Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1886-05-11
MISCELLANEOUS.
Why He Didn't.

WY tiS NAA'' -
was sitting last simmer smoking
cigar with my friend, Captain Fair
banks, and we were lounging in our
room at the hotel, with our feet ele-
waited on the wfndow-bench. Sud-
denly I turned on Tom and asked him
why it was that he didn't marry Flora
Goodman? lglt
Flora Goodman was very hand
some girl, bye the bye, and he had
fiirted with her q good deal the pre-
vious winter.
Tom took his cigar from his mouth,
looked at me, arched his eyebrows,
and then commenced putting again.
mo, but tell me; you were very
much taken up in that quarter once.
Did the lady cut you, Tom ?' D p"
/ thought this would rouse him.
f" No." was the emphatic response.
He then knocked off the ashes of
his cigar, saying, ''And so you want
10 know why I didn't marry Miss
Goodman
eyes, L thought her papa had been
spoken to, and the bridal dresses
ordered"
"No; / never had anything to do
with Mr.. Goodman farther than TO
settle myself in his chair when he left
the parlor clear for me In the evening.
Flora generally sat on an ottoman
long wasted people look better on an
ottoman, you know
"a" Well. you didn't get tired of long
waists, did you? I thought you ad-
mired everything about Miss FIora?"
II" So did, then; that's my rehec-
ton now. And she was very beau
tiful girl-a very fine one in many
respects
90 And she had the ton about her,
something very stylish. What's
the reason she didn't suit you, Tom p
60 She did, all but one thing"
You were very long in finding
that out, them" '
&C 1t was something I saw that let
me into the secret. You shall have
the story. You may call me foolish
to take notice of such a thing, but
I'm little particular sometimes. l
was to accompany Miss Goodman to
a party. 1 had ordered magnificent
bouquet, and talked to my washer
woman an extra five minutes about
the getting up of my linen. / had
my moustache trimmed, and got a
new pair of patent-leathers. I really
looked well that night. We made eour
entree into the drawing-room in style.
Flora's smile and bend were fauItless';
and 1 can make n pretty good bow.
The evening passed. Flora's behavior
to myself and others hit the ladylike
thing to 4 nicely. Her courtesies
were shown so gracefully and so gen
orally as to exhibit no marked prefer,
ence; and yet there was an air, a
slight manner, visible only to myself,
in her way of receiving my attentions,
that was flattering in the extreme.
Supper came. Champagne makes
one feel livery complacent; but l was
not quite so much exalted as not to
notice everything Flora did. She was
standing near an old gentleman, quite
an aged man-over seventy, l should
thinkLwith a kind, benevolent face.
He seemed attracted by her beauty,
and was talking TO her with pleased
expression of interest that made one
love as well as reverence the silver
hairs upon his temples. But she
seemed uneasy. She did not attend
to what he was saying. He was no
dandified youth; and so he was not
worth wasting her time on. Suddenly
she interrupted him in the middle of
a sentence with 1 beg your pardon,
sir!' and, turning her back upon him,
commenced conversation with n
guardsman. AS she took his arm to
promenade she caught the old gentle
mans look, surprised, hurt and ag-
grieved. But no expression of regret
came over her countenance. Her
head was carried as easily as before,
and her glance was as bright. Itwas
enough for me. 1 never forgot Flora
Goodman's rudeness to that old man.
To say the least, there is nothing more
ungraceful in young girl than any
lack of respect or attention to old age
and it shows want, great want, of
something radical defect some
where. The game was up from that
night: and that, my dear fellow, is
why 1 did not marry Flora Goodman.