Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-11-19

] subject 10 her mother felt under no sort
of obligation to treat her stepfather
elect with forbearance. On the contrary,
che saw fit to display the feeling Of con.
tempt with which she regarded him in
so unmistakable a manner that he soon
conceived hearty dislike for her and
resolved that she should be taught to
behave herself better as soon rs he
should have obtained some semblance Of
legitimate authority over her.
Thus it came TO pass that, although
the wedding Of Colonel Byng and Mrs.
Atherton was appointed to take place
on the approaching Tuesday in Whitsun
week, no date was fixed for the marriage
Of their respective children-an arrange
ment which might very well have been
brought about had their respective chill
1ren Exercised little skillful diplomacy.
''My good fellow" the colonel said
brusquely to his son, "you are kind
enough to tell me that l make myself
ridiculous by marrying lady who is
scarcely middle aged, who is undeniably
handsome and who has a matter Of
e100, 600 of her own. am unable to
see why that is ridiculous, but can
perfectly understand that you might
render me so if you were to espouse her
daughter simultaneously. Moreover,
she isn't ct all q nice girl. l have
changed my opinion about her. There
fore, if you think that her mother and |
ere going to deprive ourselves of part
of our income for the sake CT making q
match of which we both disapprove, l
must tell you with regret that you are
falling into very great error"
These very ungenerous sentiments
were echoed by Mrs. Atherton, who had
fallen completely under the sway Of her
mature adcrcr, and who frankly con-
fessed to Blanche that she did not see
her way to disobey him. ''Of course" :"
she remarked, "my money is my own
to do what I like with, but must be
guided to some extent by his wishes,
and after all, dear, you might do a
great deal better for yourself than you
would by marrying struggling barris-
ter. Ned is all very well in his way,
but he doesn't care about going into So
ciety, and he isn't half as distinguished
as his father in any respect. -
81 have never yet been able to dis
cover in what his fathers distinction
consists" observed Blanche rather i'm
prudently. "You can't walk down Pic
cadilly without meeting dozen padded
and made up old men just like him."
"He is neither padded nor made up
nor old-and you are extremely imperti-
nent, Blanche" returned Mrs. Ather-
ton with pardonable acerbity.
Well, there was no use i'll being i'm
pertinent, nor was there apparently any
available cure for infatuation. Miss
Atherton relieved her feelings from time
to time by addressing cutting little
speeches to the colonel. But that was
scarcely the way to ingratiate herself
with him, and she could not but ac-
knowledge ruefully that he was master
Of the situation. The knowledge that he
was so enabled him to keep his temper
with this rude young woman. He could
we'll afford to bide his time, and it was
in mood of easy serenity that he was
dining at his club on Whitsunday
evening when one of those vexatious
little mishaps occurred to him which
play so disproportionately large a par
i'll the histories of nations and individ-
uals.
Alas, it was only too true that Colo
mel Byng's beautiful teeth were not
his own save by right of purchase, and
he ought never to have ordered hard
biscuits with his cheese. 1t became nee
essary to leave the club precipitately,
and on reaching home he found to his
dismay that something had gone very
seriously wrong with the elaborate piece
of mechanism which had worked so ad
mirably for number Of years. Now,
this was really grave matter. He was
to be married in the presence Of large
circle of friends on the next day but
one. 1t was, therefore, absolutely essen
tial that the requisite repairs should be
executed within "a hours, and the NOR
row was Whitmonday. Do dentists alb
stain from business on bank holidays?
This was the question which presented
;tself again and again to the anxious
colonel's mind during night Of broken
rest, and he could only reply that 1t
was extremely vulgar and plebeian of
them if they did.
But perhaps dentists like good
many other people, are willing to incur
the stigma Of vulgarity if, by doing SO,
they can obtain temporary release from
the daily treadmill At any rate, poor
Colonel Byng incurred disappointment
after disappointment as he drove wildly
through the deserted streets On that pit
ilessly sunny day, and never before or
since can the fussy interference Of Sir
John Lubbock have been mathematical
with more heartfelt earnestness. Not
only was the colonel's own particular
artist out of town, but never anothe.
| dentist, equal or inferior to that unfeel-
| ing absentee, could be run to earth.
| What in the world was to be done? To
walk up toothless to the altar and mum
| BILE out inaudible responses from be-
tween contiguous nose and chin was
manifostly impossible; to postpone the
ceremony would be almost equally SO.
Tho distracted bridegroom, with Court
Guide in his hand and shivers Of appre-
hension running up his spine, could but
persevere in what appeared to be hope
less quest, and no words can express the
relief with which he learned, on reaching
an address in South Kensington, that
Mr. Wainwright geon-dentist, had
just come i'll.
The residence Of Mr.. Wainwright,
rgeon-dentist, was situated on fourth
floor fiat in one of those huge blocks of
mansions" which have been added of
late years to the other architectural
charms Of London. At any other time
the colonel might have been disposed to
look askance at an operator who dwelt