Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-04

her stcpmother is not altogether the right
sort of woman to have the care of girl like
GLADYS Mrs. Harrington is 500 unsym-
pathetic. DO YOU know, dear Mrs. Lam
prev. that sometimes | feel quite-quite un-
comfortable when she looks at me with
those curious bright gray eyes of hers?"
finished the rectOrels with an affected little
shiver.
And so the busybUdies of the neighbor-
hood talked, while events at Harrington
Hall were slowly ripening to the climax
which everyone declared to be inevitable.
Gladys and her little brothers tutor saw
great deal of each ether, for the heiress had
a taste for English literature, and Ralph
Cunningham was always ready to assist her
in her studies. Together they read Keats
and Shelley, Tennysou and Browning, and
selections from R0ssetti and Swinburne.
Now. when two Young people of suitable
age and Of equal personal attractions dis
cover that their tastes are identical: when a
young man of 20 and a charming girl of Is
bend day after day over volumes of beauti-
ful poetry; when the aforesaid young man
has the delightful task of pointing out
favorite passages in his favorite poems to an
appreciative and intensely sympathetic
listener who has glorious eyes and di-
vinely responsive smile, it is not difficult to
guess that admiration will speedily blossom
into love.
Before Mr.. Ralph Cunningham had been
doinieied al harrington Hall two months,
the calamity predicted by the wiseheads of
Grass-shire occurred. One day, when Ralph
was initiating his charming pupil into the
beauties of "Epipsychidion, glance was
exchanged, a word or two was spoken,
which changed the lives of both. Ralph,
who was an honorable young fellow, had
not intended to reveal his passion; but at 26
one cannot be always on ones guard and he
had read something in Gladys eyes which
had, so 10 speak, drawn those daring words
from his heart. Gladys, with the enthusi-
asm and carelcsSness of the future charac-
teriSJic OF Is, had gone at once to her step
mother and declared her intention of marry
ing Mr.. Ralph Cunningham.
Mrs Harrington, who, for some reason
known only TO herself, had taken a violent
dislike to the tutor, was, however, wise
enough not to make q scene. She did not
order Mr.. Cunningham out of the house. or
send Miss Gladys off in disgrace to school
She only darted one glance of contempt at the
girls glowing face, only folded her lips to-
gether in an expression that was not exactly
pleasant, and then grayely said: my dear
Gladys, you are just is, and Mr.. Ralph
Cunningham is the only really agreeable
man YOU have ever met Do you think
you VIII admire him as much ten years
hence as you do ROW.
81 shall never, never care for any other
man. viii marry him or be an old maid" 1
cried Miss Gladys
Every well, my dear; you cannot marry |
without my consent for three years I |
should fail in my duty if gave it under |
the present circumstances. 1 do not ap- |
prove of Mr.. Cunningham as suitor for /
your hand. / believe him to be entirely |
unworthy your affection. When you are Of |
age, you can please yourself, and bestow |
yourself and your fortune on any adven- |
turer or fortune-hunter you please
"Oh, mamma how dare you imply that |
Ralph l.: 4 torture hunter' Here sudden |
burst Of passionate weeping followed; and |
Mrs. Harrington, who hated scenes, calmly |
swept out OF the room, leaving Gladys to
brcoG Indignantly over her words. There,
an hour later Raj ph found her with flushed |
cheeks and eyes full of tears. He had very
httle difficulty in drawing from her all that
had occurred.
''GlSdys," said Ralph gravely, 'T see but
one course open to ME. AS q man of honor,