Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-12-08

my grandfather's."
positively started. " An old lover q
romancel" exclaimed. in bewilderment.
What do you mean? Surely woman of
Granny's time Of life couldn't"
My dear old man. there's no answering
! for q woman at any time of life " said my
cynical and sspient cousin, interrupting
me. IF her hump were twice as big as 1T
is"
at isn't a hump intcrpolated indig-
nantly.
well, the protubcrance, or excrcscence,
, or whatever you like 10 call 1t that dlsDg-
urcs her back, and If she were in her hum
dredth, instead of her sevcnty-ftth year.
Il would be impossible 10 say what she
would or would not do where a man was
concerned. They're all the same. young
and old. But it will be rather amusing to
see the reproduction of an old play-be-
tween a scventy-four and "A tender"
"COnfound the tender" | said under
nv breath. And really at that moment
felt so savage at the thought that my
pleasant evenings were all at an end, for
knew that when the old lover appeared
on the scene | should be nowherc,) and at
the same time so very nearly jealous, that
| could not help thinking. II such thing
as a man being smitten with ms grand
mother were possible, wac most certainly
emitten with mine. OF course J do not
mean TO insiuuete that the feeling |
allude TO was what / should have felt
for young woDan-tar from 1t.
But IL was nevertheless a very great
attraction. q warm admiration OF all the
dear old lady's superiOr qualities, and such
n keen appreciation Of her charming socie-
Nv. that ! often rojoiced over the happy
ci,auoc which had brought me to Prolific
ro,. Castle and made me acquainted with
her Naturally. therefore, ] felt angry and
disappointed TO think that the pleasant
CONVERSATIONS which I had so much enjoy
cd must be discontinued, and the very
first time an opportunity presented itself
/ made my plant TO her on the subject.
DO you know | have been feeling terri
blv out Of sorts and ont of spiritsthe whole
Of this dey 2" said "A | seated myself on
the sofa beside her that evening. Can
You guess the cause?"
Indeed. I cannot. my dear" she replied.
Have any of the young ladies fOuted
your or did you get bad news Or"
II don't 90 in for young ladies" l SAID
severely; land have not received any let
"Then / I'm quito puzzled-pray en-
Tighten me ;" she cried.
IFS about the General" / answered
The General! who told you about
him r" she asked, colorDG vividly as she
spoke. am
Barry, i r0lOlneo. 1t SAYS 1T ~ III
old lover Of vours, and that heis coming TO
STAY here so want 90 know what he Is Ike
and all about him"
All. nv dear, how can I tell you what
he IL like now! Most probably he is fat and
goutv by this time. But when i saw him
last-more than forty years ago-he was as
tall and a. slight as YOU are. and had ser-
Gus gray eyes very like yours, too. But
then he was not nearly as intellectual or
as"
But YOU were really fond Of him, were
You not ?" inquired.
:" So fond of him that | was nearly heart
broken when we were obliged topart. was
the reply.
"Of course it was your fault" I added.
81 mean that he could not possibly have
given you up
de. and / am very grateful for 1t; but the
fact IS il was destiny that parted US. All,
Won little know what a sad life | have had
altogether And, though every one thinks
am light-hearted because mover droOp or
make a moan, my brightness is only the
rainbow which springs from tears"
How glad YOU and he will be to meet
apain," / said. But ] cannot help re-
gardng him as an enemy, tor know That
when he comes | shall be left out ID the
cold: you will not have any time to talk to
me-"
"Oh. shall make time, as you enjoy
our chats go much"
Il never eujoved anything half as much"
l interposed truthtully.
"qhen they shall not be discontinued"
she reioined. But you are going, away:
Barry tells me that both YOU and be are
obliged to 90 up to town tomorrow to at
tend a wedding. is it not so:"
Eyes, Pm sorry TO say Dalbiac has fixed
his marriage for Wednesday next. | wish
he hadn't. But we shall be back for your
dinner party on Friday without fall-you
may reckon on us. Indeed, shall be only
too glad to return"
" And Pm sure | shall be only too pleased
to see YOU " said the old lady. and then
we began 20 talk Of other things
But, Notwithstanding these kind express
slOns and evidences Of regard on her part,
an incident occurred next morning which
bv no means tailed with them. For as
Barry kissed her when bidding her good
by, thought | ought 10 follow suit but
when bent down my head, instead of per-
hitting me to accomplish nv purpose she
drew back a. II she thought was taking
liberty. and turned her check toward me.
This, Of course, made me feel excessively
uncomfortable. and perceivlng that
looked Disconnected she repented lmne-
diatey. and said in her sweetest and soft
est tones
" Forgive me. GEAR UcOrule; DuI my
teeth are false. and ii hurts me to be kiss
False" / echoed. "Oh, please don't
ask me to believe that, for really cannot.
If they are false, nothing is true. | have
often remarked how pretty and well-pre-
served they were"
AN. my dear, it's art that conceals
art ;" SIZE cried. They are well put in,
know-hut they've cost me a small for
~, old ar ~ Nv nj
from vanity any more than young ones.
And now, good-by again, and be sure you
are back in tine"
And in q minute more we were spinning
down the carriage-drive, and when We
looked back We saw the dear old lady
standing where We had left her and waving
an adiou TO us from the hall-door.
As the wedding which we attended bore
q strong family resemblance to all other
weddings and was as dull and unntcrcst-
inc as possible, and rs nothing III the least
worthy of being recorded occurred during
orr visit to town, 1 shall pass 1t over with
ont comment and resume the thread OF my
narrative on the day that we, or rather |.
returned ~ PrOtherOe Castlc-fOr Barry
WIS detained in London and could not
come down by the same train.
On that occasion drove in by the back
entrance, and rs / knew 1t was just the
time of day when everybody would he out
Of doors, resolved that | would 90 to the
library and occupy myself by writing let
tiers there until tea time. But while | was
crossing the hall | heard the sound Of
voices, laughter. aud scufflinG of feet in
the billiard-room, and. thinking that some
fun must be gong on. | proceeded
thither instead. approaching 50 nolselessly
that the occupants We're quite unaware
of my propinquity until had opened the
door.
Directly had done so, however, stood
transfxed to the spot as If ] were turned
to stone: and the sight which met my as
tonished eyes will never fade from my re-
collection % the last hour of my life. For
there was my grandmother-my venerable
aud venerated grandmother-scampering
round the room in full tilt after Davy
Protheroe Cher youngest grandson), who
was holding ring high MP over his head,
which she was trying TO Get from him but
could not reach.
by Jove, it's St. George" cried Davy
in surprise rs soon as he caught sight Of
me. for they had not expected me to re-
turn so early.
"Geordie." exclaimed Grannyin svoice
Of horror: and tho next moment, over
come by her feelings, she sank to the