Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-05-10

pressing need of money, and have little
except their jewels to offer in exchange
for it, Their Jewels may or may not be
their personal property; at all events,
paste reproductions are cheap and
easily come by. Who knows, or
can expect 10 know, whether the
Regent de France, the PaSha of
Epypt. the Sancy, or even the Great
Mogul are genuine or bogus? III bogus,
where are the originals? Whispers have
even been heard regarding the Kohl
moor; but it is to be hoped that, in this
case at least, there is no basis for them.
Meanwhile Harry Trent continued
diligently at work on his new house.
We have seen many fine houses erected
since then; but il is safe TO say that
Trent'S house is still as good as any
thing i'm the way of a dwelling in
New York city. It's excellence, how
ever, lay not so much in external adorn-
ment as in the fittings and furniture in
side.
1t stood on a corner lOt-or rather on
4 corner lot and two adjoining ones
and there was space on both sides oil 1t,
while at the back was roOmy Enclosure
and stables. IL was built OF reddish
grayStone, with broad projecting win
dowS admitting plenty OF light. The
plan of the rooms and StaircaSes was
most agreeable: at whatever point you
stood YOU saw around you only charming
yiStaS. harmonious lines, soothing colOrS
and spacious perspectlveS. Every room
was picture in itself, combining with
the others to make more elaborate
picture. Yet the eye was never wearied
by petty details: the minor features
constituted and contributed TO the
whole effect instead Of detracting
FROM it. There was nothing in
the house that did not belong
10 Harry Trent-nOt only in the ordin-
ary sense Of prOprietorShip, but as being
the material incarnation OF his thoughts,
tastes and accomplishments. His house
was he-and it is paying him no small
compliment TO say so. A mans interior
is not always so cOmely an object of con-
temptation. You might discover, indeed,
here and there. a picture, a statute,
sweep Of drapery or passage of color
that Indicated regions in the designers
nature Of q somewhat SumptuouS, senSu-
Gus or vOiuptuOuS tendency; but they
were never ObtruSive, never out of due
subordination TO the rest, and were
after all only what would be expected
from a man of his artistic and generous
temperament.
But what was Harry Trent going TO
DO with his new home? He was going
20 live in it, doubtless; but did he mean
20 live alone? This question had latter
ly thrown a good maHy charming women
into a meditative frame OF mind. IL was
known, Of course, that Harry Trent had
been married, but that was in his youth,
his wife had died within year and had
left him childleSS. There was nothing,
then, in the way Of his marrying again,
and upon other grounds such an event
was probable. For, as has already been
intimated, he was still TO all intentS and
purposes a Young man. That quality in
him that led 10 his being called Harry
Trent, instead of Mr.. Trent, or Henry,
may serve TO convey one meaning. He
/ was still in the swim; he was not on the
retired or retiring list; he was modern
and.active. not fOSSiliZed and Anticipated.
! Men younger in years than he had not
! half his elasticity and vitality. He
kept pace with the times and looked
ahead rather than backward. More
over, he was fond of society and con-
Stantly in it, and a man more liked by
women could not be found. 1t was not
that he dazzed them with his own bril-
fancy, but he made them brilliant; he
drew from them the best that was in
them, and enchanted them with them
selves.
Mirabeau had the ''don terrible de la
familiarite;" Harry Trent had the no
less terrible gift of sympathy-magnetic
sympathy ito employ once again that
abused adjective). There was a vigor'
Gus, masculine fiber in him that never
/ fails TO attract the other sex. They felt
/ that he understood them and could man
age them-could do the thing they wish
| ed TO have done, whatever il might be-.
/ This, of course, is not the same as say
| ing that the American CaStelani'
4 las he was sometimes styled was man
whom women could afford TO trust.
I There were stories about him-never
! fairly authenticated, hOwever-that
pointed to a different conclusion. II we
| give ear to the gossip of the world, who
would escape? Harry Trent was man
/ of the world, and he was highly cul-
tured, faStidiOuS man. Low lntrlgueS
would not come in his way; on the other
hand, he made no proferSion of saint
ship: he went to church, and was pri-
vatelv charitable; for the rest, you must
take him for what he appeared, and he
was taken for an nncOmmOnly fine Eel
low.
But to return to the marriage queS-
on. The opinion gained ground that
Harry Trent contemplated matrimOny,
though no seer was found bold enough
10 point out the particular woman who
was TO enjoy the good fortune OF being
made his wife. Some fancied it might
be the handsome New Orleans widow,
Sally Matchin, who was known to have
been on terms of cordial friendship with
him for many years, and at whose house
i'm West Eighteenth street he was often
seen. But experienced critics objected
that. had she been the destined bride,
She would have become Mrs. Trent long
ago-the acquaintance was now TOO ola
TO issue in that manner. few enter
prising spirits threw ont suggestions
looking toward Olympia Raven, beau
tiful girl of eighteen and cousin OF
Harry's by marriage. But Olympia was
really TOO Young, even for Harry, and
besides, he had quietly made known his
intention of inviting her and her mother
10 come and live with him-which, 1t
was agreed, he would scarcely have
done had he meant to wed her; nor
would he have settled an income OF
eight thousand year on the mother
aud daughter had he looked forward to
becoming the formers Son-in-law. SO
one hypothesis after another was ad-
vanced and rejected, and at the end no.
body was wiser than at the beginning.
The house was completed in what
seemed. Judged by our Standards,a won
derfully short time, for it was ready to
!. -. ~. h.. nj