Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-07-26

AZ dlu DOT WISH 10 proi0ny the discus
sion, ] hailed passing hanson aud said
Goodnight" The fact Of the matter
was that Poles warning was only too
justifable. was conscious that WAS
indeed OVERRIDING it--nay, that I had
already overdone II, and had committed
myself to line Of conduct Of which the
possible consequences were too painful
to contemplate.
] prefer not to dwell upon the truly
wretched period of three weeks, during
which | was tossed upon. the ocean OF
fate and driven hither and thither by
battling winds. Like the unfortunate
persons described by Byron, the
magnet Of my course was gone, or only
pointed in vain the shore to which my
shiver'd sail should never stretch
again" Il sllude to the quiet shore
OF celibacy.) All, yes! knew.
though | tried not to know, whittier |
was drifting. | couldn'ts see my way out
of it; couldn't help becoming more
and more lover-like in my manner to-
ward Mrs. Wilkinson couldn't help
stammering and looking guilty when
Pole roundly accused me Of being his
rival. To carry on the novel imagery
with which began this paragraph, |
may say that / had given up all attempt
at scientific navigation, and that prOba-
bly, no man was ever more hopelessly
out Of his reckoning since st. Paul's
celebrated Mediterranean cruise.
Pole" | said one day to my friend.
with dismal POPULARITY, "can you take
an observation "
s"NO," he replied. " can't. But |
can make an Observation-and |
will"
" Pray DON'T | interrupted. "You
neednt-it's quite unnecessary.
know what you want to say, and you
are perfectly right. have been madly.
criminally rash, and | have come to
bowling grief. But at least it doesn,
lie in your mouth to blame me-"
doesn't it," said he; I'm not
SIRE Of that" And he walked off,
with his hands in his pockets and his
head bent. Well, after oil, light dawned
upon me at last, and was able to
shape course. Somehow or other, in
the midst of all my misery had not
been quite so miserable as by rights
ought to have been. and this struck me
as a singular phenomenon which might
repay investigation. | sat me down.
looked things in the face. and saidto N.Y.
SclLwhy not; What Mrs. Wllkinson's
husband had been a pork butcher, or
her father Swindler: What if she
had 10 father at all, to speak Of? She
herself was charming-I found her
more charming every day-snd my
case was not like Poles. am not a
county magnate have not a pedigree
yard, long; | am not blessed with a
couple of daughters, nor do | possess
mother lmbued with ariStOcratc pre-
JUDGES. And then all Of sudden it
flashed across me not only that should
not mind marrying Mrs. Wilkinson,
but that it would distress me beyond
measure if she married any one else.
] despair Of conveying any notion of
the effect that this delightful discovery
produced upon me. | can only COM
pare my sensations TO those of man
who has drcamt that he waS about to
be hanged, and who wakes to tinl a
letter by his bedside informing him that
be has succeeded to a fortune. No
sooner had | realized what my wishes
were than ! tore off impetuouSly t. give
effect to them, and the first thing Mrs.
Wilkinson said on seeing me was:
How beaming you look One
would think that you had heard the
good news already"
What good new, ?" inquired.
"The news of Charlotte WarIe's
engagement to Mr.. Seymour. am SO
very glad about it, and they are both
so happy"
"Oh, that - | answered rather
unsympathetically. IL have known
for ever so long that that was coming
of sooner or later. But | came here
to say--to a>k--tO tell you--oh. Mrs
Wilkinson, ! am sure you must under
stand what mean Can you-will
you make me as happy q, Miss Warle
has made Mr.. SEYMOUR
She did not answer, and on looking
up saw that she was pressing her
handkerchief tightly against her lips,
and that her features were CONFUSED
by some powerful emotion. That was
all very well, but it gave me rather
shock 70 discover presently that 1t " As
laughter, not tears, that she was trying
to -ubdue. " Vel" She said quietly,
when she could control her voice, 3"
am glad that is over. swore 10 nv
self that you should propose TO me be-
fore the season was at IN end, and !
have kept my VOW"
Mrs. Wilkinson :" exclaimed in
di-may.
"Oh, yes, " she said calmly "anl
perhaps | may claim some credit for
having accomplished what YOU would
have considered sheer impossibiIlty
not many weeks ago. think You will
understand now that, if | had wished
t. marry your friend Mr. Pole, | could
have done so without much difficulty.
DO you really imagine that | didn't see
through You the very first day that you
came here? Do you imagine that there
were not plenty Of people kind enough
to tell me Of the inquiries that you
set on foot about my percentage
and history: My dear Colonel
Walmisley, am willing to believe
that you stand without rival in your
knowledge Of military statistics; but
may tell you that you don't know a
very great deal about women? You
had much better not try to outwit US
in future. You see, if | hal been what
you were SO tattering as TO think me,
you would have rued this day TO the
end Of your life. Will you, please, tell
Mr. Pole that he need not think himself
called upon to follow your noble exam
pie: quite understand that he would
feel as if he had done the proper thing
after proposing to ME and being refused /;
but il will save trouble if he will con-
c;Jar Tint pnrformopc. % hav,pg hoon