The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-01-25

pass StatlOncr SnOp winch d1Spluyeu
in the window collection of photo
craps of theatrical and other notabili-
ties of the day, and there he had the
grim satisfaction of beholding like
ness Of the lady who had been mentioned
by Mr.. Carlow. She was n young per-
son of a prominent type of beauty, and
Mr.. Brown shuddered as he gazed upon
her meretricious charms. He resolved
on the spot that he would make any
pecuniary sacrifice in order to release
his unhappy son from the tolls of this un-
desirable siren, and his subsequent
meditation partook rather of the nature
of lamentation than of deliboration
upon his course of action.
But he, nevertheless, carefully re-
hearsed in his own mind, in the privacy
of his official sanctum, the line of ar
gument which he should take with the
young lady, and, having done this and
put a roll of bank notes in his pocket,
he sailed forth to Brompton, full of
sturdy resolution, and not without a
faint hope that young Carlow's informa-
tion might prove exaggerated.
He was relieved to find, on reaching
Miss Lola Bells address, that the young
lady was within, and, having, with some
trepidation, given his assumed name of
Tcmplemore, he was ushered into q
daintily furnished sitting room, where
he found his hostess gracefully reclin-
ing on sofa, reading yellow-backed
novel and smoking fragrant cigarette.
If old Mr.. Brown was not unnatur-
ally confused at finding himself in the
presence of this ruddy-haired divinity,
the latter seemed also somewhat discon-
certed at the appearance of her visitor,
for she fixed her lustrous eyes upon him
with startled expression, and furtively
dropped the cigarette into a bowl of gold
fish.
1--WE called to speak to you on the
subject of-of namesake of mine,"
said old Mr.. Brown, cautiously.
"Are you his father?" inquired the
beauty, assuming less neglige atti-
tude.
"Yes, am his father" said NJ.
Brown, taking his cue.
"He has told you, suppose that he
wants me to marry him" said Miss Bell,
in her most dulcet tones.
II have called to convince you,
madam, that such marriage is out of
the question" returned old Mr.. Brown,
turning very red, but speaking with
considerable firmness.
why, may ask?" inquired the lady,
sharply.
Because, madam, replied Mr.. Brown,
wisely controlling his temper; my son
is not in position to maintain wife.
Besides which he is very young-a mere
boy"
But I'm not very DID," retorted the
lady.
No, you are young enough, and l
will add, with your permission, beau
tiful enough, to do good deal better
for yourself than that" returned the
willy old diplomatist.
"Where the heart is engaged, Mr..
Templemore, poor girl does not always
consider her own interests" said the
lady, with a gentle heave of her bosom.
"There is a vast difference, madam,
between self-interest and absolutely sui
cidal imprudencc," said old Mr.. Brown,
impressively. ''If you marry my son,
you marry a pauper, and of that l give
you due and solemn warning"
"You are very unkind," said the
beauty, making a little 'moue" and
brushing lace handkerchief lightly
across her eyes. 81 call it brutal"
son the other hand" resumed the
old gentleman, watching her anXiously,,
and gaining considerable encouragement
from his observation, ''if you will give
him his congo, and promise not to marry
him, might, perhaps, ahem!-make it
worth your while"
''How much?" murmured the beauty
between her vermillion lips, as she
gazed at her visitor with bewitching
smile of languid interest.
"Well-ahem!--yo is rather
abrupt, said the old gentlemen, scarcely
less scandalized than delighted at the
lady's evident heartlessness. May in
quire what guarantee / shall have-sup-
posing we came to an arrangement
that you will carry out your part?"
What is a guarantee?" I'll sign any
papers you like, said the lady artlessly,
land I'll start off for Paris tomorrow"
without letting my son know where
you have gomez" said Mr.. Brown, anx-
iously.
LA! yes. / don't want to have row
with him. / hate rows" said the lady,
gently.
And his letters?" inquired the old
gentleman, overioyed at the success of
his negotiations.
'I've never kept them. If find any
anywhere about you shall have 'em, and
welcome" said his fair companion, care
lesslv opening one after another the
drawers of an adjacent escritoire.
These preliminaries having been ar
ranged, the only question that remained
to be settled was the all-important one
of the amount of the douceur. This
gave rise to somewhat animated-not
to say heated-discussion and old Mr.
Brown was not little startled by the
extortionate nature of the lady's de-
mands. But this trait of her amiable
character, much as it disgusted him,
served to render him the more anxious
to complete the bargain by deeply i'm
pressing him with his adversary's un-
scrupuloasness. In his anxiety to de-
liver his son, and-indirectly-himself
from her clutches, he permitted himself
to be bled pretty freely but he had the
satisfaction, when he finally took his
departure of carrying away with him, in
addition to a written undertaking in
Miss Lola Bells classic hand, firm
conviction that she was not likely to
encourage Jacks attentions any more.
The next day he had the further