The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1897-04-07
CHAPTER XV.-CoNT1NUED.

"You can say an insulting thing more
calmly and sweetly than anyone 1 ever
met before; envy you that. When I
say anything low down and mean, l
say it in anger, and my voice has cer-
tain amount of acridity in it. / can't
purr like cat and scratch at the same
time-I wish could"
rs it an insult to offer you the money
you have earned?"
eyes, it is, and you knew it was when
you spoke. You don't understand me a
little bit"
rs it necessary that should?"
81 don't suppose you think it is"
said Jennie, meditatively, resting her
elbow on her knee, and her chin on her
palm. "That is where our pointofview
differs. like to know everything. 1t
interests me to know what people think
and talk about, and somehow it doesn't
seem to matter to me what the people
are, for / was even more interested in
your buffers political opinion than
was in Lord Frederick Bingham's.
They are both conservatives, but Lord
Freddie seems shaky in his views, for
you can argue him down in five min
utes, but the butler is as steadfast as a
rock. I do admire that butler. / hope
you will break the news of my depart
ure gently to him, for he proposed TO
Inc, and he has not yet had his answer"
"There is still time" said Edith, smil-
ing in spite of herself, "Shall ring for
him?"
''Please do not. I want to avoid a
painful scene, because he is so sure of
himself and never dreams of a refusal
1t is such pity, too, for the butler is
my ideal of what a member of the aris-
tocracy should be. His dignity is some
thing awe inspiring, while Lord Fred
die is such simple, good-natured,
everyday young fellow, that if 1 i'm
ported him to the states | am sure no
one would believe he was real lord.
With the butler it would be so differ
ent." added Jennie, with deep sigh.
1T is too bad that you cannot ex-
change the declaration of the butler for
one from Lord Frederick"
"Too bad!" cried Jennie, looking
with wide-open eyes at the girl before
her. "Why, bless you, had a proposal
from Lord Freddie two weeks before
l ever saw the butler. / see you don't
believe a word l say. Well, you ask
Lord Freddie. I'll introduce you and
you tell him you don't believe he asked
me to be Lady Freddie, if that's the
title. He'll look sheepish, but he won't
deny it. You see, when found was
going to stay in England for time l
wrote to the editor of the Argus to get
me bunch of letters of introduction
and send them over, as wanted par
ticularly to study the aristocracy. So
he sent them, and, assure you, found
it much more difficult to get into your
servants hall than did into the halls
OF the nobility; besides, it cost less to
mix with the Upper Ten"
Edith sat in silence, looking with
amazed interest at the young woman,
who talked so rapidly that there was
sometimes difficulty in following
what she said.
"No, Lord Freddie was not half SO
condescending as the butler, neither
was his language so well chosen; but
then, l suppose, the buffers had more
practice, for Freddie is very young. L
am exceedingly disappointed with the
aristocracy. They are not nearly so
naughty as 1 had imagined them to be.
But what astonished me in this country
Is the way you women spoil the men.
You are much too good to them. You
pet them and fawn on them, and
naturally they get conceited. 1t is
such pity, too, for they are nice fell
lows, most of them. 1t is the same
everywhere I've been-servants' hall
and all. Why, when you meet young
couple, of what you are pleased to call
the lower classes, walking in the park,
the man hangs down his head as he
slouches along, but the girl looks de-
family at you, as much as to say: I've
got him. Bless him! What have you
to say about it?' while the man seems
to be ashamed of himself, and evidently
feels that he's been had. Now, man
should be made to understand that
you're doing him great favor when