The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-01-08
1II Ap,I,t,Is VIII

While Mr. limerick vas chatting under
the re straint placed upon his movements
by the iron walls of al ocean steamer,
occurrences in New York were taking
unexpected and almost sudden turns.
From the day when Armida saw Eu-
gene Breezy piced up in an unconscious
condition after the collision Of the gro
Gerry wagon and the carriage, her in
terest in him had been on the increase
and, what was more, was undisguised.
After his final recovery she insisted
that all the supplies in that line for the
house should be purchased from the
Harlem grocery. To this of course no
one made any demur, nor could they
reasonably, SO long as Eugene supplied
4 good, Of a quality good enough for their
I use. But after awhile Armida's interest
! had increased to such an extent that
! she had spoken to Eugene regarding
1 the benefits which might accrue to him
! in after life if he possessed at least a
/ few accomplishments So To give the
suggestions some practical shape she
had suggested giving him lessons in
music herself and he had eagerly ac-
cepted her offer.
The result wa, that Eugene's pres
ence atthe house near to Gramercy Park
became such a frequent occurrence that
Mrs. Delaro very naturally remarked it
and in a confidential moment referred
to the fact when speaking to Mr.. Will
cox. The old mans reply was that he
did not think there was any improprie-
ty in Eugene coming to take the les
sons, inasmuch as he understood he re-
turned the favor by giving Armda an
opportunity to prevent her knowledge
of French from rusting by means Of con-
versation in that language. At the
same time he pointed out. in as careful
manner as his frank. open nature
would permit, that it would be advlsa.
bic not to leave the young couple too
much alone. In this opinion Mrs. DE.
laro readily concurred and she resolved,
in view of the fact that So many highly
bred young ladies had lately eloped
with loH-horn coachmen and street-car
conductors that She would exercise at
least a little care in watching over her
beautiful daughters association with
this young grocer to whom she had
taken such fancy. Not that She real
ly imagined Armida was in love with
him. but inasmucn as his lot in life
seemed to be cast in SO different IA chan.
mel to Armida's she thought it we'll to
enforce her motherly prerogative just a
little, as 4 precautionary measure.
1t was rather strange lat least SO Mr.
Wilcox thought) that Armidas r-gre
over the absence of Percy Lowell had no
been as marked as that Of her mothe
or as sincere as he knew his own To be
The Englishman had found a warm ane
lasting place in the old mans heart
his society had been half the pleasur,
OF old Wilcox later years, and h
missed Percy sadly.
: 1t was one night about the time whcl
Percy was being invited to permit ont
Of the card party at incnos Ayres t.
snea his hearts blood. that Mrs. Delar
and Mr.. Wilcox We're sitting in the Ii
brary, wondering part of the time ant
discussing during the remainder in re
gard TO the probability or otherwise Q
Percy Lovers mission being one whic
would terminate protitably-at least S
far as the object was conccrned-o
whether it would be only one more I
add TO the already long list Of failures
when they heard notes Of music in tn
parlor and the voices of Armida an
Eugene.