The Washington critic. (Washington City, D.C.) 1890-1890, 1890-02-16

and wealthy family. She also testified
some anxiety as To the view Van lIaubiiy
ST., might take Of his sons matrimonial
project, and as to how far he misht
approve of hasty and unceremonious
wedding.
But the gallant artilleryman had an
answer to everything. lie pledged
himself, which he was perfectly safe in
doing, that his father would moi nt
tempt in the slightest degree TO control
his inclinations or interfere with his
projects; extolled the delights OF an
autumDal tour with his wife and
motber.in.law before returning IN Hol.
land; in short, was so plausible in his
arguments, so specious and pressing.
pleaded so elOquently the violence ~
his love and inutility Of delay, and
oNcrrulCd objections with such copent
reasoning that he achieved complete
talumph, and 1t was agreed that in
one week Van Haubitz should lead his
adored Emile TO the hymeneal altar
"Thero will be small matter 10 mr.
range with respect TO Emile" said
Madame Sendel, in her blandest tones.
and with aflectation of embarrassment.
she has an engagement at the Vienna
theatre which must, of course. now be
broken off. There is n forfeit to pay,
no very heavy sum, added She
ms Not word about that" inter.
rupted Van, whose blood curdled In his
veins at the mere idea of canceling the
engagement ON which his hopes were
built. ~ here is no hurry for few
days. Let me once call Emile mine
and ] take charge Of all those matters "
Emile smiled angelically Madame
patted her considerable son in law on
the shoulder and applied to her snuff
box to conceal her emotion, and, all
matters of business being thus salts.
factorily settled, the evening closed in
harmony and bliss.
Are you for Frankfort to-day?"
said Van Haubitz, when he had con.
cluded his eXuting narrative, and
without giving me time for congratu.
lations, which / should have been at a.
loss to offer. Il am off, after break
fast, to get some diamond earrings and
other small matters for my adorable.
l shall be glad of your taste and
opinion"
"Diamondsp' exclaimed. Fare
well, then, to the thousand franc
"Poohi Nonsensel You don't sup
pose throw away my last cash that
way. The Frankfort jewellers know me
well, or think they do, which is the
same thing. They have seen enough
OF my coin since | have been at HON
burg. For them, as for my excellent
er-in-law, ] am the wealthy part
ner in the undoubted good firm of Van
Haubitz, Krummwinkel & Co. l never
told them so; if they choose to i'm.
agine II am not to blame. NV credit
is good The diamonds shall be paid
for--if paid for they must be-out of
MAZDA ne Van Haubitz's first quarters
salary"
was meditating an excuse for not
&C componying my pertinacious and I'M
scrupulous acquaintance on his cruise
against the Frankfort Israelites, when
he resumed
by the by" he said, "you will come
to church with us. have arranged it
all, Quite private, for reasons good.
Nobody but yourself, Madame Sendel
and Emile. You shall act as father
and give away the BRIDE
The start | gave at this alarming an
nouncement nearly broke the bed. This
was carrying things rather too far. Not
satisfied with rendering me, by his in
trusive and unsolicited confidence, a
sort of tacit accomplice in his ma
MOWERS, this Dutch Gil Bias would
fain make me an active participant. l
drew at sight on my imagination,
quickened by the peril. for letter re.
ceived the previous evening from q dear
and near relative, who lay dangerously
i'll at Baden Baden, and TO whose sick
bed it was absolutely necessary I should
immediately repair; and, jumping up,
l began to dress in all haste. rang
furiously for the bill and q carriage,
and requested Van Haubitz to present
my excuses to the ladies, my unex-
pected departure at that early hour de-
priving me of the pleasure of taking
leave OF them. The Dutchman swore
all manner of duRderretters and sacro-
meHts that he was grieved at nv de-
parture, trusted should find nv friend
better, and return to Frankfort in
time for the marriage, but did not press
me to DO SO, and in reality was too ex-
hilarated by the success of his m achi
NATIONS TO care a straw about the mat
ter. And saying he must go and write
TO Amsterdam, he shook me by the
hand and left the room, whistling in
loud and joyous key the burthen of
Dutch march. In less than an hour I
was on the road to Frankfort, and that
evening l reached Heidelberg, where
some friends of mine had passed the
summer. | expected to find them still
there, but they had left for Baden
Baden.
Thither / pursued them, and-as if
II were a judgment on me for my white
lie to the Dutchman-arrived there the
morrow of their departure. Baden was
thinning, and they had gone down
stream; ! must have passed them on the
thine. Having strong reasons to see
them before they left Germany, fol-
lowed upon their trail. But their move
ments were rapid and eccentric, and
after tracking them to one or two of
the minor baths, the chase led me back
to Frankfort. Here l made sure TO
catch them, or resolved to give up the
hunt.
A week had been consumed in thus
travelling TO and fro. had no great
fancy Tor returning TO Frankfort, lest
my friend the Dutchman should still
be there, and press his society upon
me, of which, after his recent revela-
tions, ! was anything but ambitious
Upon the whole, however, l thought Il
likely he would have departed. /
knew he would accelerate his marriage
as. much as possible; / had been nine
days absent, which gave him ample
time to get over the ceremony and leave
the neighborhood. BY way of pre-
caution l resolved to keep pretty close
in my hotel during the period of my
stay. which was not to exceed one or
two days.
On arriving at the white Swan" I
found my friends were staying there,
but had driven over to Homburg, I'm,