The free press., 1895-10-31

falt IN the ways of the beau monde,
and refreshingly good natured. Why,
a woman could scold away all day at
Harmon Laight, and he'd never think
OF such thing as talking back And
better than all, he is to inherit heaps
Of money"
81 wish that old uncle he is eternally
talking about would leave every dime
OF his money to somebody else; just
| push Harmon out into the cold.
believe it would be the making of
| him. But, come now make tracks or
l shan't get my work done today. One
thing is sure, as Harmon Laight
stands today in true manliness and in
| tellection, to sensible woman he can
be nothing more nor less than bore"
And with this parting shot, the broom
was set in actual motion, and Bella, in
| Element of dust, was forced to retreat
| ANONYMOUSLY. just at that moment,
young gentleman, in a white suit,
with face upon which CONSERVATION
and disappointment were both written
might have been seen passing steal
thily out the hall door of the Harris
brown stone mansion, walking quickly
and shamefacedly away. This was
Harmon Laight. Finding the door
ajar, and being on intimate terms
with the family, he had passed quietly
in, intending to surprise them; but
up to this time the surprise had been
quite one-sided affair.
"rhis beats the Dutch!" he NUT
tered, after corner or two had been
turned, and he felt himself in safe dis
tance from the enemy's camp. "This
is a shower bath l little expected; but
every word is as true as the Gospel
and the worst of it is have always
realized it. Jerusalem what is fell
low in such fix to do? l can never
look the girl in the face again until l
have resolved upon something.
Twenty-four years old, and never did
days work in my life not because 1
was too lazy to work, but because my
lady mother considered all labor ig-
noble and the consequence is, L am a
laughing stock for sensible people as
fools. I'll go at something! see if
don't, Harmon Laight! if it is nothing
There is one thing / am thankful for,
that she believed there was a spark of
good in me. 'The essence of nobility
she called it. An essence now without
flavor I'll give it an odor yet, if it
be as common as the odor of the es-
sence of peppermint! !" And more an
noyed than he ever dreamed it possible
he could become, Harmon Laight
locked himself in his room, and gave
himself up to earnest thought. One
result of this self-communion was a
letter received by Marion the follow
ing day which ran after this style:
"Miss Marion-You have awakened
me to humiliating sense of my real
character. have always been aware
of my mental and moral deformity,
but until now have lacked the proper
incentive to healthy and honest action.
Bid m God speed my friend Ishall
never again enter your presence until
/ feel in some degree worthy your
notice; and have rubbed out, / trust,
the singularly expressive and truthful
title of BORE In all kindness,
HARMON LAIGHT."
"That accounts for the hall door
being open yesterday. He must have
overheard every word said" And
Marion re-read the little note, while
tear trembling among the brown
lashes, and quiver of the arched lip,
almost gave the Ii eto Marion's declar-
alton of "I'm glad of it.
81 should have said this to his face
and more kindly" she murmured.
81 have heard queer news OF Har-
mon Laight today" said Mr.. Harris
to his daughter, as they sat at the tea
table alone, few days after the above
occurrence, the family having de-
parted for Saratoga. "He starts for
California on Saturday. 'Going into
business, his friends say. Going to
work., he says. The idea of associat-
ing labor with that hot house plant IS
too ridiculous for anything" and the
old gentlemen laughed heartily. ellis