The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-06-22

ca ca
traordinary degree Of intelligence to
perceive that my nephew Gerald was
very much in love with little Amy Cres-
well. When two young people of OPP
posita sexes living in different parts Of
a town the size of London accept inyi-
cessive evenings. o won't persuade
me in a hurry that the fact is due en-
tirely to mere chance.
The Creswells were staying al the
Hotel Albemarle for a few days. and
it was a significant fact that Gerald
was constantly sending the club COM
missionaire with little notes TO that
hotel.
/ WASN'T, therefore, in the least sub
prised the other evening, soon after We
arrived at the Wizards to dinner, to
hear the Creswells announced. and 1
laughed in my sleeve when / called TO
to mind the sudden eagerness which my
nephew had shown in calling IN the
Willards when he found out hat they
were friends of the Creswells.
l don't pretend to know how these
things are managed, but some now or
other it happened hat Miss Amy and
my nephew sat mex to one another at
dinner that evening.
l was a discreet out interested OBJ
server Of what took place.
Although / am myself a confirmed
old bachelor, n consequently little
versed in the art of detecting the
symptoms which indicate the existence
of the tender passion in others, yet on
this occasion l saw quite enough to
cOnv1ncQ ma &C fn how tho To- nd 1a,,
When Gerald looked at his neighbor
her eyes were always demurely cast
down. but when his gaze happened to
be directed elsewhere she would steal
a shy glance at him out Of the corners
Of her eyes-and little Amy certainly
has very nice eyes.
1t has always appeared to me that the
course of true love would run smoothly
enough but for the wanton way in
fulfllment Of their own desires.
That Gerald was no exception to he
ordinary run Of lovers in this respect
l soon had cause to realize, for he and
Amy Creswell had a tiff at dinner that
very evening, which, but for a happy
inspiration or the part of the writer Of
this simple tale, might have ended in
their permanent estrangement. 1t was
all on account of a certain Captain
A/oSlllllCIC, " NIlOIIl NeIdlU ulul [ nap
pen to approve, and who had been for
some time paying marked attentions
to Miss Amy CresWell.
That young lady didn't really care a
button for the man in question:, but
she not unnaturally resented any at
tempt on Gerald's part to put a stop to
her intimacy with him. Accept my
word for it, if you want to throw a
woman into another mans arms, Just
abuse that other man in her hearing.
If my nephew a been a man of the
world, he would not have made such a
blunder; but yOu cannO put old heads
on to young shoulders. and when a
youthful head is under the influence
of a youthful heart, which,, in it's turn,
is subject to the distug Ding influence
OF the tender passion, there is really
no telling What complications may
arise. And SO it came to pass that be
fore dinner was half over these two
young people were engaged ~ as pretty
a little quarrel as you could Well wish
to see.
for an instant that l or anybody else
had heard a word of their dispute, for
their conversation vas carried on in
low tones, and to all appearance | had
been listening with deep attention to
the vOluble utteranceS of a Formidable
lady or my right hand, who was laying
down the law on the subject of the eX-
tension of the franchise to women. but
in the course of an acquaintance with
what is SO appropriately termed 'po-
lite society" one acquires the Vtluable
knack of carrying on a conversation
with one person while ones attention
is really mainly occupied with some
thing which is going on elsewhere.
You are perfectly right, Miss Cres-
WELL" said Gerald stiffiy. Il had no
business to say what l did about II
gentleman who appears to be sue a
particular friend Of yours. Please con-
slider my remarks as withdrawn" And
with this he turned to his right-hand
neighbor, May Walshe, and commenced
to chatter with a really surprising ie-
gree Of animation.
Poor little Miss Creswell was for the
moment placed at a disadvantage, for,
however much she may have desired
to retaiiate. it was rather a forlorn
hope for her to attempt to make re
rald jealous by commencing a filtration
with me; but there happened to be 40
body else available at the moment, and
a is capable Of any folly when
she is angry with a man whom she
really likes, and, to my intense amuse-
ment, little Amy actually began to
make the experiment.
l laughed in my sleeve when his
mere child, whom I remembered in
short frocks. opened her feigned at
tack upon me; but I con~scientiously
did my best to help the situation along
handsomely, and / really felt quite
gratified when presently 1 observed
that Gerald's animated conversation
with Miss Walshe was beginning to
flag, and that he was casting glances of
unmistakable surprise and annoyance
in my direction.
That sort Of thing makes one feel
young again, n 1 allowed my 0 to
become distinctly sentimental.
"Ah, my dear Miss Amy" / muir
INJURED, with a well-stimulated sigh,
I'VE old bachelors miss a great deal in
life. What would / not give to be
once again my nephew's age! 1 should
know how to use my opportunities"
But you aren't really a bit old, and,
besides, men never understand US a bit
until they have had twenty years ex-
perience Of the world"
Undoubtedly this remark was in
tended as a side shot at my nephew,