The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-01-29
An EL0PEMENT.

rode 10 hounds, and as Miss Mamie was
IN enthusiastic follower OF the Willow
Brook pack, her friends concluded, and
quite correctly as it proved, that when she
made her choice she would become either
Mrs Minturn or Mrs. Brandow. Those
who took the trouble to form an opinion
as to which Of the two gentlemen IL would
be, said Jack would undoubtedly be the
favOrite one. lie was the handsomer,
rode, il anything, n trifle better than his
rival, and during the fall of 1888 was
temporarily master Of the foXh0unds,
hunting the pack with great skill More
over, he was more OF a ladies' man, and
quito as well fixed as Bob financially
But at the close of the autumn season Of
1889 Miss Nannie's engagement to Bob
was announced. The following fall the
gentleman built number Of extensions
and additions TO his little hunting box.
reconstructed his stables, bought some
new hunters, and for two years he and
Miss Mamie, now Mrs. Brandow, hunted
even more enthusiastically than before
their marriage.
Jack Minturn went TO south France fOi
the season of 1884 and 1885. He told his
friends that he had long wished to try
some hunting there, and now he had an
excellent opportunity. His friends smiled
Some even yentured 10 openly poke fun
AT him. When the Willow Brook club
met Mt Dclmonioo's, in the midwin;er Of
1856, to elect officers for the ensuing
year, it was found that Mr.. Bob BrandoW
and another gentleman had set their
hearts upon being master of the fox
hounds, and Furthermore il was dscov-
cred that each felt his claim 70 be of Such
u nature that ia case of his opponents
election, he Ohe defeated candidate had
but one course TO pursue-:O resign. The
position was decidedly awkward. eSpeci-
ally rs the club was evenly divided about
the rival candidates. A serious break
was imminent.
Now it so happened that Jack MiDturn
arrived home in New York from his tenn
porary sojourn abroad on the very day Of
the Willow Brook elections and, dropping
into Delmonico's after several Intellectual
ballots had been taken, was pOunced upon
by the cOntending factions az n compro-
mise candidate. He admitteI That his
hunters were on the way across she
ocean, and that he intended to hunt our
ing the coming year, protested chat he
could not think OF such an honor as the
title of master Of the fOxhOunds, and vas
unanimously elected in the midst OF his
protestations. He, OF course, accepted.
And so it came to pass that when the
frost got out Of the ground Jack Min
turn was not only an actiye member u
the Willow Brook, bat was handling The
neck.
Bob felt not u particle of resentment, |
and was glad TO see him hunting again. /
Mrs Brandow was delighted to see her /
old friend back. she ChidCd him prcttily /
for having deserted the Willow Brook for /
so long, utterly ignoring the commonly |
conceded cause of his dcser,iOn, told him !
with innocence amusingly earnest how !
the pack had been too fastan too slow
in his absence, and from the beginning
treated him quite rs cordially as If she
had not been the Cause of his two years
exile.
Jack Mlnturn became very attentive 10
Mrs BRANDON. IL was quite natural lie
was master of the hounds; she was prcba-
bly, the best lady rider in the club; facts
Which in themselves led to certain cOurie-
sizes on his part. As time went on lie be
,ame quite devoted, and she, to say the
east did not discourage him.
AS the season advanced, Bob became,
lot jealous-nobody is Jealous nowadays
,ut little uncomfortable OF course.
lie cared nothing about il himself He
would not have given IL second thought
had 1t not been for outsiders, he feared
hey were enjoying mental chuckles at
lis expense. Inis was the way Bob
.rgued in the spring. BY fall he was
eady 10 admit that he did care His
Jews on the subject had become more
'ositiye, until he had reached "a state Of
mind best described as volcanic Mrs.
,randow may or may not have been
ware OF his mental perturbation. She
vas young, very young, having been mar
led before she was quite out Of her teens.
One afternoon late in October Mr.. aud '
frs. Bob Brandow stood on the veranda :
I their hunting box, waiting for the
orses to be brought around. Mrs. Bran
owls dainty form never looked daintjer {
nan when incased in brown habit, her {
heeks were already colored by the sharp {
utumn air, her deep blue eyes sparkled .
/ anticipation OF the afternoons sport G
together she made very pretty pict- !,
re, but Bob was evidently in no mood
} enjoy it. He passed up and down with
easured stride and closely knit brow,
his boot top with his crop at
'ery step, in total disregard Of the pol
h so laboriously bestowed upon the IN
lending top 10y the stable boy. y
"Kierney tells me-" he said finally, j
heelng TO a standstill before his wife, v
that you have ordered Lord Rothwell's v
ices changed tomorrow without fail, +
I'd he said something about Minturn's :
ding him on Thursday"
Mrs Brandow Strengthened up. She 81
vi been sitting on the yeranda rail, and
ith determined tightening OF her pretty s.
IS, which was little in keeping with her c.
lid, almost careless tone, said, looking Is
raight at her husband; Il
"WehY' Ct
"Well|' he repeated, IL don't see why 8.
u should supply Mnturn with horses: al
he can't run the pack with the horses cl
has let him take one Of the whip's p'
ounts or get horses enough to have a II
are one wheu he needs il. don't see