Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1897-12-02

"What?"
How much is the property worth?"
ooh, perhaps $4,000 1 should say.
But what on earth"
"Well, it's just this" said the girl, ex-
citedly. 81 am to give you $1,000. 1t is
the income have saved from some prop
erty left me. L am to give you $4,000
and you are to borrow it from me by
fixing up mortgage on your planta-
ton for that amount. My lawyer will
attend to it in regular form. Papa didn't
leave me his business head for nothing,
Jack, dear"
"And what am 1 to do with the mon
ey?" asked the youth, aghast.
Now, I've been thinking out all that
for months. 1 thought it out when L
was dancing and l had long, restful, de-
licious thinks over it while men were
twaddling their nonsense at me. Papa
made his pile mining, you know, and
what have you studied mining and en-
gineering for, if you can't make yours
that way, too. You remember talking to
me about gold possibilities in Alaska {?
Well. want you 10 take this money and
try your luck there. And-oh, Jack,
don't be so rude, and don't kiss me
while I'm talking, and don't look at me
as if you'd cry with feeling if you
weren't six feet in yourstockings-your
socks, mean. You are to go to Alaska
and make fortune-a great big for
tune, jack. big enough to make mamma
quail before you and to convert the
count into ! poor, little, black trickling
grease spot at your mighty feet
Dolly Radnor was little body, and
she was almost breathless and decided
~ tumblcd and out of order when she
emerged from her enthusiastic recog-
milton Of her devotion. The big fell
low stood up and held her at arms
length and looked at her-oh, can't be-
gin to tell you how he looked at her.
and then he gathered her up in his arms
again. and presently they both sat
down, and he said: ooh, Dolly" in Il
voice hushed with tender emotion. "Ch,
Dolly can't accept"
And then she put her little soft, white
hand across his lips, and said in lie
decisive way belonging to small! wom-
en-: "You are accepting nothing. I
am making you loan, sir. If a girl
can't help chap she loves before sc
gets him, she shouldn't ever have the
right to do it afterward, that's all.
And-well, if you don't let me Ill-fll
marry the count or that beastly old off
yer with the wooden leg or Chinese at
tache or something like jack-in-thc-
Lox from Corea."
They both laughed, and there was
much personal talk and argument, and
many caresses that need not be record
ed here. Suffice it to say that two
weeks after this conversation Jack
Stuart threw up his job and went to
Alaska, instead of to the dogs, as every
body thought. His companions dur
ing his stay there being not the devils
servants-women, wine, cigarettes and
cards-but instead, miniature of
very beautiful girl smiling from frame
Of turquoise, face all Washington So
ciety would recognize and keepits men,
DRY bright in the heart of its owner;
there were letters-long, delicious,
crossed and recrossed letters-scented
with violets and ornamented with a
modestmonogram. Dolly Radnordid not
,,eo Lo,. ofhor'c ornct
The last one Of these letters was
bit curt and impatient. 1t read:
Dearest Jack-You have got gold
enough 10 startle even a Vanderbilt
with, much less mamma and the count.
Mrs. Hetty Green would started to
say, would be green with envy. L
am miserable, and you must come home.
|, can't stand them. any longer. Nam
mas bad grammar increases with her
anger, and the counts broken English
and oriental perfume becomes more
uncomfortable as his love intensi!ies I'm
getting low and vulgar; you would not
know me. I've tried everything to cure
the count 1 frequently come down
when he calls on me with my hair done
up in curling kids, and chew gum in
his presence constantly. Nothing seems
to work with him. though. Re is 'one
grande loafer' out here at our country
place. He counts ali my eccentricitics
as re caprice of one petite filie-char-
mante-gentile'- the French erithets
of approval Come home or will run
away with him, just for the pleasure OF
numbering him neatly on our wedding
journey. Your own for eternity, Dolly"
She didn't add that she was wearing
all her last summers frocks, that she
hadn't new gown or new hat to her
name; that everything had been cut OF
from the first of the year-at least all
the spending money her mother gave
heron account of her disobedience
about the count, and as for her own in
come, she had taken the whole of that
for year in advance to lend to Ger
tain young fellow who had recently
dug fortune out of an Alaska gold
field. The young fellow had no idea
of how mean even a fat mother can be
when she is stupid and vain and am
bilious, nor win he ever know from
Dolly's lips the extent of her sacrifice,
so am determined he shall read it