The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-06-08

vulgarlv snowy furniture and old port. But
/ had various ones, and, in fact, l was not
going to stint myself in the cultivation of
nv refined tastes on account of mere sordid
figures. So, on the whole, l fancied my
uncle's VULGAR suggestions were worth con-
sidering. No doubt such man as l could
easily marry moLey, but it must be good
round sum And | must have a proper
amount settled on myself, and unrestrained
liberty of action. And after such mar
riage, as there would be no need to cultivate
him any more, l should most decidedly drop
the acquaintance of Mr.. Jupp and his family.
Well, the programme fixed for the next
day was carried out completely. l arrived
at CoWes and an obese, short man, in a
dreadful suit of tWeeds, asked me if | was
Jupp's nephew the moment set foot on the
pier, adding, with a chuckle, that he knew
me by my rptiOn-whether this was
complimentary or not did not care to de-
eide.
80 you're here for wife," he began. 81
never beat about the bush, and Tom Jupp
and know each other. pve 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- daughters got
$40, 600, and amt so bad looking by candle
light"
got rid of this impetuous old man as soon
as l could, and dined at my hotel; but be-
fore could settle down to dessert he bolted
in,wouldn't dr;nk any claret, and said we
could get coffee at Violet Villa So, much
against my will, accompanied Mr.. Plum to
a pretty house near the sea. The grounds
were very well planted, the house apparent
ly 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 baronat, ard
she's always on the lookout for fcllers with
out cash. But, never you mind-male play
with your good looks. Ady's got a will of
her own. And she's seen the world. Her
father was Consul at several places in the
Lcvant, and his brother was in the currant
line there and left his niece his fortune.
Here we are"
He rang, and in a minute or two re
markably neat and pretty servant smilin%ly
opened the door, as if Mr.. Plum We're Il IA
miliar visitor. We entered pretty hall
and then charming drawing-room where
sat portly lady with keen dark eyes which
looked through very forbidding spectaclcs.
Mr.. Plum introduced me, and received by
no means gushing reception; but was OPP
positc mirror, and my own reflection CON
soled me. Then Mr.. Plum began, as I
thought, with ratho forced G0mh0asie, to
talk to the lady about 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 scrutinizing
me in most particular manner as | wished
her goodbye. Outside, old Plum chucllled.
'She gucsSes what you're after,n he said;
'she can smell rat anywhere-clevGr
woman
AS we turned corner we met a young
lady attended by hobbledehoy in cricket
suit. This was, supposed, Ada Clcgson.
So it proved.
"Ah, Miss Ady," roarod my companion,
Cow are you! Let me Introduce Mr.. Reg
ina1d Lesterley, the nephew of very old
chum o. mine.n She bowed abruptly, |
with my usual graceful ease and ] took
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-loolSing, even # she were
passable by candlelight. Why can not the
heiresses be pretty girlss This is q problem
worth studying.
We turned and walked back, re-entered
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 expert
enced i'll such matters, Ada Was much i'm
pressed by my looks and manners. | mar
rated my London experiences and acquaint-
ancestor the most part truthfully. |
glanced at my foreign tours and adventures
wholly untruthfully. On the whole, | am
of opinion l behaved with much greater
tact than the prejudiced Uncle Jupp would
ever have credited me with. For first in
terview l, as Mr.. Plum assured me when we
came out, made play considerably. And
l certainly thought deserved well of my
uncle.
The days passed on, and my intimacy at
Violet Villa became great. That pretty
servant who could see was as apprcciative
as her young mistress of my good looks
pity the pair'couldn't exchange faccs-wel-
coined me with smile as if | We're an &C
credited inmate Of the house. Ada was
always glad to see me- Only Mrs. Clegson
remained Lnthawed. When looked at her
| always felt she was likely, if any one, to be
responsible for the affair being Numbered"
as Uncle Jupp once or twice wrote me brief
notes to beware of. Another thing was
lsi'I SOiLlC SUI "a WlJIllll lllllLS
though | never could quite tell what, over
her daughters marriage. She took care
never to allow a tete-d-tete between me and
Ada; and she had all the letters taken up to
her room in post-bag in the morning, of
which bag she kept the key, while at all
other hours she always watched for the
postman, so that the opportunities of speak
ing my mind were always difficult.
Well, thus things went on, when there
arrived on a vista nephew of Mrs Clcgson,
a clean-shaven, sallow, hawk-eyed man,
who was in some big company as general
manager, and, have no doubt, had "made
his pile' out of the shareholders. Anyhow
he had some money, so the old lady liked
him, though believe Ada only treated him
as a cousin. He was an ugly dog, with the
worst cut clothes l ever saw, and sharp,
brusque, energetic way of moving which I
hated. 1 always did admire the Neapolitan
lazzaroni more than any other class. But,
to come to the point, as Mr.. Jupp Is always
bothering me to do, old Plum said he
thought my chances would be improved by
Ned CutefS being down at Ccwes and ad-
vised me to strike while the iron was 'ot.
But was it hots 1 had never got so far as
the brink of a proposal and was a very
bad hand at making any formal speech
whatever. Besides, how could fellow do
it when the girls mother ALWAYS watched