup

|
| Those Eastern girls never know anything
about homework. She'd just hold her
| hands"
mot she! III take care of that" with a
| loud laugh. GAS for work, she'd soon
learn, and should expect TO keep girl"
Mod came to a dead halt before a store
they were passing, won't you, drop in
| and order your cooking stove?" she asked
sarcastically: 1.-The rest of your arrange
ments seem to be complete"
"DOn't you worry" replied Stephen,
laughing good humoredly; that will be
ready in time for the wedding" and they
walked on together again.
But stephen was even more in earnest
than Mod supposed
1t was not a difficult matter to obtain an
introduction to Miss Tracy, and when he
asked permission to call the girl had not,
as she said afterwards, sufficient presence
of mind to refuse. Myra, indeed, was
profoundly amused at herself, and scarce
less so at Stephen. The handsome litter
ate young giant was a new type to the
high bred, "Cultured" Philadelphian; and
though she considered flirting a very
unladylike proceeding her esthetic interest
was sufficiently visible to afford Stephen
all the encouragement he needed.
But for its elements of possible tragedy,
the situation would have been rather a
comlcal one to lOoker-on who could have
phen Dare was thoroughly accustomed to
consider himself a great catch, and it never
entered his calculations to be regarded as
an inferior by any one who possessed less
money than himself. He was simply and
frankly unable to estimate worth by any
other standard. Birth, education, refine
ment, he considered accidental qualities,
like the shape of ones nose: the first
always valueless, the second and third
occasionally useful as means of support,
and not bad for women. 1t was no doubt
the peculiar delicacy of Myra's beauty and
the dainty polish of her manners thatmade
her so attractive to him, and perhaps it
was scarcely his fault that even on these
points he was half incapable of appreciate
ing her. Smoketon manners were by no
means deliberately finished; were, in fact,
but roughly blocked out So it is small
wonder that when Myra lifted her great
pathetic eyes to his and murmured "Thank
you so much" in return for his gifts of
fruit and candy, he should fancy that her
manner meant fra, far more than the loud
voiced gratitude of the bellies of Smoketon.
On the other hand, while Myra readily
understood that Stephen admired her, it
would have been impossible for her to
realize that he looked upon her in full Sc
curity as his whenever he chose to claim
her. The gulf between them was, to her
eyes, so impassably abyssmal. 1t was true
she had never given him a grain-or at
least not more than grain-of what her
own conscience or a man in her own circle
would haze called encouragement. she
had refused his invitations to drives,
thgatreS etc, without hesitation or excep-
ton, but on the plea of her deem mourninp.
and with ewes of such tender sadness th al
Stephen quite believed it to be only those
COMPOUNDED fashionsO that stood in the
way. And when he came to the house it
was quite impossible to refuse to see him,
He was a good hearted, honest sort of fell
low, Myra thought, though rather ronot-
Onous if one had him seven times week.
for he had absolutely no General inforpo
ton, and his range Of thought was narrow
in the extreme. That terrible Miss BANGS.
who called one afternoon in an aDDle-green
silk and velvet which would have been bor-
rible even had she not been so conscious of
it, and who was so evidently in love with
" steve" as she called him, was twice as
intelligent A very good wife for him, too,
if he would only be brought to believe it.
1t was 50 much better for people to marry
in their own class.
The truth was, Myra as well as Stephen,
Judged her fellows by a standard of her
own establishing, and the one who most
truly measured things by the eternal veri-
ties was poor, honely, neglected Mod.
Consequently when Stephen, at last,
asked Myra to be his wife and was rejected
not quite conceal, it was Mod who was
least astonished. stephen believed he
understood the whole matter perfectly, for
1t was, in fact, the presence of Champ
Preston in Smoketon which had hurried
MN on TO declaration.
"A long, lazy, ow-headed fool" was his
terse description of the all-conduering
Champ, whose soft voice, handsome face,
languid elegance of manner, not to speak
of his attractions in the way of stocks,
bonds ana landed property, had for several
seasons made hlm the lion OF Eastern
society: lie had been abroad at the time
of Mr.. Tracy's death. Immediately upon
his return he followed Myra to SmOketOn,
where, as he coolly informed her it was
his intention to bivOuac with the aborigines
until she was ready to be married and re-
turn with him to civilization.
Myra readily allowed herself to be per-
suaded. Smoketon was more distasteful
to her than ever since Stephen had taken
his dismissal in such yehementIv bad mart.
"He seemed actually to think | was in love !
with him. and declined to he convinced
that | was not. - she confideL to Champ.
"Tbev all do. NV dear.1 he renlied.
languidlv. "If a fellow is decentlv civil |
TO one Of the dougbters of the land she |
thinks directly he is wildly enamored of |
her DON'T be afraid of this aspiring but |
dingy sutton: high tragedy in love has
gone quite out of style. | assure YOU. -
"T,m NOT afraid.O she answered. 'sbut |
YOU should have heard how he went on. |
Ii was thoroughly shocking and disgust- |
ing"
HHorriblv had FORM assented ChamD.
meditatiyelv caressing his long. yellow |
y