The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-01-29
MISS. HERMONCIEUX.
How I Became Engaged to an
Heiress in Spite Of Myself.

sometimes of asking her, but she would moi
be apt to take me into her confidence
Things have certainly reached a point be-
tween Warrington and herself when she will
be called upon to MAKE up her mind what
she will pursue.
1 have certainly never seen anybody who
interested me as much. 1 should not call
her exactly pretty-at least a stranger
might not think so. She is a creole Of
about twenty, tall, rather too slender, per.
haps, with brown hair worn low on the
forehead, blue eyes. and a very fair com
plexion. Her mouth, however, is certainly
exquisite, and she has a way of smiling
family with a shy side look, (which is really
fascinating.
1t is a pity she is SO great an heiress-
that chills one. A good girl ought to be
poor, in order to find out who really loves
her.. How can she know, when she is
worth a million?
She and her cousin, Miss Arthur, are
from Northern Alabama, and have spent
the summer with Mr.. Fenton. He is O
princely old merchant who has retired from
business, built a very beautiful villa adjoin.
ing my tumble-down place, and the young
ladies are his relatives. They came in
June, and it is now October. 1 believe they
are about to return home. Well, they will
lidNCd kTcdb utdl W lduSu dDOuO3 dS butl
visit has proved something of a comedy.
Miss Arthur told me everything. She is
a small brunette, with a plump figure, black
eyes, and a fund of laughter which seems to
be inexhaustible. The spirit of frolic and
practical joking is her great characteristic
and on leaving Alabama she indnced her
cousin to make an absurd agreement. Miss
H-ermoncieux, the real heiress, was to pass
for the poor cousin, and Miss Arthur, the
poor cousin, was to pass for the heiress.
Thence arose complications. Miss Ar.
thur, to her secret delight, received marked
attention from gentlemen, and Miss Her
moncieux was comparatively neglected
Mr.. Fenton and his wife must nave beer
taken into the confidence of the young la.
dies: but then the smiling old couple rarely
mingle with their gay young visitors, an6
the farce thus went on until about the mid.
die Of August. Then the ruse was discov.
cred by some accident, and everybody
laughed, especially Miss Arthur, who Il
accustomed to say that all men are merce-
nary. Miss Hermoncieux grew much more
popular, and Miss Arthur's friends cooled
among the rest, Mr.. Warrington. He hat
apparently been very much devoted to Mis-.
Arthur, and now became as devoted to he,
cousin.
t. Herbert Warrington, as he signs lin.
self, is an elegant fellow, about thirty-fivt
years of age, with light hair, a curling mus.
.tache, and a manner full of grace and ease
He always dresses in the height of the fash
ion, and wears kid gloves even when he il
driving his handsome drag. As he passes
behind his glossy bays, with his liveriet
groom in rear, he has a gay word for every
body, cries: GLOW goes it, my dear fel
low?" and takes of his hat to the ladies b,
meets with the perfection of grace. Unfor
tunately the state ofchis affairs is the sub
ject of common talk; He has nearly run
through a fine property, is in the condition
known as "hard up" and makes no secret
of the fact that he is looking out for a ricl
wife.
1t is not known whether he proposed tx
Miss Arthur or not; it is certain that they
were extremely intimate. When the fac
was ascertained that Miss H~ermoncieul
was the true heiress, he laughed louder
than the rest, declared the joke excellent
remained on the best terms with Mis-
Arthur, but gradually drifted in the direc
tion of Miss Hermoncieux. As the day
went on his attentions grew more marked
and now there is no longer any doubt. NJ,
friend Warrington is going to ask tn
young heiress to marry him, and wha
puzzles me is to know what she has de
cided to do.
r. IL. a@Tes ~
: This evening I had quite an adventure.
was returning home a little before sunset
and on the country road winding through
the red foliage of a body of woods met Mis-
I1cI uiOuCl6uA. +
She was riding without escort, AM
seemed to have lost her road, which prove,
to be the fact.
81 am very glad 1 met you," she said
smiling, and holding out a small gauntlete
hand. 81 have missed my way"
And she explained that she had riddel
out for exercise, confiding in her knowledg
of the neighborhood, but had mistaken til
road.
ut is fortunate / met you, as a storm i
coming" 1 said. 81 will escort you hom
by the nearest route"
And rode on beside her. She was quit
charming in her dark habit, and her rid
had given her what her complexion wanted
Her cheeks were rosy and her blue eye
bright with the healthful exercise.
"You are going away soon!" l said.
"Yes; / am very sorry" she replied.
"Your visit has been pleasant, l hope:
Every pleasant indeed"
We had left the woods and entered tn
open country. On a hill to the left ros
into the field in front. OF the two globe
with spiral carvings once surrounding tn
posts, one had fallen. Thought she notice
it, and said, rather ruefully:
"See the consequences of bad manage
ment. That is my house yonder, end it
no better than my gate"
sit is a very fine old place."
too. lam entirely by myself there, an
can't say 1 enjoy it,"
SIT is a pity"
Her head dropped and she looked al
sently toward the house as we passed
Nothing was simpler than her speech, ar
yet a geat throb came to my heart. Why d
women make these speeches unless the
are blind:-which 1 do not think they ar
"a mans lot is not of his own making,
] said. "One is blessed with a home circ
of smiling faces, and another is not. 1t
rather hard, but l do not complain"
81 am so sorry"
For half a second she looked sideways
me with her faint smile and sad eye
Then she rode on without speaking.
/ was anxious that she should reaC
home. The storm which had been brewir
all the afternoon was about to burst, ar
the black clouds driving eastward we
scanned by lightning flashes.
"You will be drenched unless you ga
lop,n l said.
''Nothing would please me more" she e.
claimed, laughing.
"Well, a race, thenE"
We went on at full speed, trying to on
run the storm. 1t was impossible to do s
Half a mile from Mr.. Fenton's villa it bur
in all it's fury, and the horse which Mi
Hermoncieux rode grew terrified at Il
thunder and lightning. The rain DASH
in our faces as went on at full speed, al
UuOuSu L COulu Soe budO tuo yOuuS ldt
was an excellent horsewoman, her frigh
ened animal was almost beyond her CO
troll.
Three hundred yards from the gate
the villa occurred the accident ! spoke {
A tree had been blown down across t
road, and Miss Hermoncieux's horse q
tempted to clear it. In leaping, her CIR
broke, but 1 was close to her, Inc caug
her as she was falling. For a moment
held her in my arms, and by a natural in
pulse she had thrown her own around II
neck.
One feels a queer sensation embracing
young lady in SO unexpected a tanner.
amounts to nothing, of course, since S
would clasp a footman in the same ate
tionate fashion. But I did not rememh