The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-04-24
ALL Is FAIR IN LOVE.
IBelgraTia.1

very greatest friends. There were many
reasons for this friendship in addition to
the usual one of similarity OF tastes and
pursuits. They had known each other
from their infancy, they went to the same
school, and when the idleness of school
was exchanged for the toll and labor of
preparing for an examination, they chose
the same coach and took the same
subjects. They both failed in their
attempt at Woolwich in the
same year, and both sue
ceeded in the Sandhurst examination in
the next. And though they chose
different regiments they had both the
same club; both had good deal of
"leave," and so they still saw each other
great deal, and it was generally in each
others society that they played billiards,
looked at burlesques or ballets, and joined
the other sports and pastimes of town or
country. And then, again, the idea that
the army was a bore occurred to each
simultaneously. and Rupert had not re-
tired to civilian ease more than fort
night before Roland followed his example.
This friendship, 1t must be remembered,
was in no way of the romantic
or sentimental kind; our friends
did not suggest Pylades and
Orestes or Damon and PythIas to the be-
holder anxious for classical parallels and
ii either Rupert or Roland had read
"Cicero de Amicitil" he would have been
much surprised at what he found there,
The friendship was practical and English
by which epithets al superior solidity
based upon common sense was supposed
to be indicated. But solid as the friend
ship was, the time came when it broke up
altogether, not drifting slowly into indif-
ference-the common fate of such attach
ments-but being converted into act
ual dislike, and on one side, at
least, into absolute hatred. The cause
OF this difference was, OF course,
the great disturbing element in all times,
das ewige Webb. They both fell in love
with the same girl. And If there could
be any excuse for breach of friendship,
Miss Alice Hetherington might be taken
as an ample apology. Those who a few
years ago danced and dined in the great
world can hardly have forgotten that
young lady, as she fitted about the draw
ing rooms of Mayfair and Belgravia,
under the protecting wing OF Lady Heavy
top. Alice had everything or nearly
everything that a young lady ought to
have who wants to make a brilliant mar
riage. In the first place she was very rich.
Like the lady in the song, "she had gold
and she had land, ," and there was great
heaps of the gold, and in the corner of
the land was big black coal mine. where
hundreds OF men worked and made Alice
richer and richer every day. And then the
young lady was so pretty. her features
were as regular as her habits, and her ad-
nlirers could dissect their admiration and
find mouth and nose and chin all perfect
and faultless. And then her intelligence!
She took in all the reviews and read most
of them-when she had time. She was
quite accomplished, too, and PLAYED the
piano 'as we'll as most professionals" peo-
PIE said, and sang divinely-her top G be-
ing wonder of nature not unassisted by
art-and her waltZing, and her graceful
manners, and her smile so bewitching
and adOrable-whO could resist all these
Her parentage was, it must be admitted.
little obscure but then her parents were
dead, which made all the difference. Her
father had, il was believed, worked in
the coal mine | have mentioned;
but that was years before Alice was born
And then the young lady had never
known much of either of her parents, who
had both materially assisted her chances
of brilliant marriage by their early re-
tlrement to world where the society is
not supposed to be so excessive. So it
was no wonder that the young lady's So
ciety was eagerly cOurted, and that mascu-
line enthusiasm could not exhaust itself
in the semi-circular admiration of draw
ing rooms, but boldly rushed on to posi-
tive proposals, verbal and epistOlcry.
Alice showed all the letters to Lady
Heavytop, who kissed her fervently on
both cheeks, and assisted her To indite
the letters OF refusal, kind and at the same
time frm-frm enough TO crush all hope
and kind enough to show the delicate feel
ings of the writer.
"Alice has had many offers. but the
right man hasn't turned up yet" Lady
Heavytop confided to friend. with all
her advantages, / look for something quite
brilliant"
Then It was that our two friends appeared
on the scene, and her ladyship became all
attention To the signs of incipient entan-
clement. For either of the two would be
a suffer to be thought of seriously.
"Sir Roland Egham and Sir Rupert
Staines, dear" said her ladyship in one of
her confidential chats, in which she dealt
out the wisdom which was to be light to
Alice's path; "they are both eligible, most
eligible. When | say both, OF course |
mean either" (Alice had smiled "I
hope one or the other will really come
forward"
The worst OF it was they both came for
ward, and simultaneously. Alice was in
no hurry TO decide between them; she
liked them both, they were both eligible,
which was the main thing, and they were
both gOod-loOking as men go: and they
had both been in the army, and Alice was
as fond OF the military" as a nurse-maid.
Most young ladies are, for reasons which
have not been communicated to the writer
of this story. Only here Sir Rupert had
slight advantage. for he had been in
action, and had actually seen two men
killed. OF course, Alice's mind wouldn't
have remained long in suspense; what
she called her heart, assisted by the coun-
sells of Lady HeayytOp, whould have de-
cided itself, but before that fond and
huttering organ could speak, the quarrel
j have mentioned blazed out between
the two friends. For each thought
he was coneealing the state of his feelings
from everybody, and each meditated con-
fiding the sacred secret 10 his chosen
friend. Then, when the truth was evil
dent, each felt the other had betrayed the
condolences which he had meant to con-
fide in him. SO there was a soreness be-
tween the two, which sn attempt to be
very clever brought into positive quar-
rel. 1t came about in this wise: The two
friends, having danced attendance, both
literally and figuratively, on Miss Heth-
arlington dnrinO the season. continued