The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-10-02

cepnOn or American girls. To be sure.
he said, was ready to do things-that
is, go to walk with him, and Danish
Aunt Helen when he called; but he had
been told that American girls knew moth
ing about politics or any serious matters,
and were principally interested In the
study Of their inner consciousness as af-
fected by man; whereas was perpetual
~ taking issue with him on questions of
government policy and pauperisn, driv
ing him into holes in regard to the value
Of an hereditary nobility and the discs
tablishment of the English church.
Women at home were not like that, he
said. The men told them what to be-
lieve, and they stuck to it through thick
and thin; but voluntary feminine ratio
cination was the rarest thing in the
world among his country women.
AS for himself, he was a conservative
"a conservative without money Money
was all he needed to build up the SPLEEN
did estates of Clyde, which had been
slowly decaying for this lack during two
generations. His chief ambition was to
retouch and refurbish the broad domain
of his Inheritance, so that its lordly
manors. ivy nantled abbeys and green
meadows might know again the peace,
poetry and prosperity of an ideal En-
glish home. There would then for the
lord Of Clyde be happiness and romance
equaled by none on earth. For, eager
to benefit his fellow men, he would have
within the radius of his own estate a
hundred cabins to call in play his inven-
ton or humanity, and with ones con-
science at rest, he said, could there be a
purer JOY than to wander with her of
ones choice under the ancestral elms Of
old England, with the September moon
overhead?
This was the Honorable Ernest's dream,
but to realize it he must make money.
He had come to the States, so he told me
when we grew more intimate, III order to
seek it. There were great chances in the
far west for a shreTd man with a little
capital, and to iad some investment that
promised large returns was the real OBJ
iect of his journey thither. Already
even since his arrival m New York, he
mad done extremely well. There was a
smart $50 he had heard him called young
fellow who had put him into several
profitable speculations; very likely
might know him-Roger Dale was his
name; every one said he had made lot
of money, and was one of the coming men
of Wall street. was kindly to consider
this as confidence, for he did not care
to have it noised about that he was other
than an idler here.
The Honorable Ernest Ferrolls atten-
lions, as I have implied, grew apace from
the evening of our introduction, and soon
attracted remark. There was an instant
recognition of the fitness of the match
even from the most envious, and Aunt
Helen was the recipient of numerous
congratulatory inuendoes. The circum-
stance of his delaying the date of his
| Journey week confirmed the general
impression of his serious views, and even
began to feel some pangs of conscience
on the score of allowing him to fancy
that if he did come to the point should
accept him eagerly. In contemplation
of this emergency felt that it was time
for me to go home. We both would
| then have six months in which to think
| it over
When he should return from the west
it would be time enough for me to come
| to decision as to whether l desired to
regild the poetry of his English home.
was certain that if he insisted ON an i'm
mediate answer my reply would be un-
favorable. But much preferred to de-
fer any definite proposal; and according.
| ly, with all the tact at my command,
tried to avoid giving him an opportunity
of being left alone with me for any
length of time, without making it notice.
able to him. Finally, as he seemed
likely to become unmanageable despite
my precautions, and as he put off again
and again his day of departure, re-
solved to take refuge in fight.
When communicated this to Aunt
Helen she said was crazy. The idea OF
returning home just on the eve of real
ization seemed to her preposterous; she
would not hear of it. But l was equally
firm, and announced my intention OF
leaving on the morrow.
| But before I went wished to have one
more glimpse of the condition of the bank.
ing house of Francis Prime and Com.
pany, and in order to make my scrutiny
as thorough as possible planned not tc
return until dark. / was curious to gel
a close look at my hero, and this seemed
most feasible when he was leaving the
Office for the day. At that time there
would be little likelihood of any one
noticing me if / stood by the door as he
came out
The afternoon passed without Incl
dent, save that l saw the Honorable
Ernest Ferrol go into Mr.. Dale's Office,
where he remained some time. He hap
| pened to meet me face to face on the
street, but justly had acquired by this
time complete faith in my disguise. He
betrayed no sign of recognition, and the
flush that rose to my cheeks was badge
of quite unnecessary alarm. The hours
slipped by and the street grew STILL The
| gas was lighted in the inner offices, and
few but clerks, figuring up the profits OF
losses of the day, were left down town.
1t was getting dark, and was growing
| impatient. sat down in the doorway
of the building next adjoining to rest.
l had purposely made myself look as
dilapidated as possible, and the natural
| DrsnS1lInDtiOn in the mind of any ono