Omaha daily bee., 1889-05-20

for rolling cigarettes.
dined as gentleman should, and
over u really unsurpassable bottle OF
Burgundy reflected on my Cowes eXpe-
dition. II seemed a great pity that
man with my personal gifts should be
the victim of matrimony; but even that
resource was better than existing-it
men can exist IN the proper seuse OF
the word-on el00 a year. And | was
in debt. It's all very well, but you
can't expect man OF society to look
at these things like n grubby man of
business. | had expensive tastes, and
ought to have had Mr.. jumps money.
He had none, except for vulgarly snowy
furniture and old port. But l had vari-
Gus ones, and, in fact, / was not going
to stint myself in the cultivation of my
refined tastes on account OF mere sordid
figures. So, on the whole, fancied my
uncle's vulgar suggestions we're worth
considering. No doubt such man as
| could easily marry money. hut it must
be a good round sum. And | must
have a proper amount settled on myself,
and unrestrained liberty Of action.
And after such marriage, as there
would be no need to cultivate him any
more, should most decidedly drop the
acquaintance Of Mr.. Jupp and his fam
lily.
next day was carried out completely.
Uncle Jupp called and paid my rent and
various other liabilities-not, of course,
like n gentleman, but grumbling in
most ill-bred way at the amount. Then
he went with me to Waterloo station
and personally conducted me to my car
riage for Southampton. believe he
would have liked to have put me under
the guards charge, to see that ar
rived at Cowes. And as the train
moved OIL he roarcd out he'd written
to Plum!"
arrived at Cowes, and an obese, short
man, in a dreadful suit of tweed, asked
me if | was Jupp's nephew the moment
| set foot on the pier, adding, with
chuckle, that he knew me by my de-
cription-whether this was compli-
| mentary or not did not care to decide.
$50 you're here for u wife?"he began.
| 81 never beat about the bush, and Tom
| Jupp and | know each other. I've got
one looked out for you. No time like
| the present. I'll call at your 'otel in
'alf an hour and take you round to Mrs.
| Clegson 's-daughter's got 10000, and
| ain t so bad-loolling by candle-light.
| got rid of this impetuous old man as
| soon as | could, and dined at my hotel;
| but before could settle down to dessert
| he bolted in, wouldn't drink any claret,
and said we could get coffee at Violet
| Villa. So. much against my will, ac-
companied Mr.. Plum to n pretty house
near the sea. The grounds were very
| comfortable. AS we walked up the little
drive, Mr.. Plum said, soto voce:
Mrs, Clegson's doosid sharp; don't
want Ady to marry any one under
baronet, and she's always on the look
| out for fellers without cash. But,never
you mindmake play with your good
looks. Ady's got will of her own.
| And she's seen the world. Her father
was consul at several places in the
Lavant, and his brother was in the cur
rant line there and left his niece his
| fortune. Here we are"
| He rang, and in minute or two n re-
markably neat and pretty servant smil-
ingly opened the door, as if Mr.. Plum
| were II familiar visitor. We entered a
! pretty hall and then q charming draw
| ing room, where sat a portly lady with
keen dark eyes which looked through
very forbidding spectacles Mr.. Plum
| introduced me, and | received by no
means gushing reception; but | was
opposite mirror and my own reflection
consoled me. Then Mr.. Plum began ,as
| thought. with rather forced bonhomie,
to talk to the lady about the various
local matters, carefully avoiding any
mention of Miss Clegson, ,who,it seemed,
from an allusion casually made, was out
at garden party. BY and by we left,
| Mrs. Clegson scrutlniZing Inc in most
peculiar manner as | wished her good
| by. Outside, old Plum chuckled. 'She
| guesses what you're after" he said;
"she can smell rat anywhere-clever
| woman"
| / said nothing; really these vulgar
commercial people have hyphotizing
effect on me. AS we turned corner
we met young lady attended by a
hobbledehoy in a cricket suit. This
was, | supposed, Ada Clegson. So 1t
proved.
"Ah, Miss Ady," roared my compan-
ion, sow are you? Let me introduce
Mr.. Reginald Lesterley, the nephew of
very old chum o. mine" She bowed
abruptly, l with my usual graceful ease,
and l took a good look at my future
wife. Good eyes, dark and keen, sallow
complexion, nose and lips too coarse, hair
fluffy and black; on the whole not good
looking even if she were passable by
candlelight. Why cannot the heiresses
be pretty girls? This is a problem
worth studying.
We turned and walked back, re-en-
tered the house on her invitation, and
found Mrs. Clegson an iceberg. But
| her daughter was evidently mistress,
and her mamma had to tolerate me.
could see, for | am experienced in such
matters, Ada was much impressed by
my looks and manners. l narrated my
London experiences and acquaintances
for the most part truthfully. glanced
at my foreign tours and adventures
wholly untruthfully. On the whole, 1
am OF opinion l behaved with much
greater tact than the prejudiced Uncle
Jupp would ever have credited me with.
For first interview |, rs Mr.. Plum as
sured me when | came out, made play
considerably. And / certainly thought
| deserved we'll of my uncle.
The days passed on, and my intimacy
at Violet villa became great. That pret-
ty servant, who l could see was as APP
preciative as her young mistress of my
good looks--pity the pair couldn't eX-
change faces-welcomed me with a
smile as if | were an accredited inmate
Of the house. Ada was always glad to
see me. Only Mrs. Clegson remained
nnthawed. When l looked at her /
always felt sne WAS likely, if any one, to
be responsible for the affair
"being blundered," as Uncle Jupp
once or twice wrote me brief notes to
beware Of. Another thing was, she had