Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1894-09-11
HER DILEMMA.

To and fro, back and across the rose
besrewn carpet of the drawing room
in a Victoria street fiat swept and rus
tied the lnces and silks of Mrs. Ven
ning's newest Paris tea gown.
"What shall 1 do? Whatever shall I
do?" cried Mrs. Venning as for the
hundredth time the writing table barred
her progress and turned her footsteps
back to where the carved mantelpiece
positively groaned under its load of
Dresden china, old ivories, fresh roses
and bibelots of every description,
She crossed the white fur rug, and
pausing gazed with a self pitying smile
at the pretty profusion that met her
eyes.
Roses at Christmasl" she said aloud.
'tThat's the text of the old sermon. For
the three years of my. widowhood I've
had roses at Christmas and everything
else to match. Laura Marindin spent
$400 when she hung her boudoir with
French brocadeS. 1 ran in debt as many
thousands by doing up my rooms with
old embroideries- suppose she's got u
receipt for her money. / have county
court summons for mine -
She dropped into the writing chair
and leaned her chin, dimpled and round
as baby's, in her palms cit seems to
be about $50, 600 the horrid people want
from me. I can't make it any less, and
I've added everything together dozen
times OF course 1 know have been
extravagant; but, then, I'm young
and-not bad looking was
Mrs. Venning's way of considering her
undoubted beauty-''and widow into
the bargain. And widows are expected
to be SO very smart nowadays.
tStin the tradespeople should not
have given me such unlimited credit.
Ah, that's the real root of the whole
matterl Tho credit system is the ruin
of women, who, like myself, must have
pretty things about them.
Thirty thousand dollars, and most
of it to be paid almost at once. am
worth-nothing- cash. These things
she looked about her luxurious sur
wonder what they would fetch if it
came to sale? paid-at least 1 owe-
an awful lot for some of them. But it
rich marriage. Now, let me think who
will do.
I'D throw the handkerchief to Raph-
ael Gluckstein in moment, and I
know he'd positively jump Mt me, for
the sake. of. my visiting list and the
country houses stay at, but that he
would want to pry too much and would
find out at once that when my late hus-
band, Robert Venning, died he only left
$50, 900 behind him and not the $780,
600 year with which society and the
tradespeople have chosen to credit me.
Gluckstein wouldn't marry a penniless
woman to attain even the Duchess of
Newland's little dinner parties. +"
And so, with crinlled brows and q
slender forefnger that ticked off each
victim to Mrs. Venning's charms as he
came In view, the prettiest and most
popular woman in town passed before
her minds eye such men as, by their
station or fortune, could alone save her
from social and financial annihilation
The Earl of Wesse1 she had openly
snubbed month ago, and only week
back his engagement to a Chicago pork
packers daughter had been announced.
Hon. BERTHE Shorthouse was a nice
boy, and his prospects truly grand, but
he had been very wild on his own &C
count, and marriage with him might
scarcely be satisfactory-from the point
of view of the clamorous tradespeople
The young Duke of Woodford was
highly eligible, but the old duchess,
his mother, kept sharp eye on the lad
and had openly expressed her detesta-
tion of widows.
The bishop of Barchester was rich
and well preserved man, but, oh, SO
prosy and so dreadfully intolerant OF
the ways of the worldl
And so on through endless strings OF
moths, who had futtered round and
burned their silly wings at the flame ot
Mrs. Yenning's bright eyes.
Suddenly she paused, blushed deli
ciously, then laughed at herself for do.
ing So
said, passing her fingers lightly over her
burning cheeks 81 don't know how
such an idea could ever come into my
head. -
She opened the blotter. drew some
dainty monogrammed paper toward her,
and taking q pen began hastily to scrib-
bic few names across the sheet.
Lord Fordwell, Of course. The duke
II can't help it If his mother doesn't
like 1t. The boy must marry some day.
The bishop of Barchester. Gluckstein-
I'll risk him. Colonel Dingwall is q
nice looking fellow, with comfortable
income, and he was most epris with me
at Goodwood. Lord Arthur st John ]
will certainly write to. I've not seen
him for year, but know he is al
Brighton, and he always said If ever ]
felt inclined to change my mind he
would only be too pleased Sir Roder-
ick Mcpherson and BERTHE Shorthouse.
Eight of them
Fancy a woman writing to eight
men to express her perfect willingness
to marry any one of themi The only
circumstance that prevents me expiring
with horror at my own temerity Is the
foot that all Of tharrn l,nr,e, -,,..,r,,...a =