The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-02-22
Selett Storp.
A PROPOSAL.
From Black and White

am not exactly beauty, Dnt 90
know how to dress A woman who has
that knowledge and the means to use it
needs no more. think | can say without
vanity that my eyes are good They are
gray and sparkling and long, with very
curly lashes. Yet there are plenty of
jealous people who say it is only, lies
beaux yeux de MA eassette that make me
popular.
Saranna Bellfeld is catch, and might
have married lord-two lords and
knight eldest son, though this is beside
the mark. Ny admirers said I was cyni-
cal, for sometimes laughed at them. |
couldn' help it. | decided at 10 that |
had no heart, and that | would accept the
first really eligible part that came along.
1t sounded easy. 1t was easy. until |
went into the country to stay with great
friend of mine, married to a clergyman
who was an honorable as well as merely
reverend. | was sick of being the Miss
Bellfeld. persuaded my friend to let
me a first cousin of hers, down at Cher
rington-on-T -Tarn. She is good, easy
soul. His reverence had gone away to a
conference. | over persuaded her, and
WE'LL had lovely time as Miss Kitty
Bent
1t was such an innocent sort of name
| took no maid and dressed the part to
perfection in pink gingham and muslins
Cherrington ION Tarn is very quiet spot;
the season there consists of two school
treats and flower show. At all three
met the one man
He was the doctor son at home on a
holiday, and he fell in love with me di-
rectly, thought He is tremendously
clever; they think all the world of him in
his hospital He is good looking, | think
He did not propose to me, though there
were opportunities. jesse was absorbed
with baby, and she had no idea how
often Miss Kitty Bent met Mr.. Hugh
Maydwell
At first did it for fun, but when got
back to London and Major Peile-Far-
quharson began to be attentive. then
knew how much happier Kitty Bent was
than Saranna Bellfeld | did not give
way to my feelings. | rather hated to
realize had any House surgeons of big
hospitals don 90 into society. daresay
they flirt with the nurses-horrid things
but that is all.
Then Maj Farquharson came on my
horizon, very young to be a major at all.
and very handsome. His manner to me
was perfect Luckily | found out how
utterly selfish he was; otherwise, as DIR.
Maydwel had apparently entirely forgot
ten Miss Bent Mamma is dear, kind
hearted thing, and when | announced that
| intended to 90 to Mrs Hay -Thesigers
with that horrid little Mrs. Ewart Vane,
she let me do it. | told Maj. Farquhar-
son to be there; then | told mamma he
was going. 1t was naughty, but one day
| got Mrs. Hay -Thesiger to give me a
blank card for friend of ours, and sent
it to DIR. Maydwel. | wanted him to see
me in my glory, and | wanted still more
to see if should like him in a ball room
as much as at Cherrington- on-Tarn. /
went warily to work ! wrote short note
with the invitation; said that | should be
there; signed it X Bent, and wrote on
plain paper, with no address
There was a lovely rose at Cherrington
in the vicarage garden Reve dor. |
used to wear the buds in my white gowns.
| GOT dress for the ball of their exact
shade wore one in my hair, quite in
the old heroine style that has come back
again and had very simple posy to
match, instead of carrying Major Farqu-
harson's big, rather vulgar erection of
orchids
There were not five people who were in
society at Mrs. Thesigers s. But the ball
was thoroughly well done, and except
Maj. Farquharson no one appeared to be
at all sensible of the fact.
| knew by signs that he meant to be
even more empresse than usual. He was
so handsome that sometimes my heart had
beaten quite fast when he had made love
to me. He was standing beside me with
the devoted air he can put on so well,
when I suddenly saw DIR. Maydwell. He
looked older and rather jaded; neat enough,
but certainly not fashionable at all. He
Just glanced at Maj. Farquharson and was
obviously going to pass on without even
asking me for a dance. Then it flashed
across me that he had found out and that
he was angry. He looked quite st, rn.
| dismissed Maj. Farquharson unmistak
bly,; Ten or eleven, if am here. .
Then held out my hand to DR. May
dwell.
Have you forgotten me altogether
He did look stern, but it rather became
him.
II expected to meet lady who is not
here, Miss Bellfeld,p he began, very
coldly.
sThis sort of thing is not much in my
way, and l think had better say good
night. | could not resist chance of
meeting Miss Kitty Bent again, but as
that is impossible the sooner | get back to
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