Connecticut western news., 1893-07-13
A WOMAN'S ADVICE.

For two whole years Captain Jumpi son had been the idol of the spinsters of Bunborough- -the-Sea. Cheery, good natured and good looking, his private means were limited, if they existed at all, and his pay was insufficient to en- able him to indulge any of those ex- pensive tastes which lure young men from the milder delights of tea and tennis. He neither hunted in winter nor played polo in summer, and he was always ready to dance half the night at the Bunborough balls. He really was a very nice man indeed, every one agreed that he would make very nice husband for any one of the young ladies of Bun borough to whom he might finally de- termine to offer himself, and for two years he distributed his favors freely, but with almost absolute impartiality.
 "There is safety in numbers and the towards know it" said Miss Grayson, of the Valley cottage, to Maud Oakley, who had been unburdening her soul to her. Miss Grayson was the kindest of elderly ladies where young peoples love affairs were concerned, and Maud Oak ley had known her since she (Maud, not Miss Grayson) was baby. "Cowardsr said Miss Grayson again under breath, and Miss Oakley sniffed deprecatingly. She had been talking to Miss Grsyson for an hour, and had told her sympa- thetic listener good deal that was, in the language of the vulgar, ''stale news"
 Miss Grayson was quite aware Gall Bunborough might have told her) that Captain Jumpison had quite recently shown a distinct preference for the Oak ley family. He dined there whenever he was asked and had won General Oak ley's confidence by delicately expressing unbounded belief in his stories-not al- ways an easy task; he had been most at- tentive to old Mrs. Oakley during SUD- per time at several balls, and his visits to the house for o'clock tea had not been limited by invitations issued to him or confined to those occasions when General and Mrs. Oakley were at home; but there were two Miss Oakleys, and to which of them Captain Jumpison in tended his attentions to be devoted was a question which Bunborough- blythe Sea would have liked to have answered. It was not strange, however, that the public were puzzled when Maud Oakley had had to confess to Miss Grayson that she had no very distinct idea whether her sister Geraldine or herself was pre- ferred by the man to whom she had un- reservedly lost her heart, though she ad- mitted she had her fears.
 Geraldine has Dr. Coverdale," said Maud. ''She would be quite happy with him.
 "Quite so," said Miss Grayson. "It never rains but it pours."
 Maud wondered whether it had ever poured" with suitors in Miss Gray sons young days and said nothing.
 "Can't we make Dr. Coverdale pro- pose to her2' said Miss Grayson.
 "And Geraldine accept himY' added Maud doubtfully. Miss Grayson was determined looking old lady, but even she seemed to consider the project i'm practicable.
 Ibid you ever try boohoo with any one?" said Miss Grayson.
 "What?'' said Maud.
 i4Boohoo, boohoo, boohoop cried Miss Grayson excitedly, and an elderly lady who had selected the precise moment to be announced by Miss Grayson's pretty little parlor maid very nearly turned and fled. She came in, however, and her impression that Miss Grayson had gone demented was confirmed by the apparently imbecile laughter with which her greeting was received.
 Maud rose to leave, and Miss Grayson, who had recovered her presence of mind sufficiently to inquire after her new vis- itor's husband (he had been dead seven years), accompanied her to the front door.
 s'Don't you understand, you silly child?" she said, kissing her affectionate- ly on the doorstep. ''Cry, cry, cry your eyes out; not one of the wretches in a bakers dozen of them can stand tears" And the kind old lady returned to pacify justly indignant widow, while Miss Oakley walked home with & light break ing slowly in on her as she pondered the somewhat enigmatical advice she had received.
 Meanwhile Captain Jumpison was striding down the finty road leading from the barracks to Bunborough as if he trod on air. He scarcely knew how Il6 udu UTdISICTT6u uU1IOrm to his newest multi, but between his beating heart and the tweed coat which formed its outeimost covering he could feel the communication which had that afternoon altered the course of his career forever. "On her majesty's service" it had arrived, and Ion her majesty's serv- ice" it informed him he was expected to proceed forthwith to a somewhat distant portion of her dominions, where, in re- turn for salary exceeding his widest l dreams, he was to perform duties as to which he still felt vague. But they probably included the dispensation of substantial justice with lavish hand to sundry swarthy fellow subjects, and the instruction of the male portion of them in the use of obsolete weapons and the evolutions of an improved drill. The oli,nats--wsll. syssy ross has ita