The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-01-27
A FIRST AFFECTION.

Inere II Dlll III lAuy fiduutRcncb n in
Grosvenor square. 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 snd comment
ed upon more or less spitefufy by the dear
est friends OF the handsome couple. They
are Miss Sybil Grey, Lady Plantagcnet's
niece, and Captain Arthur Malet Of the
Grenadiers.
"I don't think you care for me, Sybii,
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"
81 am not indeed Now look here. You
know my position.-Only $500 a year be-
sides my pay-and you won't have more
than fao0 yourself and perhaps will have
to wait 30 years for that. It's not a very
rosy prospect. But, anyhow, it's best to
look matters In the face II you are con-
tent to rough 1t, so am l."
II am more than content, darling"
"Do you mean to tell me that II you had
the chance Of making a really good mar
riage you would stick to me all the sameS"
Nothing shall part US, Arthur. swear
itp'
"My swec.p'
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 won't Of
true lovers.
II ever there was fairy upon earth, 1t
is Sybil Grey. Golden haired, blue eyed,
wild strawberry lips, tiny hands, tiny feet,
tiny waist--she Is 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 unselfishly does she de-
vote her sunniest afternoons of the season
to selling things at bazaar for the good
of the poorl
For all that, she is not yet married, al
though she is the daughter of distin-
guished clergyman of tho Church of Eng
land and the niece Of Lady Plantsgenet.
But she and Arthur Malet love one an
other. All, my friends, world tossed and
world stained as we are, how can we faith
ON the peculiarities Of virgin hearth
"Oh, here you are, are your cruelty
breaks in the voice Of Lady Plantagenet.
II have been looking for you everywhere,
Sybil Let me introduce General Grant :"
-
Horace Grant returns to his chambers in
st. James street that night, or rather "to-
morrow morning." a doomed man. For
veal or for woe, he has met his fate. On
til now he has had q 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 a X. B. G. He is tall, well
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 ofNa numerous
family and leave him eco, 900 year.
True, Sir Horace Grant was foolish
enough to settle half of his fortune upon
the considerate testator's widow and chill
dren, probably very unworthy people, but
910, 900 a year is, after all, a 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 misogynist, 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 oeer 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 a blank unless he can persuade this vi
sion Of brightness and youth to share 1t.
1t is hardly necessary to say that he
takes every opportunity of seeing his
charmer that presents itself and makes
many opportunities when lover less in
fatuated would be losing time. Right up
to the last day of the season does he dance
attendance upon her. Vast sums does he
disburse for her at the florists. Unnum-
bered miles does he travel in her service
And one day-the day before Lady Plan
taGenet starts for her seat In Warwickshire
General Grant asks Miss Grey to become
his wife. 4" h-
OF course she accepts him at once, you
will say. Only 30 or 80, general and K.
G. B., 30, 900 a year. She would be more
than human especially in the present state
of modern society IL she refused him.
my dear Miss Grey" says the general,
II have your aunt's express permission to
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 know good
deal more, deeply than fellows who are
more glib Of tongue than am. And 1
love you, Miss Grey, as truly as man ever
loved woman yet, and want you to be my
wife. Your aunt tells me that your par
ents will consent. What do you sayS''
And the general, pale and anxious, hangs
upon the young girls reply, and altogeth-
er shows q very different spirit to that
which he exhibited on the memorable day
when, at the head of his troop, he galloped
toward the Russian batteries
But Sybil Grey's pure mind Is az yet un-
furnished by the ideas of modern society.
She does not jump at the offer at once, as
would so many of her dearest companions.
She tells the general that, honored as she
feels by this display of disinterested affec-
ton, she Is nevertheless under the painful
necessity of referring him to her father.
"In matters such as these, affecting
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