Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-09-26
4 pR0DIGAL son.
lrsmp's Bari


seen old SIR Peter Euston driving in the
park with his admirable elder son
joseph BY his side. TIE old gentleman
was good deal shaken since that dread.
ful business about his son Jack. So.
cisty talked Of j, for quito three days,
and my friend John Carlton was nearly
worn of his legs running about from
club to club repeating the story. Sir
Peters kind old face frightened in re-
turn for . friendly greeting, but there
was vast deal more sorrow than JOY
In bis smile.
Says Mrs. Mountchester TO me a. we
drove past and exchanged greetings,
sirily whipping up her dspoer gray
ponies, "Now, | really do think the
old gentleman ought to put better
face on 1t. lie bad one son who had
al the vices extant, and the other every
imaginable virtue; why doesn't he
strike balance ss they do at his bank.
and set off one against the other"
Certainly Joseph Euston looked the iu-
csspalion Of high.elass British virtue.
People were alsays making him their
executor and leaving him handsome
legacies; the middle-sged folks were
never happy ill be was guardian and god
father to their children and the young
folks appointed him trustee to any mum
Der Of marriage settlements. Now and
then you saw bis name as director OF
some very fat and fourishing company,
and its fatness aud its flourish were
generally duo to the value attaching to
his name. When you had secured bis
patronage for any undertaking you
might be quite sure it would ride on
the top Of the tide and ultimately
secure firm anchorage In the harbor Of
public opinion. ] know that the So
ciety for Christian Potboys was on its
very last legs when be gave it his
sanction and now It's scarcely decent
to die without leaving it legacy
In your will. Decorum, propriety,
and responsibility had ruled
his life from the cradle up
ward. lie was that entirely odious
thing 9 well.conducted boy. I don't
like decorous boys, and didn't like
him. He never tore his clothes nor got
into debt; he could not have climbed
tree to save his life; and he would as
soon have broken into church as
robbed q henroost. No one ever was
known to call him Joe, or chaf him, or
play any tricks on him. All the devil
try Of the family centred 10 Jack, and
left nothing but all the domestic virtues
for Joseph. Add to his virtues an ex-
tremely courteous manner, aud to his
manner q soft winning voice, and to
both well-secuted income Of 100000
q year, and tell me il Hannah More
ever conceived q more noble and per-
feet herop
That very evening | was playing
rubber at old Lady Chelsea's. al
ways left her house considerably richer
in scandal but decidedly poorer in
pocket. Between the hands Lady Chel-s
sea would distribute crumbs of the very
latest gossip, and any social chicka-
biddy might pick them up. So says
my Lady Chelsea, ~ hear Joseph
Euston is secured at last"
The dealer paused in his deal as
chorus Of inquiries rose. Little Cecil
Digby, who was my partner, raised bis
hand and said: "I'll lay ten to one
can spot the GIRL"
"The creature is detestably slsngy,"
SAYS Lady Chelsea, leaning back in her
chair. 81 have a great mind to win
your money, Mr.. Digby. l think l
might give the party guess oil round
and yet keep my secret"
"Why, Lady Chelsea" cries Cecil,
"all the world knew the day before yes
terday thst'the beautiful Yankee heir
ess Miss Dinah b. Chicago had landed
the prize"
Lady Chelsea shakes her head and
says; "All the world is wrong, as
usual. Guess again." | then hazard
the remark that, as Mrs. Wilks Wheeler
has been angling for him for her third
girl for two years--and mark you, Mrs.
W. Wheeler was the most successful
prize-taker for the last three seasons
1t was probable that this accomplished
lady had at last brought matters to
crisis. Then came more shakes OF my
lady's head and further random guesses
on the part Of the guests; then al in
tervsl Of silence as Lady Chelsea's most
oraculsr voice announced the name Of
4" Lady Olivia Plantsgenet." The rub
Der was suspended for several minutes
while We expressed our surprise.
And now l must tell you something
about Lady Olivia, aud how it all came
about. For three seasons every we'll
thinking mother in Belgrsvia with any
thing in the shape of. manageable
daughter had spread her nets abroad for
Joseph Euston. Whom his father died
be would be Sir Joseph, and in the
mean while he was practically the senior
partner in the famous old bank Of Eus-
ton, Curtis 4 Lsngham. Philanthropic
mothers with tendencies toward Exeter
Hall had laid desperate aud insidious
siege to his heart. II is on
record that pretty and skittish
Miss BoutAowe?, old Sir Christie
piers only daughter, actually became
: deaconess and renounced the gaieties
Of " hole London season, all in hopes
Of securing Joseph. She never in
dulgsd in single frivolity that season,
except one fancy bazaar to which Jo-
ssph was inveieled. He attended the
bazaar, bought many Of her knick-
knscks, but, alas! did not purchase
the fair saleswoman. could count up
dozen cases in which he was nearly
secured, and then, at the last moment,
he managed to escape the landing net
always, must own, in q perfectly de-
corous manner. Aud now to think
that Lady Olivia Plantagenet hsd
secured him, rather had conde-
scendsd to secure him; for yon
. must know that the Lady Oil
via was, as it were, species Of
ganglion. or gathering together, Of the
bluest Of all blue blood. She was the
only daughter OF the Duke Of hartford,
and, In all conscience, his daughter
ought to be tolerably blue blooded, es-
pecially when | tell you that her
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