The aegis & intelligencer., 1897-10-08

| an upward turn. thereby expressing her
| opinion of }.ucy's argument, II not adding
very much ID her beauty.
When Jack came to London to live, he
| kissed Lucy after very loverlike fashion,
| and made her promise to write often,
which Lucy, putting implicit faith in
him, was quito ready TO do.
She couldn't help feeling little tlisap-
pointed 10 think he hadn t spoken out. :"
He had known her year, but never had
| said u word about marriage in all that
! time, and if he hadn't had the idea of
marriage in his head, what had he been so
| devoted and so loverliko for?
Perhaps he wants to get started in
business before he settles down." thought
Lucy, and that thought comforted her.
Jack hadn' been in London week be-
| fore he struck up an acquaintance with
| Miss Grant.
Miss Grant was tolerabIy good looking
and had rich father.
Jack began to lie serious in his attcn-
tions at once Those attentions Miss Grant
| received cordially.
business is business" thought jack
"a few thousands won't come amiss to
| me, ard if | can get n good wife and
| snug bank account at the same time
| ought to think myself lucky. l say, Jack
| Edison, old fellow, go in and win"
And Jack Edison did go in" according
| Iy, ard for Il month devoted himself wholly
| and unreservcdly TO Miss Grant.
Then fate CT accident or some ether
| means threw him into a dilemma by get
| ting him acquainted with Belle Graham.
| Miss Belle Graham was II very pretty
| young lady, with bold black eyes and
| mischief making disposition, and as Jack
| had not iiirted for some timc he proceeded
| after Lis cid fashion 20 lay his heart at
Miss Graham 5 feet, IGetaEhorically speak
ing, ana for u month was her most GeVCt-
| I'd cavalier.
Miss Graham lihCd Irritation as well
as Jack did, ANA WIS in nowiso backward
/ in playing hir IarE
Jack was always looking for and TX.
pCcting sincerity i'll Others, ard concluded
| at cEcc that Miss Graham had found his
fascination irresistible and was ready to
rapitulatc and surrender whenever he
| chose to speak tho word.
/ BY ard by Miss Graham went ont of
TOWN. on visit, and then he packed up his
devotions and neccssaries of lovcmaking
and returned, like II prodigaI son, to Miss
Grant.
He had Lern so busyl Work had been
unusually driving for the last month. lie
couldn't get away from the Office. Jack
invented IL score Of excuses to account for
his absence ard Miss Grant graciOuSly ac-
cCpted them all and reinstated Jack in her
good gracCs, and Richard was himself
again"
In August Miss Grant went out of town,
and Jack had sorry time Of it for want
Of some enc to pay attention to. While
she was gone lie thought over the matter
seriously.
Here he was young, good looking and
making IA nice sum of money, hut in need
Of home. The first step toward securing
IA home was TO secure wife. Why didn't
he get married? Sure enough, why didn't
he?
The more he thought Of it the more
firmly he made up his mind to take the
decisive step, and accordingly lie cast
about in his mind as to whom he should
honor hy giving tho privilege of becoming
Mrs. Jack Edison
Jack knew of three who would be glad
to have him-Miss Grant, Miss Graham
and Lucy Brown All he had to do to get
orc of them to be his "for better, for
worse, was to give her half chance to
say yes.
II like Lucy" he soliloquizcd, ''hut
father ism worth much, and don't think
I'll throw myself away on her There's
Miss Graham. She's smart and handsome,
and Ter fathers worth great deal. hut
she's got TOO much temper for me. In
afraid don't want any of these high fiji
ers. Miss Grants the most desirable per
son, after all. Old Grants bank account
is one very satisfactory feature about she
+-py ion, IL
speak to her about it and have the thing
off my mind
Miss Grant came lack the next week,
and lack wondcd his way to her home
shortly after her return 10 inform bcr of
the decision he had arrived at during her
abscLca.
Miss Grant was rather cool.
"Shc's miffed to think l haven't spoken
on the important subject before, - thought
Jack.
A good chance presenting itself, Jack
proceeded TO offer his heart and hand to
Miss Grant after the most gentcel manner
possible.
He expected her to burst into flood Of
thankful tears or perform some other
equally original feat to demonstrate the
gladness of her emotions, but sho did not
do anything of the kind.
''You do mo Il great deal of honor,
suppose" said she in q tone which seemed
to imply that she hardly considered that
she was speaking truthfully, "but don't
feel ike accepting it. I would refer you
TO Miss Graham"
Jack was thundcrstruck.
He had never dreamed of anything like
this. 1t flustered his wits up terribly for
a minute or two. Then he rallied them
and tried to explain matters, but Miss
Grant was obstinate as a woman ever was
and would not listen to a word from him.
"Go to Miss Graham" was all she said,
and Jack at last withdrew from the field
discomfited.
Its plain as the nose on my face that
she's heard something about my flirting
with Miss Graham, and she's mad about
it. Confound Miss GrIhamr'
But after sober second thought on the
matter he concluded to accept Miss Grants
advice and go to Miss Graham.
Accordingly he set off to inform Miss
Graham that he had concluded to marry
her.
Miss Graham was all smiles and pretty
words, and Jack felt that he had but TO
say the word and the thing was settled.
And by and by ho proceeded to inform
her of the honor he had decided to confer
upon her.
Marry your exclaimed Miss Graham
"Why, l couldn't think of such n thingr'
And she laughed as if it was the best joke |
Of the season.
Jack began to feel scared.
"Why not?" he demanded.
because I'm engaged to one man al |
ready, and the law objects to our marry
ing two you know!" And thereupon Miss |
Graham laughed again as if it were i'm
mensely funny.
For the life of him Jack could not see
the point.
"How long havo you been engnged?'
stammered Jack, feeling cold and hot,
and, to use a handy old phrase which is
very expressive if not strictly elegant, de
cidedly streaked."
"For as much as-let me see''-ooolly-
"as much as year, fancy. Yes. 1t was
In October that 10 happened. Just about Q