The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-06-06
MAJOR MONTHILL'S LUCK

.sIf WA Midas himself / couldn't pay
'em aIl-and I won't either. There's only
one alternative left open to me b q i
know of, and that h marrying an heiress !"
The major eyed himself critically In the
opposite mirror. He was a tall, handsome
Apollo Of o military gentleman, with we'll
preserved teeth. nice hair and whiskers,
bright hazel eyes and o general air OF
style.
AYES" quoth the major; ~ must marry
for money-and Lefty Price Is the woman.
She's ms ugly as q G~orgon-what very un-
pleasant looking females those Gorgons
must have been, by the way, to get them
selves such q reputation for nominees
but a man must overlook all minor defects
when his settlement Of life Is at stake.
I've beer q gay young bachelor long
enough; / must really turn my attention
seriously 10 Lefty Price! But there are
several preliminaries to be considered
and one is she has n lover for every day
i'm thew week, n every lover, believe, a
more genuine fortune-hunter than my
self. 1t takes policy to outgeneral SO
many s~uitors, and I've got TO look sharp
II expect to win the prize"
Miss Lefty Price was rather after the
Gorgon style OF womankind. Major
Monthill was right in his criticism Of her
style. She was fat n stout, n UNI
graceful, with a dumpy figure, a short
neck, greenish-gray eyes. reddish-brown
hair, n turned-up nose and indifferent
teeth. Her complexion was muddy
and her chi retreated' n alto ate,
sorely needed the glitter of a golden
frame TO set il off. But then Miss Letty's
grandfather was worth 100000, and then
she was consequently what the. world
called a ''capital match, People listened
when she spoke, and laughed o~bsequiously
at her jokes; and Miss Lefty, naturally OF
a confiding and credulous disposition, be-
lieved i'm il all.
With Major Monthill to will was to do,
and no sooner did he make up his mind
that he must marry and heiIess, and that
heiress Miss Letitia Price, than he set Wig
orously about concentrating the affair.
Bouquets, drives i'm the park, books and
photographs, soft glances and POLITICALLY
favored quotations, were all alike the en-
gines OF his warfare; and when at length
the time arrived, in his estimation, to
strike the final blow, he dressed himself in
the guise Of n 18th century exquisite, and
went TO call OH Miss Price.
ut seemst to me" said the heiress, who
had contrived to make her blowsy cheeks
a shade blowsier han ever by a hideous
ruby silk dress, with q scarlet cashmere
scarf Topped over il, 'that you are unusu-
ally dull this morning, Major Monthill."
The major affected to start from a deep
and absorbing reverie.
"Ah, Miss Price. you, of all others,
should not reproach me with my lack OF
Spirits" he said sentimentally.
"And why notw demanded Miss Lefty
with ~elephantine playfulness.
"Need you ask me when you know SO
well that my heart is racked by contend
ing emotions 2"
sim sure," quoth the heiress, looking
down at the points of her Marie Antoin-
nette slippers. ~ don't know why 1t
should be racked."
NUa,a.cn I lnpa Won and / lnrp mt
speak my lovem
l. ~ said Miss Price.
"Of all men, ''said Major Monthill, ~
am the least mercenary. A roof to shell
ter me from the driving storm, a crust, a
glass of clear cold water from the spring
that's all l want. Money l spurn, gold
is my bugbear! And yet, dear Letitia-
nay, let me call you thus for once-fate
has decreed that l should hopelessly lose
my heart to one who is, unfortunately
rich"
Miss Price burst into tears, and impul-
sively put her fat hand into the majors
slender palm.
''Don't talk that way, Marmaduke -
she sobbed; ''and don't look at me with
those m%ournful eyes, or you'll break my
heart!"
"Letitia, do YOU then, love me""
"Yes, yes, | do" walled the heiress. 81
love you with all my soul!"
"Alas!' groaned tho major; that two
such hearts as ours should he parted by a
wall of gold"
"But they shan't be-" asserted Lefty,
her nose growing red and her eyes twink
ling i'm the enthusiasm of the momen
"No, M~armaduke, no. Not IL grandpa
was ten times as obstinate and p~ig-headed
my Letitia ~ sighed the major. i'm q
voice honey sweet, and low as summer
winds breathing DER the twilight sea.
And when he left the Price mansion he
had the satisfaction of knowing that he
was Miss Letty's accepted lover.
He plunged ruthlessly into more debt,
to the amount of 80 Ruineas to buy a beau
tiful engagement ring to deck the fat
finger OF his afiianced the very next
morning.
alt will be a mere drop in the bucket,r
he said to himself, "when l come to
handle her cash. / hope the old gentle
man means to place i entirely at her dis
posal, and I'll see to the rest"
m Major Monthill ordered a pair of
cream-colored horses, a yacht and a villa
at Hyde for the season, on the strength of
his known engagement to old Stephen
Prices granddaughter.
just at this time-life, we all know is
proverbiatly uncertain..Mr Stephen Price
took il into his venerable head TO have n
stroke OF apoplexy and depart this ex-
istence without the ceremonial of more
than two days illness.
"The most sensible thing the old fellow
could possibly have DONE" thought his
dutiful grandson-in-law elect. "Letty'll
come into her fortune now without any
difficulty, and ] shall be a made individ-
ualr'
Miss Price received him in her new
black suit, her nose swelled with much
weeping. and her eyelids as pink as II
they had been painted all round with a
red lead pencil.
'Dear Lefty" murmured the major, his
voice attIned TO the tenderest sympathy,
d not mourn too deeply. We must all
die, and our departed friend had lived out
and three-score-and-ten years allotted to
a mans life here below
~ know IT," shifted Lefty, taking out