The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-10-22
HER SOCIETY LOVER.

Benjamin Hacket knew how to read and
write after fashion. How he came by
those accomplishments no one was quite
sure 1t was mystery even to himself
Betsy was his wifes name and his wife
had been a plump good natured sailors
daughter. When they We're married. she
felt quite conteat with her little front
room in d riverVvard street.
They lived IN another quarter of the city
now, and Betsy's daughter called herself
Elizabeth and had no notion of being less
fashionable than her 6eighbors, and PEG
pie said Captain Hacket was immensely
rich and would leave his daughter an
heiress.
Moreover, she had grown to be not quite
SO we'll pleased when, following in her fa
Tiers wake on his return from any voy-
age, she saw that handsome sunburned
mate Of his, Tom HadaWay.
She had known Tom almost all her life,
and once she had been very fond of him.
She liked him still and knew that he was
manly and handsome and well educated
And there had been a time when she
had believed that her fathers wish might
come to pass and Tom Hadaway become
her husband but with the elegant house
in the fashionable square had arisen other
ideas.
So during one of her fathers longest
voyages she permitted Melton Melton, who
had by slow degrees become her beau ideal
of manly perfection, to slip an engagement
ring upon her slender finger and gave him
permission to ask papa in the most ap
proved fashion
..Why didn't you ask me firsts'' said the
captain. THAT puppy Lord love yous
What do you women see in fellow like
that? They amt men according to my
reckoning-only gals in wrong clothesl
HIM.
HE adores me, papa, - said Elizabeth,
melting into tears, and 1 should die if
you were cruel DO you consent, papas''
And how about Tom Hadaway?'' asked
the captain.
At this Lizzie curled her lip
.'Tom loves you better than his life,''
said the captain. We as much as given
him to understand that I'll make OBJ
jectiOns- As for this fellow, the only use
you could make of him in the time Of
storm would be to throw him overheard to
Tighten the ship, and, by the Lord Harry,
his weight wouldn't make much differ
ence- Think it over, Lizziel''
But Lizzie was firm, and she was the
captains pet, and though the old man
gave his consent very reluctantly. still he
gave it at last And poor Tom Hadaway
heard the news with a sad heart and sailed
away to sea again with the captain.
This time the captain s voyage was but
a short one He returned quite unexpect-
edly one day with something unpleasant
evidently upon his mind
Perhaps thought Lizzie, 1T was all
about the engagement Tom was such q
favorite. -
She was SO sure of this that she felt
nervous about mentioning the fact that
Melton Melton was anxious that she should
'.name the day, - but she did at last
And, the young fellow arriving al
most on the moment, the captain shook
hands with him warmly enough and they
sat down together very amicably-
Had Miss observation-disclosures
-ah-the object of-in fact, of this call
ah''=
I've heard that you are anxious to be
spliced as soon as possible, my lad. - said
the captain and I've just told Lizzie
that rs things stand today, / don t care
how soon the affair is settled I've got to
leave home again, and / d rather leave her
under some ones care -
And the captain groaned-
.'Ah, your health-ah, life is very-ah
-uncertainl'' said Melton Melton, with
thought of the reports of the captains will
at his heart
My health is perfect, - said the cap
tain, "and your Jack is as safe at sea as
on land, for that matter. But, you see,
something has happened. I've been pre-
cious fool To tell the truth, plain enough
for marine to understand it, I've been
specializing without knowing what 1 was
about, and I've lost every penny L pos
sessed- I'm as poor today as Jobs turkey
and naturally I'M glad to see Lizzie settled
Here the captain arose
Settle the day between you, " he said.
ssI'lI leave you together And he rushed
out of the room.
Lizzie sunk upon a sofa and burst into
tears. Melton Melton, Esq, stood near her,
with a peculiar expression upon his face.
Its very distressing = he said ~ Pom
my word, I sympathize with you I-ah
II couldn' { trouble you to talk about that
little matter at so distressing a moment.
ami believe delIcacy requires me to
ah-depart- An revoiri''
And Melton Melton, Esq, vanished
In week the captain and his daughter
had gone back to the old second floor in
the riverward street, and there. with the
painted furniture, the plaster parrots. the
bunch OF white coral and other belongings