The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-01-07
Select STORY.
The Widows Adonis.

From the London Argosy.
Fitzgerald Brandon was one of the lucky
mortals treated with maternal partiality by
that tickle jade, Fortune. No stepdame
frowns fell to his share, no chilling glances,
no rebuffs. Everything went well with
him.
Did he speculate imprudeutly, the spec
ulation, however unpromising, was certain
to do well; did he back rank outsider for
a great race, it was almost certain of a
place. Fortune always befriended him.
He generally rose winner from his post
prandial rubber, not because his skill was
extraordinary, but from sheer force of luck;
and it was on record that on one occasion
he broke the bank at Monte Carlo.
He was, besides, extremely handsome,
though on liliputian scale; for, Fitzgerald
Brandon was not only one Of the luckiest
but also one of the smallest ofmen He stood
Just five feet five in his boots, but his neat
little figure, always dressed in the most
perfectly fitting chefs-d'euvre Of Small
page or Poole, was so erect, SO dapper,
and so well-proportioned, that any short
comings of stature were readily forgiven
and forgotten by his numerous admirers
of the fair sex For, whatever the lady
novelists may say, women are not so utter
" devoted to these lords of herculean build
and superhuman physical strength who
invaribly figure in the pages of fashionable
fiction
Little Fitz was, in his way, quite a
lady-killer, and as he Was well-kHown to
be rich as well as a lucky man, his lines
generally fell in pleasant places. His
position in society was assured, and many
a fair demoiselle moving in the very best
circles would have been willing enough TO
share his fortunes.
But little Fitz seemed reluctant to don
the matrimonial fetters; he eschewed the
society of the demoiselle marricr, prefer
ring the maturer charms of ladies who
already wore the marriage ring and yet
could enjoy a Irritation without fear of
scandal.
In short, little Fitz was devoted ad-
mirer of that privileged class, young and
pretty widows.
Perhaps he fondly imagined that he was
less likely to be Caught by these bereay-
ed sirens than by young debutantes still
under the maternal wing.
At all events, he was nearly always to be
seen with one or other of these fair ladies,
who, having doffed their weeds, had
bloomed ont again, in all their pristine
brilliancy. III JI4 AAAc y 4tG
And that is how he won the sobriquet
by which he was known in every club in
London, Of ''The Widows Adonis.'
''Just look at the fellow How any
woman can take up with such con-
ceited little coxcomb, | can't imagine, .
said Maitland, of the 50th Dragons
''heavy" dragoon in more senses than one,
for he rode fourteen stone and was more re-
markable for breadth of shoulder than quick
pess of wit-to his fidus Achates one
morning in the Row.
There's no accounting for tastes, NUT
TERED the other, pulling his mustaehe and
darting envious glances at little Fitz, who
was seated between two of the prettiest
young widows in London and seemed
nightly to relish the position.
| should have thought a charming
woman like Mrs. Desmond-
He did not finish the sentence, but
glared fercely at the dapper figure of little
Fitz, who was laughing and chatting gaily
to his fair companions. If looks could
kill, what wholesale slaughter would go on
in this highly civilized metropolis of ours
Jack Carnforth, the impecunious off
shoot of an ancient family tree, would have
given good deal to secure pretty Mrs.
Desmond and her fortune, which was said
to be considerable AT one time she had
accepted his homage with apparent pleasure,
but since Fitzgerald Brandon had crossed
her path, she had turned deaf ear to the
penniless young attaches pretty speeches.
Poor Garnforth, in spite of his good looks,
felt that he was hopelessly out of the run
ming, for. though Brandon might be, as
Maitland said, "a conceited little coxcomh," !"
it was impossible to deny that he possessed
the art of making himself agreeable.
The two ladies, between whom this
miniature Paris was seated, were antago-