Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1890-10-18
"Ohl don't, pray. for heavens sake


now holds up his hat before his face with
his left hand while making dramatic
deprecatory gesture with his right.
! At this moment, however, their COM
munings are cut short by the entrance
Through the open window of John Dal-
yell himself. He has already seen his
mothers admirer that day, so he uncere-
moniously throws himself into the near
est armchair with view to making .
third in their conversation, whatever it
chances to be about.
You may notice as he does so that how
ever much his inner man may be def
cient in what Lady Charlotte calls accent,
there is not much fault to find with John,
80 far as externals are concerned. A
tall, dark young man, with large intel
ligent eyes, rather pale but healthy
complexion, full lips, good teeth and
wavy hair. almost black in hue and worn
trife longer than the wonted military
cut-such is John Dalyell to look at. If
he be truly as pleased as his mother at
the engagement he has recently entered
into with Miss Peyton, well-all that can
be said is that he is pleased sadly. There
is not a spark of the jolly, thriving wooer
in his gait or aspect. and his whole bear
ing, which is in every way distinguished,
is marked by degree of repose almost
amounting to listlessness.
"Been over to the manor, John" asks
his mother brightly; "but of course you
have. Oh! these lovers, these lovers!
Well, it is the happiest season of life
the vanishing season. Moore calls it
somewhere"
"Ha-a! Beautiful" throws in the
susceptible Price soto voce.
"No, mother" answers her only off
spring frankly, yawning, marian and l
are to ride after luncheon. She was ex-
pecting friend from the north this
morning-a Miss-I forget who. They
have not met for ages-about six weeks,
believe, and-I was not wanted"
"Oh! l remember" says Lady Char
lotte, slight cloud passing over her
face. "a little nobody with a grand
sounding name. Why Marian could not
leave her among her Cumberland hills l
can't think; but she has way of picking
up odd people"
"Does that include me?" asks John,
smiling to show he intended this for a
mild joke.
Nonsense; / should have thought an
old saying about, 'Two's company ct
cetera, might have occurred both to Ma
rian and you at this time. Why did you
let her ask this girl?'
marian never consulted mel" he re-
plies astonished, land by the bye, she
didn't invite her. Miss-a-Templemor
wrote and asked if she might come"
When, about an hour later, John rode
over to the manor he found both ladies
equipped ready to mount.
What contrast they presented as they
stood on the steps leading from the grand
entrance! 1t was very battle of charms,
and victory would be given to either, ac-
cording to the taste and fancy of the UNI
pire.
Perhaps it would be more just to pro-
nounce it drawn battle. The blonde, for
such was Kate, had the doubtful advant-
age of being the younger by five years-we
say doubtful, for is any age of woman
more charming than Internationally?
Miss Peyton looked somewhat ''more
elder than her years" but her height,
her fine figure, noble, if somewhat severe
cast of features, all these will be touched
but lightly by the wing of time; while
her little friend, now dazzling agglom-
Grafton of imperfections-ah let her
revel in her wealth of youth and fresh
ness, for in sober truth what has she be-
side?
Dalyell is duly introduced, and few
minutes later he finds himself bounding
along over the elastic turf of this Hamp-
shire park, his old and his new friend to
right and left of him.
The sun shines brightly, a glimpse of
the calm silver sea is visible from afar,
the exercise is exhilarating, and all
things combine to make him feel in
far happier state of mind and spirits
than he has done for many long day.
Truth to tell, the last few weeks have
been the most anxious of his life.
Though he had known Miss Peyton rath-
frocks, he had never thought of her as
wife. Only little month ago Lady
Charlotte broached the subject for the
first time. for, though bad diplomatist,
this woman of the world knew human
nature well enough to avoid the danger
of educating two young people into affec-
ton.
Itwas only when she found, after every
given, that her son would
never naturally pay his addresses to the
heiress, that it occurred to the fond
mother to sound Miss Peyton-of course
it was most unfair step towards that
young lady; but what will not "A mother do
to marry to her liking an only son? And
then she proposed to John to 60 in for
her, plainly limiting that she had made
smooth the way. But the son of eight
took time to consider. He
did more, he ran up to town and con-
suited his fidus Achates, alias Fred War
render, one of his old regiment, who hap