The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1890-09-18
An Old School Diplomat
DY AGNES CLIFFORD.

Mrs. Fredericks hold letter in her
hand. she had been reading it-with-
out glasses. Would she ever have any
of the infrmitics of age! Her pufs and
curls of snowy hair under the ornamental
"coilfure" of lace and ribbons, her gold
headed cane by her arm chair, seemed
simply to be the effective properties of a
well-mounted play.
SIN short, Lena, I have resolved to
marry you to this young man-if he
suits me"
Firm, calm, crisp words, spoken In q
voice correspondingly clear and mistress
of itself"
.sGrandmamma-"
.sDon't interrupt, child! I know ev-
erything you could possibly have to say.
have not lived in the world seventy
years for nothing! Yes! Yes, I know.
you have never seen this young man;
YOU don't know whether you can love
him, etc. All that is nonsense! If you
don't know him now you will know him
tomorrow, when he arrives. If you don't
love him now you will love him-well,
perhaps not tomorrow; but next day.
/ have shown you his picture. He IS
handsome; he is of suitable age. I be-
lieve in young people marrying when
they are young. Henri Bowen is three
and-twcnty. You are nineteen. Very
suitable. Very suitable indeed. Put
on your blue gown and look your best.
As for young Bowen's uncle, Captain
Charter, you need not feel intimidated
because Of his coming. He is grave
and silent man; he does not occupy him
self with young girls. He rests on his
laurels now. He was a favorite with
many women; but when man enters
middle age he drops those things. No;
he will probably not notice you one way
or the other Young BoYep and yorr-
self can come to an understanding un'
molested by his presence. The Captain
sud l will entertain each other. W.
shall have many things to talk of.
knew his father well; well-now 60
am tired, have chattered too much. ,
Mrs. Fredericks turned her cheek, COO
and smooth as an old ivory, to the touch
of Lena's fresh lips.
"Good night, grandmamma.'
A radiant sunset after cloudy, sultry
day, a fresh breeze springing up from
off the sea, large, old, shaded house
reached at last after long drive and {
day of dusty railroad travel--these wert
grateful things. But still more grateful,
thought Captain Robert Charter and his
nephew, the picture that confronted
them in the wide, cool, old drawing,
room, with its windows open to the sum
mer evening, when, the stains of the
journey removed, they descended the
winding oaken stair in the centre of the
house and were greeted by their hostess.
Upright, near her grandmother's chair,
in her blue dress, with her fair hair IL
halo about her face, stood Lena, like ;
Madonna.
"Welcomc, gentlemen" said Mrs
Fredricks.
Young Bowen had preceded hi
uncle-a boyish, muscularly knit young
\ Hercules, fresh of color, confident o.
Nmien.
~ knew your mother WE'LL" said thC
old lady. "And you, Captain Bobl"
IGently her fine, pale, still pretty hant
res sted in that of the tall, dark man. HI
bent over it, and softly, deferentiall
brushed it with the long, black mus,
tache,. whose military sweep seemed tt
harmonizc with the broAzcd hue of hi!
serious face.
.tWell! WE'LL" murmured the Ok
lady. "Just like your father, Captait
Rob- He, too, had the manners of tht
old school, What does the rising gen
Grafton of to-day know Of the correct
way in which gentleman should pre-.
sent himself before laly2 Particu
Iarly an old woman like me? No otfcnse
young man." turning to young Bowen
"Doubtlcss if you were to kiss any one
hand yoa would prefer to kiss that o
my gran 1daughtcr her. Don't mind m.
chatter. What else can an old woman
- DO but talk of the past and its Gus
tomsl'
The Madonna, her delicate oval fac
disappearing under a pink cloud O
blushes, received upon her timidly
\ extended fingers the salutation thus au
thorized by the terrible old lady.
"Dinncr is served" then said tn
latter. "Give me your arm, Captain
Our young people can follow"
"Grandmamma talks as though Cap
tain Charter were as old as she is,
thought Lena, on Henri Bowcn's arm
land am sure he is not old ut all.
don't believe he has one gray hair in HI
head"
Henri Bowen's first remark she did nc
hear and she had to ask him to repeat il
"Mrs. Fredericks, your grauddaughte
is charming" said the Captain, afte
dinner.
The two younger people had gone OF
into the grounds.
captain Charter, I formed my gtant
daughter myself" rctortcd Mrs. FREQ
ericks, dryly.
The Captain laughed.
"You are right. That is rcaso
enough. You have made her Il charm
ing girl; you will make her charmin
woman. For some man she will max
an adorable wife and, iii her later year;
she will be what YOU are now"
"No, not quite" said the Did lad.
sssenely. elena is q woman made fl