Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-28
I'LL.

The next night l was due at ball
given by Lady Hartbury in Portland
Place. Lord Hartbury had presented
my father with the living on his estate,
and we had seen much Of the family.
1t consisted Of one daughter and many
sons. When the Hartburys came to
town for the season they remembered
me, inviting me 10 this ball. After
my excursion into Essex | had little
inclination for gaiety, but 1t was in
cumbent on me to go to it.
The night was splendid, and | found
the drawing. rooms full gay scene of
flowers in profusion, brilliant chande-
liers, feathers, furbelows, fans, and dia-
monds; ladies, young, old, and middle
aged the men rather young. A waltz
being in progress to charming band, |
waited at the door for its termination.
There l was speedily spied out by one
of the young D'Arcys, who Joined me.
A fter the usual interrogations concern
ing the healths Of our respective fami-
lies, John gave me piece of iniorma-
ton.
"Have you heard that Augusta is
going to be married."
"Is she really?" Twas nearly add
ing "at last" but fortunately stopped
in time. Lady Augusta was the eldest
of the family, quite thirty years of age,
a fihe, handsome woman OF ham ton.
She had waited on and on for high
title, which did not come, though, Of
course, she had received many offers.
! inquired who was the happy man,
expecting to hear a duke named. |
was surprised at the answer. "Colo-
mel Delmar Gonzales. ] dare say yor
have heard of him."
Indeed | had, in common with all
London. Little more than twelve
month previously he had burst on So
ciety in meteor.like splendor. The
newspapers were everlastingly describ-
ing his mansion at South Kensington--
its marbles, its pictures, its wonderful
furniture; then his dinners, soirees,
horses, carriages last, not least, his
heroic conduct in the war between Chill
and Peru-for though an Englishmap,
he had served in the Peruvian army
with distinction-and his vast wealth,
which was the handspring Of this adula-
ton. So Lady Augusta had accepted
him, the high title not being forthcom.
ing.
al hope she will be happy" | said,
sincerity, for she had always been very
kind to me and my sisters.
- hope she WILL" returned John
darcy. " Augusta is a good sort. |
dare say they will get on well enough. "
swell enough You do not speak
very enthusiastically"
"To tell you the TRUTH" sinking his
voice confldentially, /" though he's a
hero and all that kind Of thing, been
blown up in . fort he was defending,
and wounded dozen times, I'm not in
love with him myself; he is so shut up.
Some people might call it pride, you
know, for he is rolling in horrid lucre.
His first wife was Q great Peruvian
heiress--owned q silver mine; she died
some years ago, leaving everything to
him. That's why he has hooked on
her name to his own
Here the waltz terminated, and ena-
bled me to make my way across the
room to pay my respects to my hostess.
Lady Augusta, looking regally besuti-
full, was standing at . little distance
| conyersing with q tall, fashionable
looking man whose back was toward
me. Concluding 1t was her .fancs, /
did not like to interrupt her CONVERSE
] ton, but looked Of him with natural