The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-18
A HERO OF HENLEY.
From London Truth.

miserably
Come. come. old sis. you'n like it when
you're there. Youm see him rowing. you
know" answered Mabel. in consollng
tone.
But don't want to see him rowing. I
never want to see him under any circum-
stances again. It-it-only makes ii harder
to bear now MISUNDERSTANDING is over
between us"
I am sorry for you, Maud. dear" ex-
/ claimed Mabel. placing her arm round her
/ sisters waist and trying TO kiss away
/ some Of the tears which were cOursing
/ down her cheeks. But you must try
to take a more cheerful view. Perhaps
/ papa will relent."
Papa will never relent. He can't re-
/ lent. You-you-know as well as do that
-that-his circumstances make that i'm
/ possible. Besides, I'm en-engaged TOTO
/ Old Scratch. That Is why papa insists on
my going to-day. because Old Scratch is
coming. I-I-hate Old Scratch; and 1
wish l was deadr' finished up Maud, with
/ energy.
Il am sure" said Mabel, with conf
| dence, that Mr.. Spilshank is a gentle
man, and that IL he were to learn the
| state of your feelings he would immedi-
| ately release you from your engagement.
| Don't you think so yourself?"
! Yves, think he would. But-but-I
/ can't tell him. I-I-promised papa: and
| -and-Im in honor bound to keep the Sc
| cret. Besides, if-if-I were to tell him.
and he were to break off the engagement,
| papa would-would-at once bring down
one of his horrid Stock Exchange friends
| somebody much worse than Old Scratch
and insist upon my accepting him. Oh
it's cruel-its a shame-to be placed in
this position I-I-wish l was the ugliest
nd go. rf-I
kingdoms"
Plain Mabel sighed She would have
been quite content to relieve Maud Of her
burden of good looks, had such a read
Justment been possible. Perhaps also,
she did not think it any great hardship
to be engaged to Old Scratch-a Jolly,
| well preserved gentleman, who was not
yet past the prime of life, and had some
tl5,OOO per annum to his fortune II was
not as though he were man of objec-
uonable or tyrannical character. Quite
the reverse. He was a kindly, courteous
considerate gentleman, against whom no
BODY could ind word to say. III people
| did find fault with him at all, il was for
being Quixotically generous and absurd!y
conf1ding. That, apparently, was tho
worse that could be raked up to his dis
| credit.
The nickname "Old Scratch" which haa
| stuck to him ever since his young man
hood, had first arisen in reference to his
repute as sculler. For four successive
| years he was amateur champion Of the
Thames; and in every handicap for which
he entered he was always placed on the
scratch mark. He had long ago given up
| these aquatic contests, except in the char
acter of spectator and mentor to young
| aspirants, who always took the veteran
| hints with attention and respect. He was
| the more looked up to by them on account
OF his modest, but withal genial, dispo-
sition And ii is doubtful whether the
| Leander, or for the matter of that any
boat club on the Thames. contained bet-
ter known or more popular member than
Old Scratch.
Mauds engagement to this amiable gem
| tleman came about in the following way:
Her father, a stockbroker In large
way of business, about a year previously
had met with a run of unlucky specula-
tons, which crippled him considerably
Instead of giving up his large house ana
his expensive way of living, he embarked
on some highly risky financial operations
in the hope of bringing off a coup. The US
ual result followed. He landed himself
in worse difficulties. In fact, so bad had
his pecuniary position became that-al-
though his name and credit were still
publicly unimpaired-he stood on the verge
of ruin and disgrace
About this time a wealthy stockiobber
of his acquaintance, Fladsby by name-
tons younger daughter, Maud. The girl
had already given her affections to Char
lie Milligan, the famous Oxofian whose
prowess as a sculler had already made
him public character He was hand
some. manly young fellow % years of age,
but unfortunately the possessof Of only a
diminutive income While things went
well with him, Wilmington permitted
the little affair between these two young
persons to continue; but when he became
hard hit, and it was a matter of Sc
rious moment to him to introduce money
into his family, he at once put stopper
on Charlie Milligan's visits
Maud protested with tears. Her father
took her into his study and talked to-
her. He confided, to her his precise posi-
tlon Tor as much of 1t as suited his pur-
| pose), painted in narrowing colors the
consequence of her refusal to comply with
his wishes-that was to encourage Flads-
| by-and finally appealed to her better
feelings, as his child. to save his own
gray hairs and the family name from ir-
retrievable disgrace.
Fladsby was gilded vulgarian, a POM
pous, consequential buck. rising 80 but
aping the dress and manners of 30. She
| hated his sensual face and his affected
airs His coarse and fulsome compliments
disguised her. When he attempted love-
making, he simply moved her to loathing
What might have occurred had matters
in this direction reached a critical point
1T is impossible to say. Before Fladsby
had actually proposed for Maud's hand.
another admirer turned up. He was a
man whose acquaintance Wilmington
made one day at the club, and whom. hav-
ing learned that he was wealthy, he took
care to cultivate by asking him to his
| house.
This man, whose name was Spilshank.
had not been at Withringtonis half a
Dozen times before his admiration for
Maud grew apparent He was In every
way an Improvement on Fladsby-from
the fathers standpoint, because he was
richer, more generous a better subject
for prospective bleeding; from the dauqh-
ter's, because he was a refined, kind
| hearted, considerate gentleman. The up
shot of it was that Fladsby-to his huge
chagrin-received a paremptory congo.
and Maud, in her thankfulness to escape
from that atrocious monster, made less
difficulty than her father expected about
accepting Spilshanks offer.
Wilmington was greatly annoyed when
Old Scratch announced his intention Of
taking them all down TO Henley to see
| the race for the diamond sn,lls