Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1894-02-22

marrying man, dangerou1 nem-
Der cf society TO be ut q e, IL
matchmaking niammss wit veep-
ing sentimeptaI daughters \ home
know to their cost, and Grad I.ud.
low is not the first girl vi os heart
has been gained that way.
| Yet Grace is different from these
others, and where they hav1 dried
their tears, dutifnlly mafrid the
husbands pleged for them, sd. as
matrons, laughed at Grant Aubrey
as ssthat absurd old bachelor xhom
they airted With shen girl<s' she
mourns over shattered idol, and
chafes at the chains which binds
her.
He was welded to life, a life
where clubs, champagne suppers aud
fiirtations figured extensively, aud
his income was insufficient to sup
port more than one in his luxuri-
ous hotel rooms; so marriage was
declared folly by this wise bache-
lor, and he kept on the even tenor
of his way, playing we'll worn tricks
in Irritation, yet.almost invariably
trapping his silly victims, until he
met Grace Ludlow.
At first he flirted. then grew in
terested, and even went so far rs to
calculate whether a fellow could
give two evenings a week to q
wife, and how much the old man
(Grace's father) would be likely to
shell out if he should offer him the
stupendous privilege of being his
father-in-law. That was before he
knew the desperate state of Mr..
Ludlow's finances. With wisest
forcthought he made inquiries, and
finally decided to wind up the af-
fairs with Grace at once.
He had never committed himself,
this honorable gentleman, and re-
fected upon the fact with: inward
satisfaction; yet had not tender
glances and Thousand gallant at
tentions spoken volumes. to the girl
whom he had been constantly with
for o year past? = !
In spite of his resolutions, he is
tempted this night, with Grace so
near him, to speak more plainly,
sacrifice his own comfort for once.
and begin life as n respectable ben
edict.
Her face, clear-cut and dainty,
is turned towards him, and the soft
ened spleudor of the summer moon
lightens dusky hair and eyes. Her
pale cheek flushes at his very lover
like glances and tone.
Il always think Oracle, of De
Stael's description of herself when
look at you in this unearthly
light a soul of fire in body Of
gossamer. You are too dainty and
spirhueHe for this humdrum life;
in short, too angelic for any man
living. Ihope you will never marry.
l should die of jealousy"
| She breaks from him i'm sort of
desperation, and he hardly knows
the quiet passive girl of few mo-
ments since. Nothing is said, but
the scorn in her eyes might have
shamsd less honorable man than
Aubrey.
After that she had avoided him.
A fashionable aunt soon came and
whirled her of to Saratoga, where
the great match was made, and An.
brey, upon his return from leis.
urely trip mp the st. Lawrence,
learned the astounding fact that
Grace was to be married in amonth.
Her quiet face changed little
when he greeted her.
"Well, Oracle, so you've given
me the mitten, have you - Then,
in lugubrious tone, "What is to
become of me ?"
J Grace's dark eyes looked brayely
even defiantly. into his.
| go, me will be provided for,
I've no doubt, while Grant Aubrey
has brains and hands. i verify be.
lieve what is to become of me p il
4 the one problem of your life,
Now you make me ont a miser.
able egotist. That's not fair 70
L A call from the door mercifull,
released her, aud younger sisters
entertained him with schoolgirl
chatter, until he made his adieux
Every day it was the same, unit
Grace was to be seen only by a few
favored intimates.
So the romance, the very memo
, ~ of which hrnnght fenrs fo hn