The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1897-11-20
The FineSt.s..
%. from lKlOnldik@o


spring without telling where he was going
everybody naturally concluded that he had
1'gone to the bad" People are always
eager to say that any man, especially il he
is young and handsome and hasn't penny
in the world, has gone to the bad. In fact
1T is the one way people have for account.
ing for fellow who turns up missing; and
then regarding each other in a greedily
curious way they inquire "Who's the
woman?"
The fact that fellow can go to "the
bad" without the help Of some woman
never enters the human mind, although, be
1T noticed, that when man reaches high
degree Of prosperity, when he makes fame
and name people never turn upon one an
other and asl;: "Who's the woman?"
Now, as nobody could prove by which
route Jack Stuart had gone, there the
matter rested; and if newspaper reporter
had followed bis career where it is now be
would throw down his pencil with q
fpshaw," or something stronger, adding in
tones OF disappointment cit was woman,
but she didn't send him to the bad the
storys no good" The result would be
that the newspapers wouldn't give it a
paragraph; whereas, had she caused him to
kill her, himself Or the other man, we
would have had superbly illustrated page
The story as it stands las, however,
:.
and maybe 1t is worth the telling even il
the several people concerned will not like
10 see it in print.
1t began, or at least the winter of its
discomfort eliminated, one evening last
March in tile coy little living room Of a
s,reat, Impressive house on Dupont Circle
Jack Stuart was sitting in one OF those
corners which invoke Irritation at the begin
ming and more serious intentions after close
Intimacy. His IAN Is were stuffed dee
down in his pockets and his handsome
brow bore Il ueep, dismal frown. The girl
sitting OH tue little stool in front OF him
and resting an elbow Familiarity on his
knee, looked upon him with tender, anx-
ious sympathy III her ewes. They had evil
IDENTITY been discussing some grave subject
aud the youth broke forth after his moody
silence:
Hang it all, little girl, l can't much
blame your mother for not liking me
around"
''She wouldn't have you around if you
had cords and cords of money, Jack. You
know mamma. She's determined shall
marry foreign title and I'm just as de-
sermined | shan't."
The girl closed her pretty lips in way
that showed that she had not had father
who had plowed through poverty and OBJ
security and dreadful hardships to fortune
for nothing. That fortune intact he had
foolishly left to his foolish widow. She
was character term which means
one of two things, either that a woman has
none Of any sort or that she has too much
of an Objectionable description. This par
SECULAR woman belonged to the latter class.
''Well l tell you, Dolly, do get low in
spirits. You see my prospects aren't good. 1"
Jack took her hand and caressed it, smil-
ing that hopeless, bitter smile that means
SO little and looks so much on the face of
boy of twenty-thtee.
"The name of Stuart" he went on,
cant carry 4 chap through life; it can't
make him rich or famous, it can't give him
<1,a ,r,r1 I,n, 20 n,,I III,
steal her when she's rich girl-that would
look like highway robbery, grand larceny,
or something of the sort. OF course that's
what your mother would say"
'Oh, mamma"
and its what the rest of the world
would say, too Here | have been on
government salary of less than 500
month for two years. | came here and
found lots of old friends and l went into
society. l tell YOU I'm sick of it. Its
ssawdust life-this thing of fellows taking
noon teas and counting on the dinners he's
asked to for his square meals. | wanted
50 stop and then l met you and couldn't
aud here | am worse off than ever. II
30 away | viii lose you; if | stay here and
try to study a profession it will take years
and years, and couldn't ask you to wait
}or me"
She patted his hand tenderly. 'Oh,
Jack, " she SAID, at would be dreadful for
you to go-awful Tor you to leave me with
mamma and the Count; think Of it. Why,
would he brutal"' Tears we led in her
Eyes. ~ could he true; wouldn't forget
and would be brave; but think of mamma
and She Count!'
Yes" said Jack, touching the soft love-
locks about her forehead; "but think of
The hole Pm in. You see, that plantation
Of mime -"
SOD, Jack, do yon own a plantation?
Way, Of course you do; all Southerners
have plantations"
"Yes and mine is the worst of the lott
and that's saying great deal. l never
told you about it because get hot. When.
ever | think Of it want to fight. wan,
50 fight woman, and that's ungallant."