Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-05-09

few families that DeIore seurnng IN new
Amsterdam enjoyed distinction in the
mother country. Tie Van Duyvils had
never been butchers or bakers or even
shoemakers. There was therefore moth
ing left for them to be but gentlemen OF
leisure or governors.
The last representative of this honor
able line was very rich, very much of a
person, not a german leader or ball
organizer, but man of parts and posi-
tions. He had never so far forgotten the
glory of the Van Duyvils as to pay his
addresses to the scion Of any but first
families i'll Boston and Philadelphia.
New York women did not meet with his
appreciation. And now he sighed at a
pair Of Californian feet that had once
run bare and brown on the dusty by
roads about Merced
Even old O'Shea was flattered in his
pride. His sturdy, democratic heart
could not subdue a throb of vanity when
he thought that the sole survivor of the
house of O'Shea-recently discovered to
be descended from the kings of Water
ford-should mate with the last repre-
sentative of the house of Van Duyvil.
The only person who remained haught-
lily Indifferent was the young lady her.
self. She was distant and cold to her
suitor, rarely spoke of him, made ex-
cuses not to see him, was out when he
called. 1t would not have been strange
if Beverwyk Van Duyvil had felt dis
couraged by the attitude of his lady
fair. But to be Van Duyvil means
more things than to be merely great and
lllustrlous. 1t means to possess a self
confidence that earthquakes cannot
shake. That the young lady was cold
and unrespOnsive proved to Beverwyk
Van Duyvil that she was a trifle more
original than the scions of the first fam
lilies whom he had heretofore honored
with his regard 1t was meet that fu-
ture Van Duyvil should hold herself
high.
When he finally asked her to marry
him, this most difficult task was accom-
plished with truly graceful tact and ad-
mirable aplomb. Beverwyk Van Duyvil
proposed, as he did everything else,
with perfectly finished grace. 1t must
be admitted that of the two the descend
ant of the lordiy Dutchman was much
more self possessed and agreeable than
the descendant of the Milesian kings
Miss Esperanza O'Shea received the fiat
tering offer in ungracious and frowning
silence, which may be peculiar to kings,
but is not accounted charming in beau
tiful young Calfornians Then, as Van
Duyvil attempted to take her hand and
press it gently between his own, she
abruptly withdrew the member, and
fixing on him a pair of darkly angry
eyes said, II will send you your an
swer tomorrow And without waiting
for him to reply she rose and walked
away, not looking back, leaving him to
follow with his eyes her graceful figure
as she passed down the long rooms and
to sit silent, absently drawing his gloves
through his hand in pleasing medita-
tions.
The next afternoon, when Beverwyk
arrived from down town in his apart
ments, he found q package awaiting
him. 1t was long and narrow, wrapped
in paper and directed in the small,
round hand of Miss O'Shea He opened
it, puzzled. From the unrolled paper
dropped a fan of pale blue, painted
gauze, with four Of its sticks snapped
in two. Round the broken sticks was
twisted piece Of paper on which was
written:
For the second time Mr.. Van Duyvil has
made mistake. ESPERiNZA O'SHEA
Geraldine Bowner in New York Trib
une.