Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-02-28

me what young lady wants. mean,
what she looks for in young man"
"She looks, Mr.. Corydon, for what
she doesn't find in you"
"May ask what that is
"May / ask if you object to the
form Of yulgarity which is called
slang?"
Il object to nothing from you. Pray
tell me in what ! am deficient"
"Pluck.h
She looked at him with a moments
saucy attention, bowed, and returned
TO the house. Even Cyril discovered
that she was not positively angry this
time.
Sir John Bosworth appeared again
on the next day-with an excellent rea-
son for returning so soon. He had not
Iet been shown over 0akapple Hall.
On this occasion the servant con.
Quoted him to the mushroom. Mabel
was at the piano. and Cyril was turning
the leaves Of the music for her. Sir
John had only to look at them aud to
suspect that his modest young friend
had been gaining ground in his absence.
He approached the piano with his ge-
NAL smile and examined the music.
"Maiden Musings - was the title; and
in one respect at least the composer
had deserved we'll of the public OF the
present day-he had given them plenty
of notes for their money. $50 on,
please" said the Amiable visitor. Ma
bel went on. Notes that Numbered,
notes that shrieked, notes in cataracts
of sound, represented the malden,s
musings. "What were those remarks"
Sir John asked when it was over,
"that Mozart made on the subject OF
melody? Cyril, my dear fellow, have
YOU got Kelly's "reminiscences in the
library? Kelly was Mozart's pupil.
Do try to find the book"
Before he complied with this request
Cyril looked at Mabel and received
look in return. Then, and only then,
be left the room. Sir John saw that
he had not moment te lose. The
door had barely closed on his young
rival before he possessed himself OF
Mabel's hand, and said oh, forgive
me ;"
She released her hand, and assumed
an icy composure. IL confess l am a
little surprised to see you again." she
remarked.
"You see a man crushed by sorrow
ard shame" Sir John proceeded.
Some devil must have possessed me
when spoke to you yesterday. have
not had one quiet moment since. You
are literally the one hope Of my life.
Try, pray try, to imagine what | felt
when | had every reason to fear that ]
bad lost you-and to what man "
A very agreeable man, Sir John"
Torture me, if you like | have
deserved it. But don't tell me that
you-with your bright intelligence,
your tact of delicacy, your superiority
to the little weaknesses and vanities of
ordinary women-can feel serious at
tscbment to such a person as Cyril
Cory don. No. Despise me as you
may, Mabel; destroy all the hopes
that have centred in you; doom me
to he a wretched man for the rest Of
DIV life-there is one thing you cannot
90 ! defy you to lower yourself in my
estimation. You have been the one
woman in the world to me since first
saw you, and the one woman you will
remain to the day of my death :"
lie caught her by the hand again; it
trembled in his hand her ready tongue
had literally nothing to say. The power
Of nonsense, in every form which it can
take, is one Of the great moral forces to
which humanity instinctively submits.
When Cyril returned without having
discovered the book Sir Johns nom
sense, admirably spoken, had answered
Sir Johns purpose. Placed between
/ her two admirers. Mabel was not able
to determine which she really pre-
feTred.
There's no such book in the libra
Iy?" Cyril announced. If he wanted
to get rid of me, don't YOU think, Miss
Mabel, he might have said so plainly"
For the moment Sir John was thun-
derstruck. Was this the same con-
tidipg, helpless young gentleman who
had brought him to Oakapple Hall I:
lie recovered himself directly.
My dear boy, is there govt in your
family" he asked. II am at a loss
10 understand this extraordinary out
break of temper, unless there is
fresh fit coming on at an unusually early
age."
Cyril passed this question over with
out notice. His fair complexion red
doned with anger. Never had love
wrought such transformation in man
since the time Of CymOn.
II saw you take Miss Mabels hand
Just now when | came in" he declared,
stoutly. s. consider that to be lib
erty."
Sir Johns satirical composure was
not even disturbed by this. " May in
quire, merely as matter of curiosity,
whether you claim right Of property
in this young lady'S hand?"
"Yes, do! | have reason to hope
that this young lady will do me the
honor OF marrying me-"
$50 have | :"
81 have prior claim on her, Sir
john"
Nothing of the sort. | asked Miss
Mabel to marry me last week"
Cyril TUNED Indignantly to Mabel ::
" Is that true;"
Sir John cautioned her. "You're
not bound to answer" he said.
" She is bound !"
"No, Cyril-no."
do you hear him, Mabel?"
Sir John pointed to Cyril's flaming
cheeks.
"Do you see him, Mabel 2"
She burst out laughing. This dis
concerted both the men there was an
awful pause. "Must decide between
YOU" she asked, without any time to
think first: " Neither the one nor the
other offered her time to think first.
| IL i l..