The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-28

ner, replied hugh tIemlnR, senUen1louslF.
well, you needn't crow, young man. She
never saw you but once, ana whatever you
may think of your personal appearance, you
weren't looking your best then"
Nv hen was thatp asked Hugh.
"She saw you finish your match. replied
Byug. Didn't look much Of it myself just
then, but you-a stumbling broken-dow
tramp was the only possible description OF
you"
Don't be personal, man, rejoined Hugh.
"I've a hazy recollection of passing car
, rage with some ladies in it. | wonder how
she knew my name~
''Oh, she was staying with the SmerdoEs.
| She often stay with them, and you were
local celebrity for a few days, remember.
| Miss Smerdon was there last night Every
| one was raving about this ball. l tell you
what, my children" CONT ued Byng, ad-
dressing the little knot of officers in the an
te-room, soldiers are up. they've touched
about the top price they've been at since
| I've been 10 service. Manchester is popu-
| larly supposed to abound in heiresses-ob-
vious deduction. Take advantage of your
opportunities, and bless you, etc."
And here Byng extended his hands after
the manner of the conventional stage
father.
The evening Of the ball arrived. 1t really
had aroused great enthusiasm. Romantic
young ladies' declared it put them in mind
of the Duchess of Richmond's famous ball
at Brussels the night before Waterloo,
looked up "Childe Harold" and quoted:
There was mounting in hot haste.
But these were the exception. Generally
the younger portion of the community
looked forward to a capital dance, and the
elder to capital supper. Miss Smerdon
and Nellie were of course there under the
charge of Mrs. Montague, and Miss Smer-
don was most thoroughly mistress OF the
situation. Not only had Mrs. Montague a
large acquaintance. but Frances was well
known and popular with the officers Of the
TIL The two girls were speedily in great
request, and it was not long before Miss
Smerdon brought up Hugh Fleming to be
introduced to her friend.
Capital ball, Miss Lynden," said Flem-
ing, as he led her away to join the dancers,
"but Manchester strikes me as having gone
mad. The whole thing seems so utterly
unreal. can't help feeling that I'm the
shallowest of impostors."
''I don't understand you,n said the girl.
"What / mean is this" said Fleming,
Manchester is feting US. dining us, giving
us this ball, all just as if we'd done some
thing. Not only we haven't, not only we
never may, but we may never even have
the chance. l always feel that Pm dining
out under false pretenses."
very proper of you to say so, but
you're wrong all the same. I'll admit that
in vulgar sense you are discounting your
laurels before you've won them, but you
/ will have your opportunity before long,
and English women have no doubt about
English soldiers winning the bays when the
chance comes"
Very prettily put Miss Lynden, but you
may do any amount of hard fighting with-
out distinguishing yourself"
AZ G-k -
said the young lady, smiling. GAS the in
soldiers are very proud of the corps to which
you belong, are you not"
"Yes, there are two things a man seldom
loses his sympathy for, his old school. and
his old regiment. While he's in it, it's the
one regiment"
Eyes, I've seen enough of you military
men to know that"
Zone of our weaknesses" laughed Flem>
ing, as he put his arm round her waist and
whirled her off to the spiriting strains of
1.-THE Sturm March"
Fell Eynden was looking extremely we'll
that evening. If not pretty girl, she was,
at all events, decidedly attractive one, as
with dark chestnut hair, bright, hazel ewes,
good teeth. aud neat figure, she could not
well help being.
She was not accomplished, but there were
some two or three things that Nell could do
to perfection. Her waltzing was the poetry
of motion. She had not much voice, but to
hear her warble an old English ballad in
those low contralto tones of ners would stir
most mems pulses. She was very self
reliant girl, partly by nature, but still more
50 By her bringing up. She had never met
with i'll treatment or unkindness, but for all
that she had always regarded herself as a
friendless little Arab, with only herself to
depend upon.
Indeed Frances Smerdon was the only in =
innate friend of her own sex she had ever
made; and there was one side of Frances
character which she was incapable of I'M
derstanding, and that was the imaginative
side of her disposition. People of this very
sanguine temperament can never control
themselves, nor even in old age utterly
abandon the habit. They build their castles
in the air on the largest scale and upon the
slenderest foundations, and constantly as
these Chateaux d. Espagne come tumbling
about their ears they are neither discouraged
nor disconnected.
"Well, Miss Lynden," said Fleming, as
their waltz finished, he took his charge back
to her chaperon, If hope your prophecy
may prove true-that we shall have the OPP
] portunity of winning our laurels before the
| years. out, and also that individually shall
| be quick enough to snatch az mine when the
chance comes"
| you've got one grand quality for 9
soldier, Mr.. Fleming" replied the girl,
| laughing "dogged pertinacy. You would
never have won that walking match if you
hadn't. 1t would be hard to convince you
that you we're beaten about anything"
Il don't like giving in, replied Hugh.
Neither do 1" returned the girl. 1--WE
are both what our friends, Mr.. Fleming
call obstinate"
That the war should be the ruling topic o.
conversation was inevitable. A considera
BILE part of the English people still found il
difficult to believe that we really were a
war-destined to remain in that belief too
for some months to come. The men of tina
time knew from their fathers how England
had rung with the news Of victories, wheI
the century was young, and fully expected
news Of great battle before six weeks werl
over. But things are not done quite s,
quickly as all that. Where to bring off
tight used to be a knotty problem in the lat
ter days Of the prize ring, and this was jus
the point which at the present moment puz
zled our rulers. Russia vaguely told us Il
come on, but had Inconsiderately forgot
ten to name where the combat was to TAX
place.
Miss Smerdon, as we know, had no belle
that there would ever be actual hostilities
and she was rather chatting Byng on OF
J tanning hospitality under false pretenses
Indeed it really was joke in the regimen
at their being feted mainly because thei
predecessors had been sent campaigning.
\ 0an Won ran chaR Mica GuardOy