The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-09-19

the girl--was his beautiful and ac-
complished daughter Florence. at this
time Just twenty-one, and legally her
own mistress.
Miss Florence Van Cortland Browne
presided over her fathers beautiful
summer home, at Eagles Nest on the
Palisades. overlooking what some one
has called the "Lordly Hudson
Eagles Nest was the center Of hos
pitality. Its doors We're always open to
the blue blooded friends of Mr.. Van
Cortland Browne and his daughter.
The most frequent visitor during the
summer Of Sa5, was Commodore Blake
ley Horton-Smith, a. prosperous. fine
looking young broker whose title was
given him by the nearly unanimous
vote OF the st. George Canoe club. Mr..
Van Cortland only objections
to Commodore Blakely Horton-Smith
were his last name and the wellknown
fact that his father had made his for
time In lard.
AS became man of his antecedents
and position, Mr.. Van Cortland Browne
was gallant to the ladies, as he him
self expressed it "cap n pied" His
nearest neighbor was Mrs. Maj. Floyd
Floyd Jones, % widow lady Of indepen-
dent fortune. fine presence, and II rumor
were to be credited, engaged to Mr.
Van Cortland-Browne.
"a few miles above Eagles Nest lived
Col. Washington johnson, a southern
er, q bachelor Of fifty, Of doubtful for
tune but of positively brilliant antece-
dents, and, like most men hailing from
his section. he was ready to fight, II
anyone doubted that his family was
not only the first In the state but in the
whole land.
II Col. washington Johnson had an
nounced his purpose to go back to the
south and never to return, or II he had
been called away by what coroners'
juries used to describe as "a special act
of Providence" Mr.. Van Cortland
Browne would not have regarded eth
er event as an irreparable misfortune.
1t must be acknowledged that while
Mrs. Maj. Floyd-Floyd Jones was a lady
Of the highest character she was not
Indifferent to the attentions Of the 9TH
~er sex, even after her engagement to
Mr.. Van Cortland-Browne. And as
Col Washington johnson, who was a
tall, athletic man, was evidently deter
mined to win his way to the widows
heart, If he had to destroy all rivals.
the master Of Eagles Nest was not SO
happy as his blue blood and wealth
would warrant.
Mr. Van Cortland Browne considered
himself a handsome man, an opinion
shared by Miss Florence, who, in this
matter at least, he believed, voiced the
opinion of the great world. But, un-
fortunately, Mr. Van Cortland Browne
had taken on more adipose tissue in
the last few years than was consistent
with manly grace and physical activi-
ty. He consulted the family physician,
DIR. Thompson, about this, and DR..
Thompson said:
You don't want medicine, my dear
fellow. Go and get yourself measured
for q bike. Practice at some school
here i'm the city till you get ready to
go to the country, and my word for 1t,
a few months wheeling about Eagles
Nest will make you as strong as San
dow and as healthy and graceful as
Apollo"
Mr.. Van Cortland-Browne took this
BuNIce. I1dNlHS UuI Utlie else tO uO
during the months of February, March
and April, he practiced with persist
ency that would have honored nobler
purpose, and, unheeding headers and
bruises, he had become an expert, at
least in his own opinion, by the middle
of May, when he moved with Miss Flor
ence and the servants to Eagles Nest.
There was only one thing that tend
ed to detract from his dissatisfaction
In this accomplishment, and that was
that Col. Washington johnson sat a
wheel quite as gracefully as himself.
and, having longer. legs, sent it ahead
with more rapldity.
Mrs. Floyd-Floyd Jones was a most
accomplished bicyclist, and though she
delighted in setting a rapid pace for
Mr. Van Cortland Browne, he was, on
such occasions, more than compensat-
ed for the effort by her precious COM
pany.
As n matter of form, rather than be-
cause his interests required It, Mr.. Van
Cortland Browne went into the city
every day. and returned home in time
for luncheon in the early afternoon.
It was the % oe July, and Mr.. Van