The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-06-17
now, when there 8 so many pretty girls you
-...l.. L. IL

est Know, IaVlny, you see, Certalnly!
said Fitz, grinning vehemently as the girl
hopped around him.. Il always was fond Of
you, you know" and Fitz made grab to
catch her rs she wriggled by, but missed
his aim.
Go way, you bad man. said Miss Cobbs,
smiling warmly on Fitz, and coming once
more within his reach, sufficiently SO for
him to nuke another grab and catch her;
but, having caught her, he did not know
what to do with her, so he stood still and
held her for moment or two, while she
wriggled about as though trying to escape,
but did not. Gradually shade of dis
gust passed over Miss Cobbs' face as Fitz
took her by the arm and led her to the sofa,
seating himself beside her, She felt that
he ought to have kissed her. He felt 81,
too. but he did not. Presently he said
"Laviny, you're nice gyul, aw!"
Il know it" she responded, with q
chuckle. They say look like Lotta."
I'll take you to the theataw Thursday
night" said Fitz the allusion to Lotta put
ting him in mind of it, and being nice
way to say something that would get HIM
out of the awkwardness of the situation,
for Fitz had heard great deal about Miss
Cobbs and her reflections, and did not care
to be himself one of her victims just yet;
he was not ready for it.
The fact is, Fitz was not very fond of
Miss Cobbs, though she was particular
friend of Clarry's, and had q hundred
thousand dollars in her own right, and was
the only child of rich father. She was
Jaw, skittish," he told Clarry, and he was
not far from right. Miss Cobbs was an
arrant coquette, and delighted to lure on
the dudish innocents, who saw only the
one hundred thousand, until she got di-
rect proposal, and then throw them over
with a distinct averment that she never
dreamed of such an ending to little in
nocent Irritation, after which the affair
would somehow become known to all her
set, and the rejected laughed at consum-
edy. Clarry did not believe in such do
ings, and had tod Laviny so often, but
Laviny only laughed, and said:
"Oh, it's such fun, Clarry. You just try
it once.
But Clarry did not try it once. On the
contrary, she warned all the young men she
cared for to beware of the siren, and es-
pecially her dear brother Fitz, who bore it
in mind, and said to himself, as he sat be-
side her on the sofa: She amt going to
mitten me- aw till I'm weady. i'll fetch
her, bigad, if twy, but shan't twy much
until Pm weady. and amt weady yet"
Miss Cobbs had several faults besides
Irritation and coquetry, but that of un-
cleanliness was not one of them, though
untidiness was. She was mean. and would
not spend her own money even for the great
essential to women's happiness-dress-and
her father refused to give her any as long
as she had plenty of her own. Therefore
it was that Miss Cobbs didn't dress exactly
-, to, oFL Co.; A.,
which, added to her own natural want of
order, made her not desirable companion
on the promenade, or an object of approx
consequently, Fitz, who swore by dress,
had no sooner uttered his promise to take
her to the theater than he gIetted it.
will you?" she responded, jumping .off
tho soe> -. hnr laIsLt Oh, enat lovely
Fitz, in you. l haven't been to the theater
in ever SO long But it will cost you heap
of money, you dear fellow, won't it?"
"Oh. Aw! don't care for money, said
Fitz, loftily. Paws going to settle five
thousand dollars a year on me, you see.
He's wich, you know"
"Whewl" whistled Miss Cobbs, looking
admiringly at Fitz. especially at his legs, as
though she had Just discovered his beau
ties and appreciated them. Five thousand
dollars year. Why, that's five per cent
on hundred thousand"
why, aw so it is" said Fitz, as though
the thought had just struck him as some-
/ thing extremely novel and original, which
set him to thinking that one hundred thou
sand dollars was the extent of Miss Cobbs'
| fortune, and, consequently, she had but
five thousand dollars year, trife to him,
mere bagatelle, which he proposed paw
should give him for pocket money. Why.
| you re reglar banker, aw. amt you, La
| viny?"
"Of course. You know, Fitz, have 10
do my own business, for my father won't
attend to it. He says that every woman
ought to know that two and two makes four,
and so, as I've got a little money that my
mother left me, and tho interest on it is
five per cent, why 1 know what five per
cent. is. What are you going to do With
your money!"
"Aw! oh! spend it just in having good
time. What are you going to do with
yours, aw, eh?"
Save it up" said Miss Cobbs, gravely
How much is your father worth, Fitz?"
Don't know, aw, 'pon me SOUL They
say he's vewy wich. He's going to spend
hundwed thousand dolaws in making a
picture gallewy. Don't like pictures. Like
bosses bettaw. What's your father worth,
Laviny?" and Fitz held his breath for the
answer.
Dear me, 1 don't know, though I've
heard It's either seven hundred thou
sand, or seven million, or something like
that Something with a seven in it,
know" and for few moments Miss Cobbs
was thoughtful then she suddenly burs
out with, Il say, Fitz, don't you think il
l., nj g -io1yo n 10 o1l f,x,of
sand dollars a year? Hadn't you better give
me some of it to take care Of for you? Yor
know you may want to get married somt
day."
This was saggerer to Fitz, and he die
not know what to say. The one that HI
proposed to make his wife to offer to be
come his banker was novelty. That sh,
would take care of it was certain, suel
good care that he would not be entirel,
sure of ever seeing it again. With such
wife he would undoubtedly get rich, if onl.
by her savings, but that was not what Fit
wanted. He not only wanted to spend hi
own money but hers, and so no money nj
marriage. Now, if he refused this propo
sition of hers, it might be that she woult
look upon him as spendthrift and refus
to marry him, and yet he must refuse it, fo
he had no more chance Of getting fiv
thousand a year from pa than he had o
getting slice off the moon. If he got on
thousand it would be like dawing the oil
mans hearts blood. But he had told La
vinia deliberate lie, though he onl
looked at it as harmless bit of brag, ant
he must face it.
saw! why, you see, you know, Laviny
l haint exactly got it yet, and when dc
you know. aw. I'm obliged to spend it, o
the fellahs at the club will think me mean
don't you see?"
"Well, if you think more of the fellow
than you do of me, then keep it, and don
come telling me how much you like me,
said Lavinia. angrilv.
Fitz could stand Lavinia's pleasant way
. and advances. but he could not stand he
anger, her repellance, and her tears, fc
. she burst into sob, and pushed him frol
her with considerable violence. then spran
to her feet as though she would have fe
, from the room, had he not caught her an
pushed her back on the sofa She gave
! little wriggle, as though she would hay