Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-07-04
By HORACE TOWNSEND.
Copyright 1883 by S. s. Mcclure.
IN THREE PARTS
PARTI.

cigarettes; above the clatter of china and
the tinkle of glasses rose the confused
roar, like the crash of pebbles on a surf
beaten shore, of a multitude of voices;
every table in the large, square, pillar
divided room was occupied, and every
man seemed to be talking his loudest at
one and the same time. But as they
were attending TO their duties, the
walters could hardly make their way be-
tween the tables, so crowded were the
passage-ways with men in evening dress
on the lookout for some seat, now occu-
pied, to be vacated. 1t was nearly u
O'Clock on cold, clear winters night;
the theater, just emptied, had furnished
their quota to swell the crowds who at
this hour and season fill the curious
establishment, half club room, half pub
lie restaurant, which holds a relation
ship to New York society shared by none
of Its rivals in other cities of the world,
while there was perceptible influx OF
downy-moustached young fellows with
very high collars and very shiny boots,
who hal looked in for final cigarette
before making their way to the ball room
up stairs, whence already hoated down a
few preliminary notes of melody from
the gallery enshrined orchestra.
care you goin to the Racket club,
'Gene,' asked one OF these languid
young men of friend he had just met the
said friend being an exact counterpart of
the questioner in every detail of dress,
from the top of his high silk hat to the
tips of his patent feathers, while even the
clean shaven faces with their impertur-
able expression and vacuous stares are
so much alike that the two look like twin
brothers.
"No,'' is the drawing answer,
"awf 'ly sorry, for wanted to see that
set-to, but you see I'm booked for the
affair upstairs. Promised my sisters
faithfully would be there
Much better come and see the fight.
Dancin IS awf'ly slow work, and Ire got
a sure tip that I'll give you fre& gratis
an for nothin', if you'll come8IEth me,
old fellow -
Thanks; but must do soothing to
put the girls in good huYnor they help
of the guy nor. Besides. z want to see
Miss Nugent. She IS uncomhmonly pretty,
they say, besides havjn' a heap of
Doodle. But I've time for a drink, so
let's sit down for a. minute,' and the
gilded youths drop unto two places they
spy at table near by, and are soon sip
ping them aUsmThe frappe, and discussing
the two subjects nearest their youthful
hearts-beauty and braWn-Or ballet girls
and prize fighters.
AT another sat couple of young men
OF very different stamp, though they too
were talking of the ball that was going
on stairs, and which was first assem-
bly, ball of the season.
$50 you have determined to put your
fate to the touch tonight, Jack?' the
elder of the two was saying, a tall slim
man with STOPPING shoulders, a dropping
blonde moustache and voice the bass
deepness of which was out of all seeming
to his frame. This was Ha-
rold Proudfoot, the city editor of the New
York Daily Chronicle, and his com
panion to whom he addressed the query,
a handsome, athletic looking youngster
with dancing brown eyes and dark hair
and moustache, was Jack Hous-
ton, who, being blessed with
q healthy appetite and a suffi-
sufficient income, painted a little, wrote
q little and enjoyed himself great deal
he blushed in boyish manner as he an
swered the question in the affirmative
and Proudfoot, whose share of any co ,
versation generally consisted in q success
sion of questions, went on: land e
young woman is the daughter of OLD DaV
NuEent, the Californian? Aren I Won
lying Of rather high game, my boy? Her
father, though l have never met him,
and only speak from hearsay, is not only
/ millionaire several times over, but as
ambitious man as there is in the city of
New York. -
rs fond of Grace as fellow can be, and
-hink she likes me, so what does it mat
.er whether her father has So 900 900 or
u cents?'
"a Not much to you, perhaps. but a
treat deal TO him, said Proudfoot
yrimly, ''and so you may find when YOU
lsk him for his blessing -
"Oh! as for that, - SAID Houston with
rather self-conscious laugh. s'I have
very reason TO believe he viii do the
father act to perfection. ="
"What makes you think so?''
owen, it's rather a mOrtifving con-
ession to make Herald, but [ fancy it's |
because / am the grandson of my grand |
ather and the nephew of my aunt. You
zee Mt. Nugent is a cool-headed, hard !
hearted man of the world, and how such |
block of granite can DE the father of a
-irl like Grace passes my comprehension. |
3ut that is neither here nor there. The |
main and satisfactory point is that he Is |
perfectly willing TO accept me as SON |
n-law with all my imperfections on my |
ead, in view of the fact that my family |
will be of use TO him -
81 see, - said Proudfoot dryly, 1.-the /
lebeian millionaire humbry Graves an |
lliance with the noble house of Hous-
on. Your great-grandfather, Jack,
ras an Indian trader, was he not?''
'fDon't be so Internally sarcastic.
That sort of thing NAV do |
cry well for the Daily Chronicle. but
s wretched bad form, and Won know |
t. ism t my fault if my people are
7ell known; and as it will help me 70 !
marry the girl love always supposlng
be will have me) Though there was |
n air about the young fellow as he put
4 this saving clause which showed that
he prospect of a refusal did not worry
i'm over much-'fwhy, am deueed
lad of it. You know my aunt is to
haperon Miss Nugent Tonight -
ssWeu, my boy, - replied the older
lan, styou seem TO have the game in
orr favor, so III take one more whisky
/, d water to wish you good luck with
Z II wooing ana then III so down town