The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1896-08-19
FROM JEST TO EARNEST.
II don't understand you at all,
said Pierce Trevor to his friend Ralph

Dewey.
You talk as if I were conun-
drum"
so YOU are. Now, look here,
Dewey. let's have clear comprehen-
sion of the matter. Do you love Fanny
White?'
'.Well-yes-I rather think, on the
whole, that am little taken Win the
sparkling brunette.
"A little takenn How very enthu-
siastic you are! And she, poor child,
is more than "a little taken with you"
Il tlatter myself that you are righ t.
well, then, why don't you ask her
to marry you?"
There it is, groaned Dewey; you
are all in such hurry Cant man
admire girl without being brought to
book for it the very next day? l won't
be hurried. When l get ready I'll
ask Fanny to marry me. Are you sat
istied?"
Very far from it.
''As Miss White is only your wife's
cousin, really don't recognize your
right to catechise me-
Does that mean that l am to mind
my own business"
Ralph laughed. "Construe it as you
please-only pray don't bother me any
more.
He threw himself lazily on the grass,
hinging his cigar into the very heart
of cluster of wild flowers and max
ing an impromptu pillow Of his arms,
crossed underneath his head.
sleep, then" said Trevor, little
contemptuously. Il can't afford to
lose the brightest hours Of a golden
day like this. y
Our hero had not lain there many
minutes, however, before the soft
chime of girl voices sounded through
the tiny bugles of summer insects and
the monotonous murmur of green
boughs overhead.
Girls muttered Dewey: cant a
fellow be clear of 'em anywhere? But
they're on the other side of the copse,
that's one blessing, and if | keep quiet
they'll never beat up my ambush
They were on the other side of the
copse-three bright-faced girls in fut-
tering raiment.
Its so delightfully."- cool here" said
Hildegarde Aymer, fair blonde, as
Saxon as her name.
And one can talk here, too," said
Mary Bell. cat the hotel one is never
certain of not being overheard
Dewey gave silent chuckle at this.
Fanny White, leaning against the
twisted stem of the veteran wild grape
vine, devoted her whole attention to
her parasol handle.
She was the prettiest Of the three,
with deep liquid brown eyes and hair
black as the blackest jet, while her
skin, just touched with the creamy
tint that characterizes the creole,
glowed carmine on her cheek.
Fanny, do let me try!" said Hide
garde 1T will be such splendid
joke, and your English adorer is SO
long in making up his mind"
"But-but what will Capt. Aymer
think?"
He'll be delighted; men always
glory in bit OF mischief, and Kent is
such splendid actor"
do, Fanny" urged Mary Bell sit
will be just for all the world like the
theater. Hildegarde's brother is to
pretend to be desperately in love with
you and you are to encourage his at
tentions until that slcw-moving Dewey
is brought to the point. How l shall
enjoy the progress of the situation"
But your brother must fully under
stand the scheme said Fanny, hesi-
tatingly.
'sof course; sha'n't explain it to him
myself? There's not e bit of harm in
it, and Mr.. Dewey certainly needs
some stimulus. Now, do consent! Kate
will be here this very evening"
..She don't forbid it, Hildegarde," "
eagerly cried Miss Bell, 'and all the
world knows that silence gives con-
sent. Come, see how long the shadows
are getting?"
And the three graces huttered down
the hillside.
Dewey rose to his feet and walked
away also.
My dear little girls" said he, by
way Of soliloquy, ''it's very cleverly
concocted little plan, but it won't
work, and I've no doubt l shall enjoy
it as much as Miss Bell proposes to
do''
And he laughed aloud to think how
completely he should outgeneral his
feminine adversaries.
III keep Fan in suspense for an
other month, just to pay her for that!'
he added, within himself. II like the
girl well enough, but for all that l
won't be hurried into matrimony."
Knowing what he knew, therefore,
MIR. Dewey was not at all surprised
that evening when he walked into the
hotel drawing-room to see stylish
young man in the uniform OF captain
sitting on the sofa and being very de-
voted to Miss White.
LET 'em work." said Mr.. Dewey, and
he sat down to play backgammon with
pretty little widow. Fannie watched
him from beneath her eyelashes-
1T doesn't produce any effect at all
upon him--the brute" said Hildegarde,
who had expected to see the recreant
lover brought to capitulating terms at
once.
That's because we don't put it on
strong enough said the captain.
Fanny may call you Fanny, mayn't
-"
''Oh, certainly" said the little bru-
nette; its all in the play
We'll. then, Fanny, l think we
ought to promenade through the halls
arm in arm little while, and if we
were to whisper instead of speaking
aloud"
Fanny laughed and consented, and
the whole evening long she and the
captain exchanged very commonplace
remarks in very confidential whispers,
while Mr.. Dewey and the widow played