The Penn's Grove record., 1886-03-06
CAPTAIN CRAWFORD'S "TAKING
DOWN"

''Then there's Captain Crawford. OF
him it behoves us to speak with bated
breath. He is fairly gO~od-lOoking, but
thinks himself an Adonis, has a conf
cal dry way of saying things which
makes you laugh, and is agreeable to q
certain extent, but believes himself to
be an original genius who would take
the world by storm if-mark the if
he thought it worth SO taking. He is
also rich, and is possessed by the idea
that every mother wants him for one
of her daughters, and that all the
daughters are in love with him. OF
course he is a fllrt, though he flirts in a
manner quite peculiar TO himself. 1t
is against his principles ever to put HIM
self out for anything or anybody; but,
coming, as tonight, on a paltv Of
strangers, he will look about, know at
a glance which woman will be the most
likely to amuse him, and, tackIng him
self on to her with slow elaboration,
will ~graciously permit her to do SO for
as long or short a time as she may hap
pen to be easily g~et-at-able"
This description of one OF the guests
at a country-house was given by its
Youngest daughter TO another guest, a
fair pretty girl with pale yellow wayy
hair and big blue eyes fringed by long
black lasbes. Before she could answer
a third girl looked up from the flowers
she was arranging IN bouquets. and re-
marked
"Allce hates him."
$50 l perceive" replied the golden.
haired damsel on the %hearthrug; and,
looking up mischievously into Alice's
face, she added, "ATe you II of the
victims of this hero's peculiar style of
fllrtatIon?"
"Oh, dear, mol" Alice answered, with
candor. ST don't amuse him; SO he
treats me with great ciVility.
81 shall make it my business, as long
as I am here, to take him down." re-
marked the owner of the blue eyes.
81 think, Miss Ethel, you had better
leave him alone" said Flora, still busy
with the flowers. "Alice has been
hardly fair to him, for he is undoubt-
eddy popular both with men and VIC
NELL"
''Besides," chimed in Alice, ''he
won't give you the chance. You are
not his style"
"Poohn' retorted Ethel. al shall find
the chance; and, as for noU being his
style, girls, before he leaves this house
he shall propose to me, and 1 shall re-
fuse himl"
The sisters were so scandallze By
this announcement that it was some
kfp,n hnfara than naYrfI find UprHa tp
express their horror; at last Flora
said
II hope, Ethel, you don't intend 10
become fast"
EAST? No; but l intend to confer a
a benefit on society by taking down
this man who thinks so much of hin =
SELF"
"You will be clever ii you d." NUT
tered Alice.
II Will. Oh, won't I dance upon his
feelings, Alice! You may come and
listen through the keyhole to the pro
posal."
Flora's face expressed strong disap-
prevail; but Alice asked
"But how are you going to set about
itPn
sob, when Ihave met Captain Craw-
ford, and understand him a little, |
shall see! Thackeray says-oh, bother,
/ forget now what be does says!-but
it's something about any woman being
able TO marry any man, Now don't
want to marry this creature; Ionly-
All, there's tie dressing.bell, and l
haven't unpacked a thingI' Springing
- xrIfh nrEAnSghfn~ ntnprtfu Chn roth
cred her wraps together, rafting on
"I'm sure I've forgotten the key of my
box? Oh, dear, ! wish l could pick up
a rich husbandI | do hate %uppacklng."
Away she went, dropping veil, gloves
and various small articles before she
even reached the door. But Ethel
Raine, though she talked so recklessly
in private, was usually toleIably we'll
behaved IN public, and nothing was
farther from her thoughts than to be
Intentionally late for dinner. There
fore she was much dismayedto hear the
bell ring before she was ready; and,
when she crept into the dining-roOm
after every one had gone in, it "a with
a considerable heightened color and a
subdued manner that contrasted curl
ously with the bragado airs she had
given herself up stairs.
All was fish that came to Ethel's net
She was always ready to be amused by
anything or anybody; 80 she turned her
blue eyes on Tom Granger, and forgot
ali about Captain Crawford, till, in a
pause in her lively chatter, she found
Alice looking at her very meanlngly
from the opposite size of the table.
Following the direction of Their eyes, she
took a survey Of the gentleman on her
right, and it suddenly dawned on her
that this was the famous Captain Craw-
ford. This discovery Oiled her with
the liyeliest delight. He however took
no notice of her, so she had to content
herself with listening to his converse
ton with the lady he had taken In to
dinner, which she did with so much in
terest that she had very little attention
left to bestow on Tom Granger. He
wondered a little at her change of a
ner, but did not altogether object to it
as it gave HIM tho opportunity of talk
ing 4 little about himself, which Miss
Ethel had not hitherto allowed him to
do.
Apparently Captain Crawford found
the handsome widow he had taken in
to dinner decidedly amusing, for he sat
down beside her afterwards in the
drawing-room, and eve stirred for
the rest of the evening.
Alice Layton followed Ethel to her
room that night 10 remark mOcingkly-
"WelI, you haven't done much yet
with Captain Crawford"
"Oh, I've been taking his measured"
Ethel replied. 81 have 1t now on my
fingers ends"
t'IIe doesn't admire you. ] heard