The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-10-31
BEAUTY'S SECRET.
By ALAN MUIR.
Author of "Vanity Hard,core," -" Golden
Girls" Etc.


faith, and from motives that were quite
pretty, but none ever came to anything.
Still, l object to arrangements.
"Your daughter is as free as if she never
saw me-" Percival said Il have made her
promise that she will consider that there is
not a shred to bind her to me- She is to feel
that she may engage herself and marry, and
never think that there is any intimation to
be sent to me, except through the news
paper"
"And may 7 ask-don't think me rude, Mr.
Brent, l am simply doing my duty-if you
are as free on your side? If you marry,
shall she hear of it through the newspaper,
tooP'
She looked at him sharply, almost humor-
ously, as she put this penetrating question
o. we must pay tribute to our little
mother who had tact that in wider fields of
action might have smoothed the feelings of
ruffied empires.
eyes, l am quite as free as she" he an
swered. 1--WE promised each other that we
should feel So"
1t was quite true. They had promised ex-
actly in these terms, only the four lips that
exchanged the treaty were Immediately after
ward engaged together sealing quite another
sort of bond Was this what Shakespeare
meant by "plain and holy innocence" won
der? And yet possibly Mrs. Barbara Temple
guessed the true state of the case, but she was
satisfied. There being no engagement, she
felt sure that time, fickleness, and her great
ally, this present world, would do all she
wanted.
'Iregret what has happened, !" she said grace
fully, land | regret it not alone on your ac-
L
pleased with the connection. ! hope you will
prosper and be happy, for | am sure you de-
serve it,"
Egerton Doolittle, having, after careful in
tellectual filtration, SO to speak, got the facts
of the Brents' case fairly deposited in his
mind, expressed great commiseration for the
two men, as he called them. He told Car
that 1--WE ought all to give our minds to the
thing" and see what can be done. And after
a long period of cogitation he informed his
wife that he had hit on plan which would
restore the fortunes of the Brents, and-of
this he made great point-without their
undertaking anything that could not be done
with clean hands"
"A gentleman under no circumstances should
soil his hands," Egerton said; "and the great
merit of what propose is that it can be done
with clean hands"
Car at first thought that this implied that
the pursuit Egerton had in his mind was one
morally defensible, or not feonious; but it
appeared that he referred only to aristocratic
notions and traditions
"1Iy plan is this" Egerton said, after three
quarters of an hour of preamble which had
nearly fidgeted his wife into a fit II hear
there is a new joint stock opera company
going to be started. Let them take shares in
that. 1t will be gentlemanly, musical kind
of thing and the great point is it can be done
with clean hands,"
Caroline not being able to see the practical
value of this suggestion, Egerton resolved to
open his scheme to his great brother-in-law
Gcldmore. That elephantine millionaire was
forced, for courteSy's sake, to listen while
Doolittle, in speech of extraordinary length
and maddening circumlocution, brought out
his preface; but, vexed as he was, he could
not restrain his laughter when the young
man wound up with the recommendation
that Brent senior and junior should take
shares in the forthcoming Italian Opera
Joint Stock company.
my great point is, Goldmore," said Eyer
ton, that it is a gentlemanly musical sort of
thing, and one that can be carried on
with clean hands. | think a gentleman
should never soil his hands, Goldmore don't
you?"
"The difficulty is" replied the great
man, overlooking this question, "where are
the poor men to get money to buy their
shares!"
"Get what?" Egerton asked
Money to buy their shares" repeated
Goldmore. "Shares are not given away; you
have to pay for them in hard cash. Now in
the present case the difficulty is that there is
no cash at ALL"
"Then suppose you don't approve of my
scheme@ answered Egerton, with some irri-
tation. Every well One can only suggest
/ withdraw the proposition. Still, 1 repeat
Go'dmore, it is not every day of the week
you can find a gentlemanly musical under
taking that can be carried out with clean
hands,"
So he took his leave. But~his viait had
some result, after an; for that afternoon
Archibald Goldmore called upon young
Brent, and asked for a little private CONVEX
sat.on with him. Goldmore was very kind
inquired what his young friend was going to
do, nodded his head approvingly over the
details OF the Australian scheme, and marked
the young fellow out as a man that would
rise.
Let me say one thing to you, Mr.. Brent"
he said, as he rose to go. II am in most re-
spects self-made man. l know the difficult
ties which even industrious and clever young
fellows have to face who start without capt.
tai Now, from what my wife tells me, YOU
have gained the affections of my sster-in- law
and may add that from what have seen of
you l am not surprised at it. As member
of the family, l take an interest in all that
fba,r, Co. H.
dreds will help to start you l can lend you
the sum, and l shall require no security but
your word. You shall pay me"-this he
added pleasantly-"when you are half as rich
as am"
Brent colored very red with gratitude and
pleasures but for all that, his reply was not
what the great man expected
Il don't know how to thank YOU. he said
ut is so kind an offer. But have already
saved enough to start me- had a liberal al
lowance, and never spent it ALL"
"A few hundreds extra will better your
chance" remarked the other
THANK you thousand times" the young
fellow replied; "but if l can accomplish what
wish out of my own resources, had rather
do it. If / ever marry Miss Temple, should
like to feel that it was my own doing from
first to last"
Goldmore looked at him with admiration.
Il respect the feeling, Mr.. Brent" he said.
~Only remember this: if your capital should
run short, write to me, and you will find me
no bad banker when the account has to be
overdrawn."
THANK you again." the young fellow an
swered. "And that offer do accept. You
understand me, don't you? If / can manage
without any mans help should be glad; but
rather than fail, I should most gratefully
avail myself of yours. hope you don't think
me proud to the point of Stiffness"
"Confound it," cried Goldmore, II wish YOU
were my sonl"