Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-10-31
Eyes; but Pm not half the town exactly,

@@--
eyes; but Pm not half the town exactly,
and
@And you're always there, Edwin; you
know you are"
@Who told you sol Motbari" asked his
nephew; Tor my s~is;ersl"
al don't mincs matters. Your mothsr
wrots to say SIZE was unhappy about you
that she was afraid you had formed an at
tachment 10 one of these young women, and
that / had better run down and ses what
mischief was done, and what mischief could
be prevented, and here ! am. There"
1t was no wonder that Maj Crawshaw's
feelings were hurt when Miss DAILY had
limited that he was far from straight
forward; there was no beating about the
bush in this instance. He had told his
nephew very plainly what was the object of
his visit, and within a quarter Of an hour Of
his meeting with him, too. That was brisk
and frank ami soldier-hke. at any rate.
Young Todd smiled in a galvanic kind Of
fashion, ami shifted his stick from his right
hand to his left.
"rhere's no mischief done, uncle, and
there's TO mischi f to prevent" he said at
last.
that's well Pm glad of it"
"The women folk are foolish and nervous
about it, and"
about whatg' asked the major, interrupt
ing him.
@About my going to the station and hav-
ing a little chat now and hen-as young
fellows will, you know-with a pretty
woman. dare say you have done it your
self in your day, uncle"
"Hundreds Of times" was the ready an.
swer; "but it was all fair sailing, sir, and no
false sentiment or false principles behind it
all. Do you understand mef'
GYes-no-I think So"
II wasn't fool enough to fall in love with
any woman Of that kind"
~ suppose not"
AIN lovel Oh, mol" said Edwin Todd,
with a feeble little laugh; mot exactly;
that's not in my line"
SAlthough. If I had been in love, I should
have been man enough to own ii, continued
the major. There's something simple in it,
but nothing d~isgraceful, II it's an honest
affection"
Precisely" said Todd; &just my opinion,
uncle"
"But you're not in Lowell"
"Not ]. Not a bit Of that" said the vulgar
young Todd, with a rather feeble laugh.
you're too sensible a fellow, HOPPER
Il fatter myself l am"
@Tm very glad to hear it, Edwin, for your
mothers sake as we'll as your own but
don't keep speaking with your teeth closed
it aggravates me-" said the major. "And
now to the second and more important
point Are any Of the girls at the junction
in love with you, do You thinkp
Young Todd blushed and simpered, and
even hazqrded q wink at his uncle.
II shouldn't like to say; really, one can't
say exactly, you know" was his shy and
hesitating answer.
II should say it was extremely unlikely"
remarked the major, after looking askance
at his newhew; "but women are easily fiat
tersd into thinking a man is in love with
them, and then their silly heads are turned
in all directions but the right"
"That's their fault" was young Todd's
comment.
"And their misfortune always, poor women.
Why, l consider that a man who feigns an
affection he does not feel, and so misleads a
girl out of her s here TO think Of him, is an
Internal scamp-a most internal scamp, sir.
"Why, yes" said young Todd, fairly
alarmed at this sudden exhibition of fierce
ness. $50 he is, unless"
"pd cut Off such a vagabond with a shil-
ling, were he my own son" interrupted the
major. ard kick him dow stairs out OF my
house as l would a dog; I'd What do you
mean by 'unlessr Unless whatl Why on
earth don't you finish your sentences"
al was going-but you wouldn't let me
finish. il you remember" answered Edwin.
"Well, well, " said the major, impatiently,
"unleSS-"
"Unless she encourages him, and leads him
on-knows that he is not likely TO marry
her, and still prefers his company to other
fellows. Don't you sect"
a see a woman going fast to the devil,
then, said the major, sand 1say God help
her! that's all. But as for the man, he's
either a fool or a knave, and I say God con-
found him, with all my heart. He doesn't
d-servo any sympathy; surely You don't
think he does2"
"N-no; certainly not"
SBut we will nave a long talk over this
presently, now that we have cleared the
briers and brushwood away; there's been a
little nonsense going on at the refreshment
stand but | am glad you tell me there's moth
ing serious between you and that DAILY girl"
"Seriousl" said young Tom, with another
unpleasant laugh; "of course not
"Your mother will be glad to hear it."
at lo-a foII how ca n thnuSonl times al
ready" sail Edwin Todd, and for the first
time rather sulkily.
"Ah! but not as you have spoken to me, as
one man can speak to another, face to face,
and without n lie between them" sale the
major.
~"Yes-exactly," murmured the nephew;
but be did not meet his uncle face 70 face
then, but looked down upon the finty path
way of tho old town and set his teeth closer
together than ever.
The major was a man of tact, and did nos
"worry' the question. They walked on in
silence after this; he had spoken out and
paved the way TO a complete understanding;
he was disposed, being a truthful man, TO
believe his nephew, il not wholly and i'm
plicitly, and to think that the women folk
had made the usual mountain out OF the
customary mol hill So far, so good. 1t
was a very fair beginning. considering that
this was the first hour OF his arrival; and
now here they were before the great country
house Of the Todds, lying a little apart, on a
hillside, from the town OF Battleton.
The major let go his nephew's arm, strobe
forward, pushed open the great swing gate,
anl entered first
You'll find them all within, uncle" said
Edwin; u shall not be long"
@But-"
Il shall be back in a few minutes; / have
forgotten something for to-moTrow-in the
town. you know and young Todd was of
like a lapwing.
"Yes, YOU have forgotten something, Ed
win, and that is that I'm not TO be hum
bugged," muttered the angry major, as he
stood in the dark carriageway looking after
the rapidly receding form Of his nephew.
CHAPTER ".
THE MAJOR SETTLES IT SATISFACTORILY.
Ruth DAILY, prayer book in hand, was COM
ing quietly home from church the following
day, when across the last meadow between
the church and town she encountered Maj.