Mexico weekly ledger., 1889-06-20

SHALL I DO IT?
"What a fool you areln was the polite
ejaculation of Mr.. Richard Oxford, as they
entered tie carriage and were driven away,
Hthe most Internal ass l ever sawl"
"Pogrqhoi gu coolly responded Fairfax.
"Ponrquoii' repeated Dick, III angry aston
ishment. because the finest girl in all Eu-
rope, not even excepting the Princess-and
I admit she's hard to beat-to-night showed
more interest in you than she was ever
Known to show in any man before; and she's
seen every body from the biggest lord down
to the smallest baronet. Scores of splendid
fellows have been completely gone over her,
and only too ready to treat the faintest smile
Is a sign Of hope. Why you c~onsummate
Idiot she waited with you, talked with you,
watched you like a lynx all the time, and,
what Is more, held out her hand to you when
she said Good-night'-an it's deuced sell
dom she ever takes the trouble even to say
sGood-night'-do you heal that, you deaf
and blind d~olt!-held out her pretty hand in
her most fascinating manner, and gave you
look that might have melted any thing but
q senseless blockhead; she said she was
glad to meet you, and actually asked you to
call upon her! Heavens! You, an humble,
~unheard-ef teacher IN that low, plebeian
America, to call upon n Of our nobility!
AIA1 you stoDu Ds uAe Soiu JUN IL "ol
bic, and simply nodded that deyilish SORROW
smitten head Of yours, I'm utterly pros
sratedl This is too much for mel
: Dick, after this tremendous burst of ora
tory, the peroration of which was delivered
In the most tragic manner and hair-lifting
tones, entirely collapsed and sank back on
the seat, ~InuTmuring, softly:
40 for a oraught ofEintage,
Cooled q long time ID the deep-delvedearthf'"
Even Fairfax could not repress q smile.
lie said, quietly:
s1'm sorry
siSorry! vii you hear him, He says he's
lsorryi Why, man she's worth her millions
IAN only child; and a purer and more love
liz being never walked the earth. She is, by
tal odds, the handsomest woman in the mar
Iket to-day. acknowledge that the Princess
lis deyilish handsome, but she's out Of the
question: soul from another world; to be
lworshiped at a distance; a sort of cold, pure,
Iethe, essence, without a being. Beside
al that, you can't get at her. She receives
no visitors, and hasn't for the last two years.
There's no chance there. It's very surpris-
ing thx she ever broke her rule to come
here tonight. She's never been out, they
say, since her brothers death"
tsBut," continued he, turning toward his
companion, whats the matter with you at
any ratel Inever saw n man so changed in
SIX short hours
sI think you are mistaken, Dick, with re-
gard to the Lady Lydia. She simply
treated me as a casual acquaintance
"Casual fiddlesticks! I'd like to be treat.
ed one twentieth as casually, and if I were
not Lord Lydia within a twelvemouth it
wouldn't be my fault, l can assure you.
Humpht"
After o moments reflection, the irrepres.
sible youth continued:
~ must say, my boy, I never saw you ap-
pear SO well. Never. You looked most
distingxe. Tn dignity and ttase air you saw
at to assume became you devilish well and
made you the most interesting masculine
there, in the eyes of more than one senti,
mental female. Upon the whole you were
the most noticeable fellow there; and p
added he, with astounding self-complaccncy,
'when I'm around, that's saying Il great
deal. Inever saw such an altered individ.
a Secretly, old fellow, / felt proud OF
you. A fellow who could so eoolly receive
the advances of such q woman must neces,
Isarily make a sensation. Every body was
asking who you were. Hang it ALI ]
wasn't going to tell them that you were
Ionly o tutor. So l gave you a status equal
Ito your looks and the impression you had
tcreated. Trust me for that, my son. And
now to think that you must leave tomorrow
land forego this superb chance It's toe
much for human nature to endurcr'
81 am not going tomorrow quietly re
piled Fairfax.
! tWhat! Good for you, old man! 1 thought
you had more sense than to let such q
chance slip"
sfYou're mistaken. l haven't the least
- - rl-- -. 49, l. 1.---
pointed look on his friends face. he added
81 have other fish to fry, and far better
too"
"WhatI' queried Dick.
'sThat I can't tell you, now, but l want
your assistance and-the first time I have
ever really asked for 1.-THE loan of consid
cradle cash.
"You shall have it, old fellow" was thu
eager reply.
sIisten, Dickf Arc you with me for {
scheme requiring much nerves Let me tel
you, 1t is something rather venturesome
You never before have been and probably
never hereafter, will be, asked to take par
In so unusual an adventure
my friend, I never n you to under
take O thing that had not something com
tmendable about il. I'm with you, most de
tcidedly.n
An night Fairfax tossed feverishly abou
iupon his bed. He scarcely slept. In al
surd and ~extravagant idea had suggests
Itself to him. He put it away again an
tagain. Each time it returned with over
whelming force. Even he, reckless as h
was, felt daunted at its boidness. It droy
him nearly wild. When he got q wink o
sleep, his mind was full of it, In dreams,
became doubly disturbing.
'sAnd pray, what was this wild idea tina
so harrasssed himsn asks some reader.
Let Mr.. Fairfax reply, as he bhndly rea
sons with himself: Tomorrow Is the DIS
Two set for leaving America, at any rats
Icanst stay longer, because I've hardly cas-
enough TO take me back. lie. alone reEaainin
hero any longer. Beside, fTdid stay, ever
IN Apd every body points TO the fact tbs
would probably never see her again. Sh