The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-08-09
STORY OF A DEBUTANTE.
For The Tines.I


srs and ordered 3 cooling drink. Then, light
ing cigarette, that panacea OF all ills men
tai. moral or physical, he proceeded 10 draw
. letter from his pocket. and with a pleased
look as Of man who espies an oasis in a
Assert begins 10 read IL half aloud
Dear Jack: You know Suzetto and I are
spending the summer near, where | managed
to secure quito comfortable roomy house.
These are its onty two qualifications how
ever. rs think the architect must have had
o spite against men. especially those in tho
vicinity, 20 force them TO gaze upon such q
structure. But that was OF no consequence
TO vs., and SuzetteIhas managed 10 make 1t
look quite homehke. Now. old chap. we
want you to come down and spend
Sopteraber with us II is sacrifice
out Of civilization, and as Suzetto
ych know is in mourning. we have no house
party to mako il gay for you. only Marjory.
hay cousin. She is nice, sensible girl, and
will not bother as. she rides pretty much
AL day. By the way. an inducement TO
you | hold out two splendid hunters that
bought this spring. which have turned out
splendidly, and the road and fields make capt.
tai riding. Come tomorrow; you can tele-
graph. - We may OF may not get 1t; it depends
on the digestion Of the operator, but We Will
hope for the best. Yours always,
'KUGH KuTLEDGE"
August sOth. The Barn"
Jack Chiltsn folded the letter, put it back
IN his pocket and Hooked up to find the waiter
standing at respectful distance. but with
Eeproachful look, holding veritable poem Of
GOODNESS on his waiter.
What time does the train for A leave
tomorrow morning." Jack inquired, as he
took very carefully the glass as though afraid
shaking would ruin the flavor, aud critically
tasted it.
Nine forty-fye. sir, d" was the reply.
And arrives"
q Five thirty sir -
Very good: that's all at present; no,
William (calling him back, tell my man that
leave tomorrow morning for the mountains
at 9.45, and 10 stay, certainly, two weeks.
And, sinking back in his easy chair, Chiitenn
began 10 speculate as 10 how he would spend
the time. and. above all, TO wonder about my
cousin" She was the serpent in his paradise.
for IL was Jack Citizens eccentricity to fight
shy of young women. There was moth
ing, he maintained when urged again
and again by his friends to meet some Of
the "blushing buds" of society, there IS
nothing so thoroughly insipd, stupid, senti-
mental and boring as a debutante." SO dur
ing his twenty-eight years he managed 10 es-
cape olever..mRmmas with budding daughters,
and resisted all theroproaching sweet would
be alluring smiles of the fair damsels Many
good friends he had. however. among the
older women married and unmarried. but as
yet no one it was said, could make
his heart beat faster or quicken his cold
blooded pulse. There were rumors many
years before when he himself was making
his debut at the capital. of an affair with the
then VIGOROUSLY pretty Mrs f., but it was so
far IN the distance and obscure III details
hat people had forgotten it, and he was
llowed for the most part the happy privilege
,f being unmOlested.
Chilten and Rutledge were old college
hiends. but Rutledge's marriage and bis own
foreign mission had kept them apart for three
years, 50 1t was with great eagerness and
almost unadulterated pleasure that he
looked forward to month in the
country. But that girl With Iowu ChL-
ten jumped to his feet.
"Confound il ALL he exclaineu. 1 must
not let such b small, insignificant thing as
girl worry me- Hugh says the house is large.
so can certainly IN some way steer
clear of this nuisance, but / wish girls could
be fed and put 10 sleep like anacondas; then
they could do so little harm and annoy so
little. But | won't anticipate; sufficient unto
tho day is the evil thereof and she may be
charming intellectual old maid of forty
Thus sohloquizing, Jack walked to his
club chambers, where he found his valet IN
the midst of packing.
CHAPTER II.
A low. rambling red brick house. with long
porches and an old-fashioned garden. is the
Barn. Rs the Rutedges named their sum
mer house. They were people who never
could stay in house a month without giving
It name, and SO this house followed the fate
of many preceding ones. II ugly as piece OF
architecture. the Barn certainly gave one, even
at the first glance, an impression of
comfort,f not condensed cOmforts-some
people think nothing can be COM
Portable except small house-but
good large substantial comfort, such as the
hrst settlers Of our Southern States knew how
20 give. AS it was the 1st of September
there vas u riotOus growth IN the garden,
dahliAs. roses mignonette, all IN charming
confusion The trees were very large and
beautiful, some growing very near the house so
that some Of the small twigs peeped curlousiy
into the up stairs windows. Inc porch,
which seems to run entirely around the house,
was divided in several places by Japanese cur
tains and shades.
ON the shady side are two ladies' a fox
terrier and large and very fine mastlh The
elder of the two, whom we know as Suzette, Is q
pretty brunette. viyacious, but with great deal
of plain common sense, and the combination
is always charming. She was always lucky
girl. With wealthy parents she mad had
very happy time during the two years sho
was out, and then she fell in love and married
Hugh Rutledge, a good fellow and great
catch. They have been married three years,
aud have little boy year Old. 80
il Is very sweet, conteDted look
she has. while rocking lazIy back and
forth in an enormous arm chair, apparently
reading but most Of the time hereyes wander
down the lawn, where unueI Inc trees ilttiV
Hugh is playing. My cousin, MsrJory, is
At full length in a hammock. q position so
trying TO an ungraceful person and 50 adyan-
tageous TO q graceful one She. too is reading,
and evidently the book is not 10 her taste, Tor
she suddenly throws it down with bang,
which caused both Mrs. Il. and Bismarck, the
Inastin, 70 turn and look at her. The one in
quiringly andH the other reproachfully at
having his afternoon nap disturbed.
We'll, Marjory what is wrong. Dldnt she
marry the right man. OF whatF asked Suzettc.
'Oh." exclaimed the young girl passion
atoly. there are 50 many things | wish /
knew and could understand. The more |
read. the stupider / feel. How happy men
and women must DO when they are confident
that they know more than any one else on
certain subjects"
''Marjory, you wish me TO lecture You
again? How often have 1 told you that SO
much and such promscuous reading was bad
for YOU. Here you are debutante trying 70
understand Darwin. Spencer and Huxley. IL
is absurd for you even TO try. What IS there
left for YOU 20 learn If you try TO understand
eyerythingl in the beginning OF your life, and
do wish you would be reasonable and try TO
make yourself agreeableto Jack Chilten when
he comes You will have to exert yourself. Tor
he hates girls"
Especially debutantes," put in Hugh,
coming around the corner, So Marlory you
will have TO be very clever and blase. as II