The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-04-16
CURING A FLIRT.

CURlNG A tLlRl.
"What foolish little woman! My
bctrothed wife ought to have moro faith
in mo than to become Jealous every time
! happen to look at pretty face"
Jealous, Eric Thornol' echoed Miss
BcOuford, angrily. "You arc very much
mistaken il you think l would stoop to
jealousy, but when you so far forget
yourself as to llirt outragcously with
every handsome woman who crosses
your path it is time that I should
protest."
Really! Then presume that have
orders not TO speak to Mrs. Gresham
when / meet her, Notwithstanding the
TACT that she is ali old flame OF mine? ~
III you are DESTROYS OF re.establishing
your friendship or love for Mrs.
Gresham l will not stand in your way.
You arc at liberty henceforth and for
ever to please yourself. Here is your
ring"
"iou don't mean to say, Nell, that
you wish to break our engagement Oh
account OF q triliing misunderstanding"
II wish you to distinctly understand
that | release you from letters that evil
IDENTIFY gall you"
AS Eric Thorne did not attempt to
take the ring from angry, little Miss
Beauiord, she sent it spinning across
the piazza.
With smothered exclamation no
picked it up, thrust it into his pocket,
and strobe away in towering rage.
IAN old flame OF his, AM n" quericd
Mrs. Gresham, as she slowly rose from
the lounge on which she had been re-
Ginning. This lounge stood directly un-
der the window outside OF which Capt.
Thorne and his ailianced had stood to
settle their dispute; thus Mrs. Gresham
had been an unlntentional listener.
His old flame! l wonder how he re-
cosnized in the wealthy widow, Edith
Sprague, the poor music teacher OF ten
years ago? His old tlamew 2
Through the open window came the
sound OF sobbing, and upon looking out
Mrs. Gresham saw Miss Beauford weep
ing rs though her heart would break:
miss Beaufordw
The widow laid her hand lightly on
Nelrs bowed head. The girl sprung to
her feet and Mrs. Gresham resumed:
"Miss Beauford, allow me to intro
ducc myself am Mrs Gresham"
Nell bowed
you will forgive me for intrudinc
upon you when l confess that acct
den!ally overheard your conversation a
few minutes since with Eric Thorne! ''
Indeed" replied Miss Beauiord,
drawing her small figure to its most dig.
nilied proportions.
Yes, overheard him tell you that
was an old flame OF his, and I though
you would be benefited il l narrated
the whole story OF that little affair Of
ours. Ten years ago, when l became
engaged to Eric Thorne, 1 was earning
my living as music teacher. He was
then, comparatively speaking, poor
man. but just one month before our
wedding day his uncle died and left
him sole heir to all his property. Then
Eric asked to be released from his en-.
gagcment, giving as his reason for doing
so that it would be ruin for him to
hamper himself with a wife who had
been bred in poverty. A year later |
married Mr.. Gresham. Now as his
widow l am richer than Eric Thornc
will ever be, and I've come to Newport
this summer solely to settle my old score
with him."
s.Did you love Eric very much, Mrs.
Gresham ?" asked Nell, ftcramoment's
silence.
81 thought so then, but I found out
later on that I had been mistaken"
"Ah then it is not so hard for you as
it is for me to give him up, for Lob,
Mrs. Gresham, I love Eric Thorns bet
ter than my life"
"And yet no is the most detestable
thine-a male tlirt!" said the widow
scornfully.
''No, no! Eric is vain and admircs
pretty women, but at heart he is good
and true. l admit that he is something
OF q coxcomb," said Nell, rueiully:
Handsome men are apt to be, you
know"
"still, for fear that he might flirt with
me, you broke your engagement with
him ?"
81 knew that you were wealthy, beau.
tiful and fascinating; l was afraid You
would win my lover from me, and
and
Miss Beauiord could get no further
with her defense; indeed, when she
came to look at it calmly, it seemed q
very childish piece OF business alto.
gether, and she was heartily ashamed
OF it.
Miss Bcauford," said Mrs. Gresham,
kindly, "let mo take this matter into
my own hands. and l promise that
within three months Eric Thorpe will
be Mt your feet again; and think
may also promise that be will be effect
ualy cured of his flirting propen-
sites"
Edith, you know I love you! On,
parting vas ull n mistake you forgot
me and married, but Edith, have
remained single for your sake"
"Are you sure OF that, Eric?" asked
Mrs. Gresham, archly. "Were you not
recently engaged toathat pretty little
Miss Beauford?" .G
Capt. Thorpe flushed guiltily.
Who told you thatW no asked.
"Oh, tho usual little. bird. You showed
excellent taste, captain"
II prefer to leave Miss Beauford's
namo out Of the present DISCUSSION" he
answered, constrainedIv. The widow
looked at him kcenly for moment or
two and then began to play with the
ring upon her finger. zone thing
promises: | will renounce forever all
other women on the day Yan give me-