The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1896-12-15
FIRST FILTRATION.

"Mamma, have you any objection to
my receiving the attention Of that young
gentleman who danced with me at last
evenings hopS' inquired Edith Gray as
she looked out Of the window at the Ocean
House, whittier for the first time In her
Life she had arrived.
COLLECTION, my dearl know nothing
about the person you speak OF. i"
"Why, ma, don't you remember Mr..
Rodolphus MoGilvery, the gentleman with
long, flowing, black hair and bronze faces
The very first day came here, just before
pa went away, he asked to be introduced
to me. He is of Scottish descent, and Is
making the tour of the United States.
Well, in very familiar manner he said to
me: Miss Edith'-for he heard pa call me
so-"I shall wish to monopolize your sooi-
ETY. while I am here. am fond OF young
ladies' / had a sister once who strongly
resembled you. That weed on my hat be-
tokens her decease' And he wiped his
eyes and looked SO affectionately toward
me, ma, began to love him at once. F"
"Wby, Edith, you should not indulge
in such strong expressions! Remember
you are young lady and know but little
of the world. You must be cautious,
dear, about accepting attentions from
strangers. Many young girl has been
duped by their falseness.
"Ma, never saw such doubling per-
son as you arel What earthly motive could
have induced him to have asserted such
thing unless it were true? There he Is ris-
ing from his seat. / will run and ask
him to come to our room.
ha
miliar, tell you.' But Edith waved her
little hand for his approach, and he came
into the hall, and there stood, awaiting
her to join him.
Artless and thoughtless, she ran to him
and began narrating all her late conversa-
ton, and after pressing Mr.. Rodolphus
McGilvery to go and SEQ hor mother he re-
luctantly consented to do SO.
Upon entering the room he was the pic
ture Of smiles and the graces personified,
90 bland In conversation, so delicate In re-
marks, so apparently diffident, yet reso-
Lutte, that Mrs. Blithe did not wonder her
daughter was fascinated.
The interview was long one and ended
in full disclosure of the object for which
he came to this country, Indirectly keeping
ia view all the while that money was no
consideration with him, his father having
Just died and left him sole heir to prince
ly fortune; that he only pined for sympa-
thy and companionship, and, as Edith 80
strongly reminded him of his deceased sis
ter, he perhaps had ventured too far In en-
deavoring to gain the friendly regard OF
one young and innocent heart In strange
land.
These thoughts being uttered In q most
winning accent, all counted with Mrs.
Blithe, and she ventured so far as to rdd
that "if during their sojourn they could do
anything to minister to his comfort they
would most cheerfully perform it" And
Edith was In ecstasy that she had thus
won over her mother to become interested
in Mr.. Rodolphus McGilvery.
They rode and they walked with the
Scotch gentleman and even talked, as their
intimacy increased of taking q trip with
him to his native country. To say that he
essentially contributed to their enjoyment
while at this watering place was not
enough. He made Edith feel a kind OF hap
piness she had never experienced before.
What did she care for that staid young
man, Mr.. Lester, from New York. or Mr..
Fry, the rich bachelor who had promised
Mr.. Blithe to attend his wife and daughter
In his absenceP 1t was certainly very Ill
timed and impertinent in the latter to in
quire what they knew Of the character OF
the gentleman with whom they were so in
timately connected after he had told them
SO minutely his personal history. Truly,
Mrs Blithe, you are as easily satisfied ana
as credulous as your daughter.
Mr.. Fry, however, took 1t upon himself
to ascertain automatically whether tho
statements made by Mr.. Rodolphus were
strictly true. He addressed a letter to
mercantile house In New York upon whom
he professed to draw for money, and found
they were ignorant of the existence OF
such man. He addressed another to
Count Zolvani, whom he said he knew In
timately, and was answered that he "nev-
er heard of the gentleman In question
So that when convinced Of the falsity OF
tyo asseverations, he began to distrust all
others, which sorely puzzled and vexed
Mrs. Blithe and her daughter.
When In the heyday of apparent tri-
umph, having secured the affections Of an
artless girl, having fiirted and danced in
the sunbeams of fashionable life, suddenly
Mr. Rodolphus McGilvery disappeared,
leaving the landlord with his unpaid bill,
and at the livery stk6le large undis-
charged account "for sundry drives about
the suburbs, in which Mrs. Blithe end
Edith had participated, and, worse than
all. leaving young and guileless heart to
feel the chagrin which always attends an
unsuccessful Irritation.
Mrs. Blithe and her daughter now will
ingly accepted the protection Of that es-
timable gentleman, Mr.. Fry, whose In
quiries undoubtedly gave the walking
ticket to the Scotch gentleman, and feel
Ing as they did that his professions Of re-
gard were sincere, Edith was never ques-
TONED by her mother how far or how fast
Mr. Fry had proceeded.
who Is the reigning married belle Of
the season at the Ocean HouseY" inquired
upon my arrival the next season.
"A Mrs. Fry from New York" was the
reply. "She is truly lovely, and her coun-
tenance and manners are faultless Be-
sidss she has most fascinating man for
husband"
gazed at the belle as she entered the
dining hall. It was she who one year ago
hung upon the arm Of that disgraoed Mo
Gilvery, and thanked heaven that so
bright and beauteous a being had escaped