The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-04-01
WESTERN ROMANCE.
The Strange Way in Which 'NIy
Lord Won His Lady.

Lord" Won His Lady.
oBlack velvet and scarlet japonica
would be becoming"
VERY; you would be-irresistibIe,
should say
'.You are too provoking, Catherine.
don't believe you are listening to a word
say, though it may be of so much impOr
lance To US"
''Don't say us, Imogene. 1 have no par
in the affair, and do not believe that pap:
will be SO foolish as to ask him.
YES, papa will And why foolish il
you please!''
I'VE have nothing suitable for a fine
English Lord. Have we not read il
NLothair' bout their splendid houses anc
royal dinners and perfect servants! Thinh
of the dreadful newneSs of our great WOOD
house, its red and blue velvet furniture
our shutting, untidy negroes, and our half
and-half fine dinners. NY Lord would
tolerate US a few days, and then go back &c
England and put us in a book, to be food
for mirth.' We are not fit company for
him, Imogene; that's the end of it,
Fit company What are you talking
about! Papa is an American Senator and
if that does not make him peer of any
any Senators! You NAV as well submit,
Catherine. Lord Hythe is coming here;
feel it; my presentiments are never wrong"
THAT settles the question. Who can con-
tend against fate!'
''There is the dinner bell; you will be
late, as usual"
"You need not wait for me-"
Il don't intend to. Papa likes to be
punctual, and have reasons for pleasing
him to-day. You will miss your dinner"
Il want to miss some of it. l know what
DinOrah's soup is-red pepper and onions.
4 shall be down for the turkey and pud-
ding"
Fortunately the Senator had Just re-
ceived very good news from his mine; in
fact, he was standing on the hearth-rug
figuring up the probable net results of a
lucky stroke when ImOgene entered the
room. Her great beauty struck him with a
new sense of pleasure and power. He be-
thought him of taking her to Washington,
and of the sensation she would make there.
He could well afford himself and her that
luxury now.
Imogene readily OWNED that the infiences
were favorable to her scheme, and she did
all she could to strengthen them. The
Senator found all his opinions acceded to :;
he was praised and flattered and waited on,
until he was in that mood of self-cOnb
placency which renders any man a woman s
most obedient servant
Catherine was now disposed to take the
winning side. She had thought over
1mOgene's idea while dressing, and it
promised more pleasure than annoyance.
IF the Lord laughed, she could laugh too /;
she felt quite able TO pay him back in his
own coin, whatever that coin might be.
So when lmOgene preached the subject,
1t was predeStined to succeed. You see.
papa, the party are at st. Louis now, and
Lord Hythe wants to cross the plains and
hunt a few weeks in the Rocky mountains,
and our house is just the place for him to
stay. You know all the game trails, and
he might like to see the mines, and then
how nice it would be to have n Lord in the
house He has been staying at Belle
Savers. l had letter from her to-day,
and she is just wild about him. Colonel
Sayer is only common farmer, while you,
papa. are the finest gentleman in the
world. think"
8The Senator was touched at this compli-
1nent; besides, he was really proud of his
house. 1t was the largest in the State, and
had been furnished, regardless of expense,
DIV the best upholSterer in st. Louis He
rather thought 1t would aStonish any Lord
TO find on the outskirts of thousand miles
of desert such a dwelling, and such beauty
and intellect in il. To do the Senator JUS
. tice. this pride Immediately took a national
character; his country's glory as much as
his personal pride mingled in the feeling
of eXultation which he foresaw he should
have IL; the foreigners admiration and as
constituent.
SO Imogene won her desire easily. The
Senator wrote to st. Louis and in style
of almost Oriental courtesy placed his house.
with all its sporting privileges, ut the serv-
ice of Lord Hythe and his party; and hav-
ing done so, waited with almost more i'm
patience than his daughter his lordshid's
reply.
IL was highly satisfactory. MY Lord
was charmed with such gracious kindness,
and would accept il for himself and for his
friend Mr.. Shipleigh, an enthusiastic artist,
who was as DESTROYS of sketching in the
Rocky mountains as he was of hunting in
them. The rest of his party had determined
on return to England before the approach
of bad weather, and but for the Senator's
offer, my Lord and Mr.. Shipleigh would
hardly have dared a trip over the wilder
ness and a sojourn within the shadow of the
Rocky mountains
This letter was felt to be the precursor Of
great events. The Senator who imagined
himself a superlative letter-writer, was
highly fiattered at the success of his epiStle,
and Immediately began to get his guns in
order. and make arrangements for COM
Portable SojournS in those excursions which
would take them beyond the Injuries of
his own home. Imogene took steps at
once to realize the special toilet she had de-
cided on for the momentous first impression
black velvet and scarlet japonicas; and
though Catherine pretended indifference to
his LordShip's advent, she was so far in
fiuenced by the general excitement as to
superintend a thorough houSe-cleaning,
and a new arrangement of the objection
ably brilliant furniture.
1t was pleasant two weeks interval to
all parties, for anticipated joys have very
few drawbacks; we arrange everything
then on the principle of reckoning without
our host. What bucks and bears were
killed beforehand, what quantities of ducks
were shot and antelopes chased in i'm
agination, and what famous discussions on
politics and social economies were supposed
by the good-hearted Senator, it would be
impossible TO tell.
Much more impossible to describe Imo-
genes anxieties and triumphs on toilet
questions. her dreams of conquest, and her
conversations with Catherine as to little
prophecies and conventionalisms. In fact,
Catherine was the only Indifferent person
In the whole house, and lmogene declared
that her Indifference was founded on purely
personal reasons. She was careless about
Lord Hythe because she had found in Louis
Saltonstall her ideal of mankind, and she
was careless about her dress because, Louis
having admired her in certain navy blue
silk, she had settled down definitely to that
color.