The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-07-18
The Squire's Counting.
BY E. r. COLLINS.

Everybody SAID the Squire would
never marry. Not because they had any
special assurance that the Squire would
never assume the hymeneal yoke, but
Just because it would seem so very funny
II he should.
Now, the Squire was no Squire at all.
The word implies Judge, and the
SQUIRE was not Judge, at least not in
the legal sense. esquire" was simply a
nickname given in sportive moment to
J. Hillery Crabtree by joking school,
fellow, and it had tenaciously clung to
him as he had advanced in years and
stature.
]. Hillery, or the Squire. was, as to
somplexion, brunette, very dark eyes,
blue. black hair and moustache, about
five feet eight inches in his stockings,
and decidedly bluntin his manners, with
. generous opinion of himself. In his
early youth he was the especial charge
of his three aunts and at the same time
their torment. He was the source of
never-ending contention between the
three estimable ladies who could never
agree as to how he should be trained, and
IN consequence the Squire himself was re.
sponsible for most of his early training, as
the multitude of cooks spoiled the broth
of boy. And we find him at twenty
four with kind of contempt for women,
young women in particular. He was
suspicious of them. He was very par
ticular as to his personal appearance,
tac. turn and single, yet withal had he
been biting fish, the girls thought he
would have been a good catch.
Fate was laying trap for the wary
and self-satisfied squire. One day he
called to see one of his aunts in New
York, and to the s9uire's disgust there
ehanced to be young lady calling at
the same time. Of course an introduc-
tion followed. The squire would glad
]y have fed, but he had important mes
ssges to give his aunt. Miss Kurtz was
in no apparent hurry. Then, to make
matters worse, it began to rain, and OF
course Miss Kurtz could not 60 in the
rain, and the squire'e discomfort was
greatly augmented when bis aunt took
him to one side aud laid down the law
70 him that he must see Miss Kurtz safely
home. Why the squire should have OBJ
jected to seeing pretty girl home no
one knew, but he did, and it must be
said that he was rather gruff as he offer
cd his escort to the young lady.
Now, how such thing could happen
cannot be told; it was very shocking in
deed to the squire, but fact. The next
morning in the dining-room the squire
ehanced to pull out his handkerchief
and what should come out with it but a
lady's glove, nice, sweet-scented deli.
cate lair. The squire was quite over
come, he was considerably agitated, and
when his Cousin Wildly, very lively
young miss, pounced upon the tell-tale
glove and demanded On explanation, the
squire growled out something and turned
very red, deliberately took the glove
from her and walked out of the house.
As the squire walked along the street
he felt considerably vexed. Now, of
course, he must 60 to return the glove to
Miss Kurtz, but how could he explain its
being in his pocket. He could not ex-
plain. He would send it to her by mail.
But, again, he did not know the num-
ber of her hou,e and he dared not ask
for fear the folks would laugh at him, so
that very evening he called and returned
the glove to its fair owner. He was
fort ed to acknowledge to himself on the
way home that he had spent a very pleas
ant evening, and was not sure that girls
were as frivolous as he had thought them,
at least not all girls. Miss Kurtz had
given him an invitation to call again and
he did not know but that he would; she
appeared to be very nice girl, but then,
one must look out for them they are so
tricky.
It was rather amusing t, those who
knew the squire and his autipathies, to
notice how soon it was necessary for him
TO again call on Miss kurtz, and it was
the occasion for no little chatting by
Wildly. The squire would look
ashamed, growl, and hastily get out OF
her way, and at the same time every one
noticed that the squire wore puzzled
look as though he was thinking deeply
ever something. If he made frequent
calls on Miss Nurt!, he was very careful
that none of his family should know OF
it. You know that it's very hard thing
for man to acknowledge frankly that
he is violating his own 2recepts. And
it may be said right here that Miss Kurtz
was very estimable young lady aud not
without lively appreciation of the hu,
norous. She had heard from his sister
that the squire was sort of woman
hater, and all to herself she had deter.
mined to subdue the enemy. The squire
had an awful fight with himself, but
finally asked Miss Kurtz to &C ompany
him to the theatre. Bya series of skill
full questioning he managed to find out
where each of the household were likely
to spend a certain evening, and then
took Miss Kurtz as far away from them
IS he could. Then, imagine his disgust,
when after getting comfortably seated
he discovered his sister and her wretch
of ahusband in the box opposite, coolly
surveying him and his companion
through their opera glasses. His frs,
impulse was 60 get up and leave, but 8
second thought told him that that would
never do. He felt as though Miss Kurtz
was laughing at him, and he looked
round rather sharply once, and was moi
sure but that he caught the trace of 6
hastily suppressed smile on the face Of
the demure puss at his side. He did moi
enjoy the performance a bit, and wa
greatly relieved when the curtain went
down for the last time.
He did not walk home with Miss Kurtz
but called cab and giving cabby the
street and number told him to hurry up
He was bound to get away from female
eompanionship just as quickly as he
could.
Miss Kurtz said nothinp at the I'm