The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-11-21

~ Il do not relish the idea of getting
married just to please old mans whim;
the most charitable thing l can suppose is
that my uncle is in his dotage".
| Il only wish / had an uncle with the
| same complaint, and disposed to settle me
! Ior lie In the same manner, laughs Musby.
But stay, my friend; possibly there is an
| other fair lady already holding the keys
of your heart"
Nothing of the kind answer contempt
rously, though not without feeling of COM
| junction; land now, Mosby l want your
advice as to the best way of getting liv-
ing l can't force people to give me briefs
and it's equally clear l cannot live even in
the modest. quiet way have been used to
| on hundred year"
MY advice to you. II you are deter
mined to turn Dame Fortune from you
door, is to go and enlist in foot regiment
at once; or, stay. though" he adds, his
broad face growing broader with what he
thinks a good joke. What do you say to
coming into our Office as head clerk at ESQ
year? Old Griffin is getting past the
work. and talks of going to live with his
| daughter in the country, the annuity he
has been purchasing Tor so long,
| grasp Musby's hand and shake it until
| ne looks at me as if he thinks l have taken
ieave of my senses. ',rhe very thing. my
dear Fellow" l cry, eff you think me capa-
| bic. You will find I'm not afraid Of work.
ana l think, with little practice, L may
get into your routine"
| Musby looks at me as he may look at a
two headed elephant or any other inconceiv-
| able monstrosity. WELL" he says at
| length. slowly, eff you choose to come. we
shall be very glad to get you, but at the
same time let me tell you you are simply
| throwing yourself away"
| The end of it is that before we part l
| nave agresd to enter the office of Lloyd
Musby & Co. as their head clerk at a salary
OF floo year. 1 must that it is a
great blow to the hopes l once INDUCED in,
| but 1t will be infinitely better than being in
| any way dependent upon my uncle, after
have gone contrary to his wishes.
l spend the remainder of the day in con-
| cocting long letter to my eccentric rela-
tive, in which I decline as gantly as posi-
| BILE to enter the bonds of matrimony with
| Miss Bartlett. l even go far to hint
at prior attachment. l do not say any
| thing about my employment, l do
not enter thereon for another month.
hint that shall be happy to pay him Wis
it. if agreeable to himself, and congratulate
myself that there is no danger of his WIS.,
| iting ne.
For three whole days I haunt the parks
and other fashionable resorts in the hope
of catching glimpse of Mary Winterson,
but in vain. do not go near Lady Den
| vers. l suppose l must put IN an appear
ance at her ball, if only for few minutes.
This will be my last grand dissipa ton; for
even she. kind hearted she is, will hard
| ly care to invite lawyers clerk to meet
| itl SeIecl guests. Alter THAT there Will De
only two days of my present mode of life
| left me: at the end of the week l will leave
| for Devonshire, and shall return to take my
| position as head clerk in the firm of Lloyd
| Musby & Co.
! The violin, flute and bassoon'' are dis
| bursting the melting strains of My Queen
| as enter Lady Denvers house on the night
of her last ball of the season. There is
gOodly array of fair women and brave men
| before me, for my godmother is we'll known
| in the inner circle of London society, and
| her parties, though rarely given, are looked
| forward to with pleasure l am afraid I
do not look with very pleased eyes upon the
fair scene before me. Somehow or other
the contemplation of the coming change has
not improved my temper, and sometimes
slight doubt as to whether l have not act
ed somewhat hastily forces itself upon me-
in spite of my efforts to r5presS it.
Gilbert you naughty boy says my
godmother, coming towards me, "where
have you been keeping yourself? 1 have
been expecting you to call every day dur
ing the past week; but now you are here
you must do your duty. Come and let me
find you d partner
Now for it, 1 groan inwardly, as 1 am
| plotted to the other end of the room, for
feel certain that 1 am about to be made
acquainted with Tom Bartletts little girl
Am l dreaming? I cannot but believe
that | shall wake up presently TO find that
| nave uOIeu over my pipe III 1Ily lonely
sitting room; for there, standing before me,
| is Mary Winterson, smiling and blushing
as my godmother goes through the oere-
mony of introduction.
Il have had the pleasure of meeting Miss
| Winterson before" l gasp at last, when l
| have sufficiently recovered from my sur
prise.
Delighted to hear it," says Lady Den
| vers. Now you must take care of her and
see that she enjoys herself. I should adj
| n mako q ha, nv her
card for many dances possible she
laughingy adds, as she walks away.
l have been to many balls before, hut
this one will ever live in my memory as
the most perfectly enjoyable one I ever
| knew Need | say that all was forsotten
| if but for one short hour; my uncle, Miss
| Bartlett, Messrs. Lloyd, Musby & Co., in
| snort. everything that could make life mis-
| cradle was as though it had never been,
and when, after that second waltz we
| wandered away through the conservatory,
| and my darling was by my side with her
| hand my arm, and her sweet, true eyes
looking into mine with the same childlike,
| trustful expression of year ago. / cast
everything-poverty, prudence, together
| with obdurate uncle-to the winds, and
though doubtless l stammered and stumbled
a good deal over it, told sweet Mary Win
| terson how 1 loved her.
We were very happy, too happy, knew,
| to last for | found TO my joy l did not love
| in vain. How long should have re-
| manned in our E,lysan retreat 1 do not
| know, but were suddenly awakened
| from our dream by the sound of voices
| coming towards
| Good heavens!' | calculate while Mary
| gives a little scream; there standing be-
| fore u.s. three old gentlemen my uncle,
fierce looking military man, and another
| with a most remarkably lamb like express
| sion of countenance
| 'Well, sir" says my uncle at last, "is
this the prior attachment you informed
me of in your letter.?
| "And will you kindly tell me, young lady,
| if you think it is altogether pleasant to
| the feelings Of a father to see a young
man kissing his daughter unreproved?'
chimes in the military gentleman.
! Let me explain, uncle" I began. "When
| I wrote to you and declared [ could never
marry Miss Bartlett, did not dare hope
Miss Winterson cared for me; but now my
| objections to your plan increased a
| thousand fold
| Marry Miss BARTLETT" cries my uncle. in
in upon him and he laughs until his face is
| purple and the more he laughs the more
the third old gentleman laughs with him.
"Old Tom Bartlett's daughter! fancy you,
| Tom married" he chuckles at last when
| he has recovered himself.
mo, sir; we leave that business to young
fools like yourself Tom here IS Miss Win
| terson's godfather, which accounts for his
he adds, looking at her approvngly, "sha is
| a remarkably fine girl. and nothing like SO
little as he made her out to be-
-