Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-11-28

Jct1AOuS HdNO q SAStht OSuilA VI tAuiStthS
pride that his gift had been singled out from
host Of presents.
Poor Lucyl he would have been less ex-
ultant, or. moro truly, he would not have
been exultant at all, had he known that at
that very moment all her thoughts were oc-
cupied in thinking, as she had thought in
the morning, that Capt Hardness was,
without exception, the handsomest man she
had ever seen. Now. as a matter of fact.
Hardness was not what many people would
have described as handsome at all A big,
fine man, with broad back and muscular
arms-a man of extreme good-nature, sound
Judgment, and a somewh amusing tongue
but otherwise not particularly distin-
guished in any way.
Lucy, on tn, contrary, was just about as
handsome fellow as you could wish to look
upon-lithe, graceful, and very strong,
though some inches shorter than Harkness;
with sunny smooth hair and very blue eyes;
with good, regular features and a particu-
larly pleasant voice. He was altogether
beyond comparison with Hardness, as Hark-
MSS himself would have been the first to de-
clare had the subject been put forward for
his opinion.
However, as Olive kept rather in the rear
of her mother, that she might greet each
newcomer Lucy betook himself farther
into the gardens with his sister, on the look
out the while for the some one who was to
b. the means Of bringing the Maynard Sally
into a fit and proper state Of mind-that is,
a state Of mind which should make her
adopt a manner which should encourage
or, at least, not discourage him from asking
her to become his wife, and should prompt
a pretty Eyes" in answer to that important
question.
He, therefore, being man quick to de
eide such matters, kept his eyes open, and
cast about, in his quiet way, to determine
which Of the many young ladies who were
present he should honor for the time by his
attentions There was no lack of damsels-
damsels who were fair and young, rich and
amusing There was Margery Donni-
thorne, one Of the richest girls in that rich
neighborhood; but Margery Donnithorne
was intensely stupid, had long neck like a
swan, which, though lovely in that regal
bird, and exquisite in a woman on paper, is
ANYTHING but attractive in flesh and blood; ;
and Margery, too, had a mouth so small
that some people wondered if, as q baby,
she had been able TO suck her thumb, and
even went so far as to say it was a thousand
mites her mother had not taught her to
gobble her whole baby fist, in the hope,
by so doing, Of widening the pursed-up
lips.
Then there was Octavia Long, the clever
est bluestocking in the county, or half n
dozen counties near it. But Lucy did not
think he liked bluest ockings, ani was quito
sure he was afraid Of them. Besides. Octa-
via souinted horribly; and even with tho
hone of winning Olive ever before his eyes,
Iucy did not feel it would ever 10 possible
for him TO say tender things to one eye at n
time, not even though tho tender things
meant nothing, and had only the object OF
making Olive Weyland jealous No; Mar
gerry would not do, and Octavia would not
do, either True, there was Sybilla North,
as pretty a girl as any man on earth need
wish to flirt with Yet Sybilla would not
do any better than either of the others; for
Lucy knew, and always felt a little ashamed
of the knowledge, that SybIlIa had rather
more than a Partially for him, and would
certainly take every word he said for
gospel; and, indeed, might even 90 so far as
to break her heart outright, contingency
as devoutly to lie avoided al breaking his
own neck.
All at once, however, he hit upon tho
right person; and rs Mrs Arkwright stopped
to speak to u lacy, AMI mmediItcly intro
ducel Capt HnrkneSs to hcr Lucy, aftnr
lifting his hat and making his bow, with
the addition OF one or two polite common
place remarks, sheered Off and made his way
to n little group, consisting of ON old LAZY,
two young ones and q young gentleman who
was so very young that he did not count for
anything at all.
"Good morning, Lady Charlotte said
Lucy, pleasantly "Flne day, is it not Miss
Baummel How do You do" to the boy.
Then he drew chair n trifle nearer to that
Of the young lady whom no had first ad-
dressed. ana then sat himself down thereon
with considerable care, testing its weight
carrying powers very gingcTly indeed; for
it was trail-looking affair Of wicker work,
and seemed utterly unfit for tho response
bilty OF carrying his goody allowance OF
bone and flesh and muscle.
at will smash, il you don't mind" said
Mis- BIumme, with laugh; then added,
mischievousy, "How | wish it wouli!'
Lucy looked at her with his wiSeSt air and
shook his head soemnly.
Miss Baumme," he asked rcproachfully.
"whnt can ev-ah have done 10 you that
YOU should DO So-er-cwruel rs % wish to
leo me-er-SpwTawlinC ANONYMOUSLY on
the pansy hcdSi I--er-warn you solcmnly
that # it dneS como down | shall clutch hold
of your chair and-er-you shall come down
with me-
ooh, | shall hear the warning Groan OF
yours, and jump up in time" she answered,
with a laugh Then asked, in quite diff
ferent tone, "Who is that with your sister"
ooh, that is Capt Hardness, ono of our
officers" Lucy answered.
Shaving Mt Barnard wistlc" said tho
young lady, carelessly.
ayes; and one of tho best fellows in the
worli,' Lucy returned.
At that moment Olive came quickly along
tho path toward tho group of which Mrs
Ark wright was one Hardness turned aside
and spoke to her. Lucy envied him tho
bright smile and the upward glance she
gave him as, with one or two words Of re-
ply, she passed on and entered the house.
After q few minutes she appeared again,
and this time took n course which led her
pas Lady Charlotte's group
"The band is going to play some waltzes,'
she informed them; $50 il anybody wants
TO dance to them anybody can go to the
marquee and begin"
"How very nicep Miss Baumme OK
claimed 81, FOR one, shall 80 as soon as
anybody else asks me"
MAY have the pleasurer asked Lucy,
promptly.
He was undoubtedly a man Of action, this
officer Of the Scarlet Lancers. who enjoyed
the, to some peoples fancy, uncnviablo
reputation of being the biggest fool in tho
service, though rs many bad the opposite
opinion that he was simply rs clever as day
lgat. But this was perhaps the very first
time on record when he hEd not, at the very
first mention of waltzinG, sought to secure
Olive Weyland for the first dance-certain'y
it was the very first when he had omittei
even to ask her for the second He felt it
was no us, half doing things; he had made
up his mind that he would rouse her cold
heart into jealousy, and thence into love;
therefore he rose from his chair and offered
Miss Baumme his arm, without even suS-
Costing that Miss Weyland should give him
a dance before the regular programme OF
the evening.
For a moment Olive was so astonishel