The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1896-10-01

most glowing advertisement:
PERSONAL---VERY., aged 10, golden
hair, blue eyes, independent fortune,
wishes to meet with gentleman of
about % with e500a year or more.
Must be musical Address Ethel, office
567 Fleet street"
So they wrote letter describing the
pecuniary and moral affluence of the
absent Daubeny.
Il like the name Ethel" said Jack,
drawing the letter from the typewriter,
Its such sweet, good, innocent, ten
der name. y
Il think like the full name, Ethel
reda better There's something digni-
fed about it. -
II don't know, F." said the other. Its
not coy, like Ethel Itmakes you think
of Anglo-Saxon attitudes, don't you
know"
Il don't agree with you," said Will
son a little stiffiy.
Well, they sent the letter. There We're
some inquiries from the office of the pa
per, which Tyrwhitt. impersonating the
absent Daubeny, answered to the Offices
satisfaction.
Daubeny won't mind you know"
he said to his friend. He'll enjoy the
joke. y
And three days later came the answer
to'their typewriter eulogy of the gen
tleman in Algiers, This also was type
written a photograph was inclosed
which Wilson would have unwrapped at
once
Fair does, " said Tyrwhitt, holding
the photograph ut arms length, while
they read the letter together. 1t stated
that if Mr.. Daubeny's income was as
represented and if be thought from tn
inclosed photograph that Ethel woulc
be likely to make his homo happy she
would arrange to meet him ut the Office.
"A personal interview, the letter stat
ed, us always more satisfactory. -
Now for the photograph" cried
Jack. I'VE shall have to stop short at
this, Wilson | have often wondered
what sort of women do put i'll these adj
vertisements. This will be some old
catamaran of 80, suppose.
Shardleloe drew the photograph from
its silver paper resting place and gave
one glance at it. lie dropped 1t with u
hurried "D-nn'
"As bad as all that?' said Tyrwhitt
gayly, picking the photograph out of
the sugar basin into which it had
fallen. 1t had arrived at breakfast
time. Good God!n he cried rs soon as
his eyes fell on it. Its Ethel, Ethel
you know, the girl that | was engaged
TO- "
Already he spoke in the past tense
$50 she was to me, hy Joyer cried
Wilson incoherently. ".Jack, that 5 my
girl toon'
They stood frowning mt each other
across the photograph. Then Jack began
to laugh, and III moment Wilson fol-
lowed suit.
What IA let eff, by heayenr' he said.
"What shall we do?n
81 was very fond of her. Shardeloe,
old fellow, " said Jack.
But his friend said Don't be an
ass. How can you be fond of a girl
like that-a girl who was engaged to
two men at once and tried to get hold
of third: You were fond of girl who
never eXisted-your pure souled, high
toned darling"
"Shut up, can't you, ~ cried the other
savagely, land tell me what you are
going to do?"
Il shall return her letter and her
photograph and tell her chat all Is ut
an end between us.
IF you do that, there IS nothing left
for me hut to go and break ii oil per-
sonally. l should rather enjoy that.
shall We 20 togethcr:' said Wilson,
struck by Il happy thought.
mo, | don want to hit her when
She DOWN.
And the next day Tyrwhitt went
Ethel received him with her usual quiet
grace and dignity.
Il have come to release you from
your engagement he said.
Her great, innocent, baby eyes filled
with tears.
ooh, what is it? Don't you love me
any more:'
81 ean't be put off, he said, with
a divided heart. You have already
shared yours between my friend Wilson
Shardcloe and me Now that you pro-
pose to ada Daubeny tSyour collection
you leave 1nc no resource but to retire. -
Il don't understand, SAID Ethel,
"but | SEQ you mean to insult me. After
what you have said we are strangers
from this moment
And, with AL her old sanity dignity,
she turned and left him. II must be
owned that she carried off the situation
well.
But the worst Of it was that they for
got TO tell Daubcny anything about it,
aud, while they We're away at Monte
Carlo next wh.tor, she really did meet
Daubpny at an art students dance at
KcnsinYton, and, finding that his means
Were as represented, married him out of
hand And then Of course it was of no
use for them to tell him.
Shardeloc and Tyrwhitt dine some
times with the Daubenys, but Mrs.
Daubeny does not encourage her hus.
band 10 ask them often.
"Of course | must be hospitable to all
your friends, she says 10 her husband,
with the sweet, sanity dignity that sits
so well upon her, but IN afraid, dear,
that Mr. Shardeloe and Mr.. Tyrwhitt
are rather worldly. "-Sketch.