The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-02-08

secret of her feelings, and wore her en-
gagement ring openly. Mrs. Burroughs,
who liked Cooke, tacitly aided and
abetted. 1t soon became known that
Bittles frowned on Cooke, and folks
were curious to learn how the affair
would end, as though, in such case,
with two willful young persons, it could
end in any way but one. Bittles was
duly informed of his open courtship, and
the lectures he bestowed on Lefty in con-
sequence only increased his wards dis
like to himself, until it deepened to posi-
tive aversion.
Bittles trusted to time and the chances.
He did not believe that Lefty, when the
pinch came, would sacrifice so large
portion of her property for mere girlish
love, which might be destroyed at any
time by lovers quarrel; nor that Cooke,
whom he had brought himself to believe
had mercenary motives, would care to
take her with so much less money. Nine
thousand year to one of Letty's expen-i
sive habits meant almost exclusive rural
residence; and he knew that Lefty did
not like living in the country, except
during the time of flowers and sunshine,
and then varied by Newport and Sara
toga. Bittles waited, not without hope.
He had calculated on an ally in his
sister, and, to insure her CO operation,
told her of his hopes and fears, She
laughed at him.
James," she said, this is the most
absurd thing possible. She is about half
your age. You have staid, old bachelor
habits. and Lefty, though she's good
girl, is fond of life, society and racket.
She'd drive you mad in six months, and
put you in the grave in less than year.
| If you must make an exhibition of your
self matrimonially, choose some rich
widow of 80 to 40, who would suit you
better"
"Hang rich widows!"
"Quite polite and complimentary, con-
sidering that am widow with a COM
Portable income. You had better give it
up. I have sounded Lefty to the depths,
and know that she loves young Cooke;
and he is-barring fortune-a capital
mate for her. l would have preferred
her to have made richer match, but
they will have enough between them"
"No, they'll not; for will never give
my consent. I'll take her from you--lock
her up, if need be-
"You are lawyer, and know better,
James. You may refuse your consent,
though every one will penetrate your
motives and laugh at you; but as to the
locking up-they do such things in plays
and novels, not in real life."
"She is under my control until she is
81"
"Oh, yes-doubtless; that is, nominal
| ly--for three months more. Then she'll
marry in spite of you. If you strip her
of all but five thousand a year, you'll in
cur general reproach and gain no salts
faction in the long run. The best you
can do is to keep off the wedding for a
short time. Give in. If you were ten
years younger / might strain a point to
help you-not as it is"
| As the Irish peasant girls say, 'she
was as stiff as he was stout" and Bittles
fell back on his move of the forfeiture,
which he thought would deter both par
ties for some time, and, in the mean
| while, no one could tell what chance
| quarrel, newer face or the whims of a
| woman might do.
| Just then fate seemed to come to the
assistance Of the guardian lover. 1t as
sumed the shape of new sutton, or
| something like it, and, to the delight of
Bittles, it was also Virginian-Maj.
Boiling
Fire fight fire." thought Bittles.
Maj. Phil Boiling was considerably
older than Carter Cooke, as he should
have been, since he had fought in the
sectional war, ridden with Jeb Stuart,
and tasted the horrors of prison life at
| Elmira Originally in comfortable cir
| cumstances, the war had stripped him of
much, and reduced him to plantation
on tidewater, large but not profitable,
and some houses at Richmond, whose
rents formed his income. The major
was of the old school, popular with the
ladies. to whom he showed respect
almost reverential, and liked to come
north for two or three months-his win
tering there, and his summering at the
White Sulphur, consuming his surplus
means. He was very much attracted by
Lefty Archer, and she liked to chat with
him, and draw out his old fashioned
courtesy. They moved in the same set
and met frequently.
Carter Cooke was at this time called
southwark on business, and the major
sli into his place in spite of his years
and displayed an attentiveness that led
people to suspect that he had preten-
sions. To the surprise of Mrs. Bur-
roughs this grew into an almost conf
Dental intimacy. Cooke seemed to have
been forgotten in his absence, and Bit
ties chuckled. The gallant ex-officer
showed himself to be under a spell, and
expressed his admiration in the most
positive terms.
81 assuah you, my deah madam" said
he to the widow, "that Miss Ahchuh is a
young lady, that, besides her youth and
beauty, has mo- of the cotely mannah of
the fuhst families of Virginiah than any
gentlewoman except yourself, that I have
had the good fawohune to meet yet in
society"
Lefty and the major got along IA
mously. and his adulation apparently
quite supplied the absence Of Cooke.
This was supplemented by the atten-
lions of her guardian, who became kind
and bland again.
Letty's twenty-irst birthday came
around, and Mrs. Burroughs stately man.
sion was thrown open in honor of the
event. 1t was an informal reception, to
last during the day. The major was
specially invited; 80 was Carter Cooke,
who had just returned from his place at
Highover, where he had been superintend.
ing repairs and alterations in the old
family mansion. Bittles was there, OF
course, gorgeously arrayed in honor of the
occasion.
About noon Lefty was missing, and
the absence of the major was noted.
Cooke had not yet come. Lefty was not
to be found in the house. but one of the
servants had noticed that she and the
major had gone out together, entered a
coach in waiting on the corner, and been
driven away. It was most extraordi-
nary, and Bittles grew excited over the
fact. The guests present heard of it, and
admitted that it was a singular thing at
such time. 1t was, probably, a girlish
freak, to result in some surprise; and SO
it proved.
At / o'clock number Of coaches drew
up before the door. From the foremost
of these descended the major, who handed
out Lefty, who was followed by Cooke.
From the other coaches there alighted a
| number of sfthe set - IT, yae on;ta , III