The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-02-01
A FIRST AFFECTION.

A FlRST AFFECTION.
There Is ball at Lady Plantagenet's in
Grosvenor- A waltz is just over,
and two of the dancers have sought the
protecting shade Of the great exotic plants
in the conservatory at Plantagenet House.
They are both remarkably good looking
and apparently are devoted to each other
This has been their third waltz tonight
fact that has been noticed and comment
ed upon more or less spitefully by the dear
est friends of the handsome couple. They
are Miss Sybil Grey, Lady Plantagenet's
niece, and Captain Arthur Malet Of the
Grenadiers.
~ don't think you care for me, sybil,
as you used to do"
"How unkind of you to say that! love
you with my whole heart But you know
that as well as do and you are only try
ing to tease me. :"
~ am not indeed. Now look here. You
know my position--only $500 year be-
sides my pay-and you won't have more
than g200 yourself and perhaps will have
to wait 20 years for that. It's not very
rosy prospect But, anyhow, it's best to
look matters in the face II you are con.
tent to rough it, so am ]"
81 am more than content, darling"
"Do you mean to tell me that if you had
tho chance of making q really good mar.
ria1e you would stick to me all the same?"
"Nothing shall part us, Arthur. Iswear
it'll"
"Niy sweet"
And then among the multicolored Chi
nese lanterns and to the tune of the splash.
ing fountain they continue to COO to each
other as is, am informed, the wont Of
true lovers.
II ever there was fairy upon earth, ID
is Sybil Grey. Golden haired blue eyed,
wild strawberry lips, tiny hands, tiny feet,
tiny waist-she is u very dainty little
maiden indeed. But this is not ALL She
is as good as she is pretty. No evil tenn
pers, no rebellious instincts, no eccentric
tastes, has her fond mother ever had to COR
rect. She was sweet baby, she was q
sweet child, and she is sweet girl More
than all, she is deeply religious How
humbly does she confess her sins not only
now and then, but every Sunday morning
in church! How unseltlshly does she de-
vote her sunniest afternoons Of the season
to selling things at a bazaar for the good
of the poor!
For all that she is not yet married, al
though she is the daughter Of distin-
guished clergyman of the Church Of Eng
land and the niece of Lady Plantagenet.
But she and Arthur Malet love one an
other All, my friends, world tossed and
world stained us we IRE, how can we faith
ON the pcc1lliarities of virgin hearth
"Oh, here you are, are you|' cruelty
breaks in the voice Of Lady Plantagenet
81 have been looking for you everywhere,
Sybil. Let me introduce General Grant I"
Horace Grant returns to his chambers in
ST. James street that night, or rather "to-
morrow morning" u doomed man. For
veal or for woe, he has met his fate. I'm
til now he has had u wonderful run Of
luck. He has come in for every war from
the Crimea to the Sudan and has played
his part bravely therein, so that at the
age of 81 he is already lieutenant gen.
eral and X. B. G. He is tall we'll
looking man, possessing an iron constitu-
ton, and is still blessed with the full COM
plement of arms and legs And only the
other day distant cousin was good enough
to disregard the claims of u numerous
family and leave him $50, 900 year.
True, Sir Horace Grant was foolish
enough to settle half of his fortune upon
the consderate testatQp's widow and chill
dren, probably very unworthy people, but
100000 year is, after all, nice income
And, greatest luck OF all, according to
him, he has never been led captive by any
one Of the many charming women he has
met Not that he is Il m. sogynist, by any
means; simply because his life has been
so happy throughout that he has felt any
change must be for the worse. And now
| he is head over ears in love at first sight
| with Sybil Grey. Now he finds at last
| that there has been something lacking in
| existence. Now he feels that his life will
be u blank unless he can persuade this Vi
sion of brightness and youth to share it.
| 1t is hardly necessary to say that he
takes every opportunity of seeing his
ch0rmcr that presents itself and makes
many opportunities when lover less in
fatuatCd would be losing time. Right up
10 the List day Of The season docs he dano1
attendance upon her Vast sums docs he
dishursc for her at tho florists. Unnum.
bCrCd miles does he travel in her service.
And one day-the Gay before Lady Plan.
tagcnct starts for her scat in Warwickshire
-GCncral Grant asks Miss Grey to become
his wife.
OF course she accepts him at once, YOU
will say. Only 80 or so, general and X.
C. b., &10,OO year. She would be more
than human, especially i'll the present state
Of modern society il she refused him.
MY dear Miss Grey, says the general,
81 have your uunt's express permission &c
address you. I'm not good at love max
ing. It's not in my line. But can feel
as much as, and for all l know good
deal more deeply than fellows who arc
more glib Of tongue than l am. And
love you, Miss Grey, as truly as man cvci
loved woman yet, and want you to be my
wife Your aunt tells NC that your par
ents will consent, What do You say2"
And the general, pale and anxious, hangs
upon the young girls reply, and altogeth
II shows very different spirit to thai
which he exhibited on the memorable day
when, at the head of his troop, he igallopct
toward the Russian batteries.
But Sybil Grcy's pure mind is rs yet un
tarnishcd by the ideas Of modern society
She does not jump ut the offer at once, as
would so many Of her dearest companions
She tells the general that, hOnorCd as sht
feels by this display of dsintcrCstcd affcc
ton, she is nevertheless under the painful
necessity Of referring him to her father
"ln matters such as these, affecting
ones whole life, | am sure it is wrong t.
net upon impulse or 10 give way to tn,
promptings Of affection or regard. ! Zee
that it Is wiser to allow oneself to he guild
cd by ,osc who have brought one up ant
necessarily have ones interest at heart
50, dcar General Grant, will you plaAsI
speak to papa;"
".3ybil, it will kill nc"
"l'tnr up, my dearest, bear UP, b@vcly