Middletown transcript., 1897-08-14
The
Two Lovers

l@10I1GSZ0 sumo to dictate
to me as to my friendship. It's mean
of 20
g I'm sorry, Mabel" replied Jim
Todd, humbly, ''but 1 was only think
ing of you, and I don't like Reginald
/ Bulwer, and -"
She cut him short with q scornful
little laugh.
~ am sorry I cannot be guided by
your likes and your dislikes, but if
papa does not object to my knowing
Mr.. ::Bulwer, I don't SEQ why you
should take me to task
mo" replied Jim YEARLY, /" don't
know why l should /; only not so very
long ago you never used to snub me
when ventured an opinion upon any
subject, even upon your acquaintance.
1t seems things have altered"
Mabel Courthope made no reply to
the remark, and after glancing once
into her face. Jim bade her good nights
| and refusing the hslf-hearted invitation
to him to "come in for half an hour,
as papa would be so glad to see you. -
made lis way to his solitary lodging.
Things had changed considerably, he
reflected, in the past six months-how
much he had scarcely realized until this
very evening. And it was all owing to
an individual Of whose existence he
had been entirely unaware until some
time after Christmas.
He had been happy in the love that
had grown up within him from the day
when he had first met Mabel Court
hope. He could have sworn that 1t had
been reciprocated until Reginald Bull
wer appeared on the scene. Then
things changed. Unfortunately, he ad-
mitted there was only too much reason
for the change. Bulwer was everything
he was not. Bulwer was rich, hand
some and an aristocrat. jim was poor,
plain and u plebeian, and when he
reckoned up the advantages which lay
In his rival, jim Todd groaned in
spirit, but it was not until The week
before Henley that they were finally
shattered.
He had called in ths hope of persua-
ding Mabel TO go with him to Henley
on the final day of the regatta, and had
been met with the information that she
had already accepted an Invitation to
spend week there with party Of
BulweI's friends Oh house boat. 1t
was the bitterness Of the disappointed
hope which made him voice the dislike
which he felt instinctively for Bulwer,
and led TO the quarrel-the first quarrel
he had ever allowed himself to be drawn
into with Mabel Courthope.- It only
added to his detection t. perceive in the
last backward glance he cast toward
the girl that she already seemed to have
forgotten him. Another had occupied
the post he had vacated aud Mabel,
as she leaned over the fence, was too
intent 10 give him another Look.
Yet Mabel Courthope was not alto.
gether ut ease with herself. She liked
Jim immensely, and, until the advent
of Reginald Bulwer. had fancied her.
self In love with him. But when Bull
wer appeared, Jim was eclipsed com.
pletely. 1t fattered the girls vanity
to receive the attentions of the dark,
handsome man. None Of her girl
friends could boast such suitoT, and
half the pleasure she found in his So
ciety was due TO the ehvious g lHRces Of
her feminine acQuaintaDces. Besides,
at the most jim would be able 10 lffer
her suburban home, While Rsginald's
life would have undresmed-Of possi-
bilities. She was SO sick of the suburbs,
she tod herself, and the bolder. freer
life of Mayfair seemed to ba opening
Its doors to her. She accepted impli-
city all Bulwer had told her of tn,
society which seem ID so far away fr ,m
Brixton, and his position in the land Of
promise. She wondered aud became
tremulous with delight at his batteries,
when he told her that among its queens
there was none 20 compare with her
when he hinted at his hope that he
soon might venture to ask her TO ac-
cept her right position among them.
Yet when she turned her thoughts for
while from the dazzling future of her
dream something very like regret was
apt to crop up in her mind. Jim was
not brilliant, but he was very tender.
He had no great circle of aristocratic
friends, but he had rather die than give
her moments pain. Like MI ct girls
of 90 with pair of lovers, she was a
veritable bundle Of iDdecision. She
had no sooner accepted an invitation to
spend the wetk at Henley under the
chaperOnsge of q lady friend of Bull
were's than she began to regret that
jolly day which she knew she would
have had in Jim's company. However,
she had decided, and when she set out
for Henley, on cloudless July morn.
ing, her regrets were not sufficient to
pucker her fair brow in the very
slightest degree.
Thele was no doubt but she made a
very attractive picture, and Reginald
Bulwer could not help being proud of
his companion. Many ksen inspeO-
tion was made Of the pair, and more
than once an audible comment reached
the girls ears.
";Bulwer again. wonder who that
little girl IL ?" she distinctly heard one
man say. as they embarked at the land
ing stage. But the remark conveyed
nothing to her mind. for she was far
too busily engaged In noting the life
and hnaflo oro.ana har IN orora a