The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-07-01
from tho Chicago Ledger.l
Marion DGl0lnG;;
THE WORTH OF WIT.
By j. W. WATSON,
Author Of Hold Fast AMI Ketoham," Bank.
ers and Brokers'" Etc, Etc.
CHAPTER VIII


much like man who has had his mental
tacu ties confused by severe blow on the
nose. He did not even feel as though h.
wanted to 60 10 the ub, though he hal
laid out to have q good time t. ese again
that evening, after he had done Cobbs, and
have another touch at oher, rs long as III,
dregs of his hundred lasted, but rasheJ
stra ght for the so ituds of his own room.
Once there, he began TO think over the
matter His first idea was to conceal il
from everybody, even from his mother but
he knew that Lavinla would make it known
everywhere, as she ID her relections, be-
TO e twenty-four hours Lad elapsed, an
even if b succeeded in escaping ubiicity
from her, his mother would make it known,
for she would he so roud of it she could
not withstand even POOR l. itzy requests
for secrecy. therefore, on mature conclu-
sion he d, cid, d to make c.ean breast OF
it with NAV, and leave the rest to chance,
but not, under any Circumstance, to G We
up Miss Delorme, whom he meant to ca
on the next evening. but if at ny future
time she heard of his engagement, which
she might Though mmv Marks, or if it
reach The Exclusives, he would positively
deny it.
After dreaming over it that night, one of
his dreams bel G that Ii tue Miss Cobbs, in
the iorra of a huge cat, had pounced sud-
denly down on him, seized h m in her i'm
mense mou h, which assumed, if it were
possib e, tenfold proportions to the .iber-
al one nature had al o;ed to her and bore
him off to vault fl led with gold, VIII ch.
when be offered to touch. he foGnd red
hot. Another was that fanny Marks had
esroused the cause of the injured Mss
Delolme, and vas hunt ng him everywhere
with a Gatlng gun to slaughter m for
his faithless peri ~.
In the mo ming he arose unrefreshed,
vent to breakfast eloomilr. SO goomiy that
both nav and Chrry were anX ous to know
if he was sick, or ii anything had hap
pened. To these 10 ing in luiiies he o .ly
responned by drawidg a still longer face,
and us ng the mo sylable No. ahl" but
when the meal was conc uded he got out
the words. Nav. ! want to see you, and
rushed away to the rarlor wi b hste thut
mother and sister Lad never known him to
assume since he was 10y and rereatel
from his fathers ire. Thilher he was fol-
lowed by nav, who imagined every cause
bat the right one, and came pa and
breath ess into his presence before he
cou d reach chair and get HIS feet in an
elevated position. He did not wait for his
mother to ask him hat the matter was.
He saw ala med inqu rv in her face, and
he responded by bursting forth spasmol-
/! ica ly with:
Nav, Tn engaged"
His mother did not understand these
! plain words. though she heard them dis
| tincty, and he repeated.
Nav. m enga- ed TO Laviny Cobbs.'
ooh, Fitz james, my dear boy" almos,
shrieked Mrs. BERTHE, can this be tiue?.
aud before Eitz could dream of such an
act, nav threw herself upon neck. al
most CARRYING him off his unste dy feet,
for Mrs. Berte almost doub ed Law n;a in
size if not in vehcmence. ard b to
| sob, oh, Fitz ,ames, lam so hf h,
| dear. now am really to die. fort =
est hope of my life IS flu filed. t
me 90 ard tell Clara Bella"
Now, see here, nav. | want this thu
daratood at once. don't want you to te
anybody not even Clawwy. If | wal,
awwy or any one else to know it Ill te |
em myself. Aw, | hope you understand
this, NAV.
Why. Fitz James, You astonish me.
sid the mortified Mrs. Betie. Am l io
be deprived OF the plivi ege of communl.
eating to my own daughter the intellig nee
of such an I'M orant family event? Can
be ieve my ears!'
"Aw, you can, maw," said Fitz, desper.
a.ely; and, his mo her having released
him. he dropped, exhausted. into cha r.,
and 10y agonlzing labor got his feet upon
the table.
"Will you give me q reason for this ex,
traordnniy conduct it, james, my dear, ,
gasped Mrs. BERTHE.
Because, aw, | don't want the fellahs
fn1kJpu nlpn+ mo m W IF al nh
k ows it oil The other fe.lahs Il be sure to-,
/ aw."
But, Fitz James, my dear. this is ab.
surd. Your sister, Clara Bella, is not 9
| fellow"
"Aw, no-ah, but she's got 10 low, ano
she'll tell him. When l wazt her 10 know
it, III tell her, aw.
DO you mean to say, my daar Fi'z
! James that l am not to communicate th s
b!shly important matter to your father"
Yes, NAV, not even 10 paw, for the
present"
Extraordinary conduct. Fitz James, ;
said tn DISCUS ed Mrs. Betti' at actua :
teol at the event" And then Mrs Berlis
! soaced herse by sitting Ieisurely down
and hearing from Fits lips the who G
/ Layinia. Nav looked grave. She saw at a
| glance that the affair had been entirely con.
ducted by Lavina: a d her experience Of
1 suei1 matters and her Knowledge of Lavinis
/ told her that there must b. cause buI
! what that cause was she could not divine.
| Ftz had not told her of his brag a6out the
| five thousand a year, and so Mrs. Bette
was all at sea. he questioned and cross.
| questioned Fitz, but the wi IS stuck 10 the
| original story, nor wCu'd he depart from
| his resolution to keep the affair secret foi
| the present At the end of the interview
! he came TO esse- tals, the grand point With
| him, and said:
"Aw, now, nav, ! want more money!"
! "More MONEY, Fit James. my dear!" ex.
! claimed nav. in an agonized ton why
it was only yeste,day give you-"
"Ia.a-s! | know it, aw, nav, pu
that was vest rday," interrupted z,
| mood!y.
questioned his moher, with a look of won,
der
This query puzzled Fitz for moment.
He thought of the poker: II wouldn't do "a
tell her that, though nigh. speak Incl.
! dent v of his debt at the club lie
thought Of matching pennies for Lottlts
of WINE, and of The two bouquets which
cost twelve dollars; he might own up to one,
/ the one he seLt TO Llvnia, but no more.
At last h. thought of the little game oi
faro. and he said:
"Aw, / paid my debt Mt the cub, bough.
a bouquet for L.vin a. aud the rest put IN
the bank. aw, nav.
he bank, nv dear Fitz James, that's
/ very commendible. Your pa would b;
! glad TO hear that. 1t shows that you real.
eza the new life you are about to enter.
What bank did you put it in, my dear Fit
James?"
This was poser TO Fitz. He did moi
want 10 tell his mother q positive falls, !.
| hood, hu. lie had no obi ction TO revnr.
i ate and conceal. Now, if he had tniJ
her It WAS faro bank. she woud not have
appreciated it, and. a. he knew, 1uld Ger.
tain have closed his line at htr own bank.
] Therefore, there was only one way, and
that was 10 nominally SET her at distance,