Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-06-06

ton was n destiny 10 ne desired. True there
was slight disparity IN their ages. pn'
| man Is "A old ~ he feels, and W ousan -
| old "a she looks. The Major felt thirty-uso'
| and Mrs. bennington looked q young tnir,
| a very suitable difference Indeed. Ihcs oau
| both travelled. aud were O man ana woman
! Of the world~-apcthcr circumstance 70 ~
/ rtckoped among the pros. A woman y.
| experience and worldly wisdom. the m1oi
concluded. would be more congehia' c sn.,.
panion for him than modern soc'o''
| young lady. .,,,,do
With his usual courage and prompi'teue
Major olympic decided 70 sei.e ..e A. H.
favorable opportunity OF PROPOSING 70 mss'
| ,he ,;eht of first discree.ly questioning her
a,,t'~a GENIAL. rarruous old lady who &C.
comnanied ber--as to their social position.
"Of course know nothing OF her," ne
| murmured 10 himself, "aDd," bis sense oi
iustice Obliged him 10 add, "she knows
nothing Of me. She may be pennies, but,
hang Il, 1 have enough for two moderate
With which generous thought he retired
| 70 bed.
The next afternoon the Major secured
| oniet tete.d.tete with Mrs. Flemington's
| aunt. II REQUIRED very little diplomacy or
| tact 10 elicit the desired information, for
| the old lady, besides her garrullty, was
very ingenious and great on family MS
tory. Had IL been necessary the interested
inquirer might have heard the story OF
| the Lincolnshire house OF Dornoccar,
of which Mrs. Pennington was daiigh-
| ter. from the days OF Rufus. Sufficient,
however, that the family was old, repu-
table, and proud. though In the lat
| ter DAYS comparatively poor, In conse'
ouence, Of course, OF an ancestors I'M
swerving and unselfsh allegiance TO the
| first Charles. Further. the Major learned
| that the late lamented Flemlngton had been
| n barrister. lie bad settled in queensland
| for the sake Of his health. which was very
dehcate, and there had left his wife
widow two years since. All TINS, 10
which should be added the intimation tnat
Mrs. Pennington had an income quite sur
| ficient for her needs, was eminently satis'
| factory.
The Major was constrained TO unbosOm
! himself at once. He gave faithful ac-
| CONN., OF his circumstances. and told OF his
attachment. The old lady betrayed no sur
prise. She had seen the way the wind was
| blowing for some days, and she frankly
| confessed that she had formed good Opin.
| ion OF the Major, which she believed her
niece shared. But she deprecated haste.
| Mrs. Pennington was entirely her own
mistress, and the Major could speak to her
il he liked, OF course; but the old lady
! thought IL would be proper and advisable
to wait until the friendship bad ripened, at
least until they had reached England and
knew more OF each other.
The Major admitted that there was rea-
son In what the old lady said, but he did
| not pledge himself TO follow her advice.
| On the contrary, he secretly resolved to
strike while the iron was hot. lie was not
the only sutton Mrs. Flemington had on
| board. The Major saw probable rival,
and o formidable one, in a certain Mr..
Sparkle, one OF the card players-young,
handsome, and reported to be wealthy.
Mr.. Sparkle was a buoyant, amusing fell
| low, and the Major remembered with a
pang OF anxiety that the far widow always
had a hearty laugh for his nonsense and
buffoonery. No there was certainly no
time TO be lost.
The Major could find no opportunity OF
carving out his intention that day, but he
determined TO be more successful on the
next, even il he had to descend to the con-
yentional "Can you spare me lew mo-
ments' private conversations" TO secure a
tete.d-tete. Later IN the evening he tried to
divert himself Mt cards with Sparkle and
the rest, and in couple OF hours his alb
straction cost bin ten guineas.
At midnight he retired, leaving his COM
panions, who seemed bent on making q
night Of it, still playing.
The Major had slept about two hours,
and was IN the most interesting part OF
beautiful dream, in which Mis-. Pennington
4 In Va
| awakened by a noise in the cabin. Ii was
Sparkle and one OF his companions, both
i'm a somewhat elevated. condition.
care you awake, Maori" whispered
Sparkle.
"No, Pm not" grunted our hero.
awe have run short OF liquor-want q
night-cap before turning in-thought you
might have some"
"FIask In lower bunk" answered the
Major from under the bed-clothes.
.'Thanks, old fellow"
In a hay sort OF way the Major though
il was like their COMPOUNDED impertinenc'
10 come into his cabin in the middle OF thu
night; but before he had time TO get angry
he fell asleep again.
"Here it isl" announced Sparkle, aftel
cropping about the lower bSnk for minute
"Out with it," answered his companion
"Got glass;"
ono. Sure to be one here somewhere
Let's see. All, here we are. Hullo! iP'
full OF water"
"Chuck it out Of the port-hole."
1t being a terribly hot night the Majol
was sleeping with the port-hole open
Leaning over the bunk, and being careful
not to disturb the sleeper, Mr.. Sparkle
threw the contents OF the tumbler into thu
Indian ocean.
Then the two gentlemen, with ludicrou:
solemnjty, drank the Majors health.
"Good fellow, the Major" remarked
Sparkle gratefully; and the pair stumbled
|, out OF the cabin and made for their respec
tive quarters.
The Major was an early riser, aud whcr
at O'Clock the next morning he had no
, left his cabin the steward ventured TO knocl
at the door,
There was no reply, so the steward
raped little louder.
'.What is it?" asked a muffled voice.
"Nine O'Clock, SIR"
"All right"
But when another hour passed wlthou
the Major appearing the steward suspected
that il was not all right. He knocked
again.
"Wen?"
"Shall | bring you some breakfast, SIR
"No."
care you unwell, sir?"
"Yes,' after q pause.
"Shall send the doctor 20 you, sir!"
"No." Then while the steward hesl
tated, the voice added, with some asperity
$50 away"
Six bells had struck. IL was past /
O'Clock, and the Major had not vet bee
seen on deck. This was so unlike hiI
that Mis-. Flemington's pretty head wa
| full of perplexity.
"Haye you seen Major Dymple?" ST
, asked OF MIR. Sparkle, who had taken az
= vantage OF the absence OF his rival 10 er
! sconce himself at her side.
I. "No, Pve not"
b "Have you made any inquiries abo,
r himY"
9 "Wel. no. We're very good friend
: but must confess TO being little seliis
d and have felt his absence this morning
!. lie rather an advantage"
d "pm sure that Major olympic wou
d never feel your absence TO be an advantage,
Is said Mrs. Pennington, coolly.
T. Mr.. Sparkle WINGED. "shall l look HI
h upY" he asked, hastily.
"Ii you WISH" replied the widow ind
In ierentiy.
y "No, it's II you WISH"
he .Wben l have a message to send shi
'iy have no difficulty in finding messenger
ne | And Mrs. Pennington opened her boo