Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-08-30

| miss Harlan, SAID my hostess 10 me
at brilliant dinner party, 81 had hoped
to be able TO present to you this evening
my friend Mr.. Francis Prime, who is
altogether charming; but he writes me
that he is not going anywhere this win
ter; he has in fact given himself up for
the time being to business, aud cannot
break his rule even for me. Everybody
is laughing over the idea Of his doing
anything except make himself agreeable.
AS he isn't here, let me tell you he is the
worst fiirt In town, and we all rather
hope he won't succeed, for he fills the
1 niche TO perfection-which is paying
him a high compliment, think. But
there are other attractive men in the
world besides Mr.. Prime, and am 60
ing TO ask you, by and by. 70 tell me
your opinion Of our new Englishman,
who is to take you into dinner. He is
only the Honorable Ernest Ferroll at
present, but when his uncle dies he will
be Duke of Clyde, my dear, and on dit
he is looking for WIFE"
I found the Honorable Ernest decid-
eddy agreeable. He had a fine figure,
was six feet high, with blue eyes and a
/ luxuriant chestnut beard. In his thirty
years he had lived and travelled every
where, reserving the States, as he called
them, for final jaunt preparatory to
settling down. He was making merely
a flying trip through the seaboard cities
I after preliminary canter at Newport,
previous to doing California and some
big hunting in the Rockies" but later
he intended to return and spend season
] l.
name was for the moment upon every
ones lips, and there was so much quiet
maternal inquiry as to how long the old
peer was likely to last, for the Honor
able Earnest was said to be rather short
OF money.
He has a fine forehead, and if one
/ likes boards, his is certaily handsome
specimen" said Aunt Helen, ruminant-
/ ", as we were driving home. II have
no fancy for them myself, but 1t is al
ways possible to shave them off; that's
one comfort"
OWNED Of whom she was speaking,
but made no response.
chow did you like him, Virginia?"
"Mr. Ferroll? / found him very en-
tertaining," replied.
] LnOukul
pressed by you. He scarcely kept his
eyes of you all through dinner. don't
blame him, for you were looking your
best. Duchess Of Clyde! You might do
worse, Virginia. They say he is anxious
10 marry"
$50 Mrs. Tremaine informed me-"
"Did she really? That is very amia-
BILE OF her, especially as you are stran-
ger. and there must be plenty OF girls in
whom she is interested who are setting
their caps for him. l could not help
thinking at dinner what handsome
pair you would make"
lone would suppose you were In
earnest, from your serious tone, Aunt
Helen"
'And so am, so I am, quite in ear
nest. OF course I should wish to know a
little more defnately about him before
anything final was arranged. But from
what hear there can be no question In
regard to his title. If there were the
slightest suspicion Of anything out OF
the way concerning it he would never
have been at Mrs. Tremaine's, who is a
very particular woman, and knows what
she knows. He seems, so far as could
/ Judge, TO be a manly, right minded
Young man. He told me that he shot
three tigers In India, and | observed
that he took scarcely any wine at dim
ner. II won't do, though, Virginia, to
Oily daily, for l am given to under
stand that he leaves in a fortnight Tor
California TO explore the west. Bat he
is coming back 10 spend several months
next winter, and if you do not throw
cold water on him now he may feel dis
posed to run on TO Boston, in spite OF the
efforts that will be made to keep him
here"
~ feel very certain" said /, that he
will come to Boston for a few days, as
he has letters to Aunt Agnes"
ITO your Aunt Agnes? What do you
mean, child?" In her establishment /
thought she was going to bounce out OF
the carriage.
~ don't wonder you are surprised.
Yes. the first question he asked was II
were not the niece of Miss Agnes Har-
Ian. of Boston. 10 seems that she and
his father made an ocean passage to-
gether a great many years ago, when
they were both young, and the acquaint-
ance has been kept up by correspond
ence ever since"
"Mercy on u.s. Your Aunt Agnes has
never said a word to me about 1t.
"The Honorable Ernests father Is
unite literary, and has written one or
Two books on philosophy , his son says. "
That accounts for il, of course. Well,
we'll to think Of your Aunt Agnes be-
ing intimate with one or his NOBILITY,
and never having mentioned the sub
/ ject! l have always given her credit Tor
being an agreeable woman at bottom II
one could only forget her eccentric ties.
But this is extremely fortunate for you,
Virgins. To be sure, there is no know
ing how your aunt will receive him, she
is so hostile TO every one who is not as
queer as herself. But she must see, II
She is not a fool, what very advan-
tageouS match this would be for you.
II would do no harm just to drop Mr..
FerrolI hint TO humOr her a little and
seem fond Of serious subjects at the
time, for il she should happen TO take
II into her head to ask him to stay at
her house it would be very convenient"
These sentiments were frequently re-
peated by Aunt Helen during the re-
naming weeks OF our visit, and 1t must
be allowed that the attentions OF the
honorable Ernest soon justified her
urgency, seeing that she really believed
It was matter OF vital Importance for
me TO become the future Duchess OF
Clyde. Nor was l at all sure myself
that il nothing else turned up might
not be tempted by the brilliancy Of such
a position. Not that l thought about it
quite so definitely, but l was conscious
OF the exceptional advantages incident