The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-07-07

n1,1EuE6fY AZ mn VHFY AYESJIAnf lHV
Ia called on Miss H,sks IN prvan.to,
SQUARE Nov Ma. p,sta IA N,
sister Of christine,s father co,one
| Blake. and Christine,s guardian.
|
The engagement was to be short
The drudgery of 1t began at once. H,
had to 60 to many places where he hat
never been before, and did not want t,
70 again, He waited. a perfectly
CHASTITY figure, in the shops Of fashion
able milliners, feeling that every lady
customer who entered regarded him al
an insult and an outrage. He had Il
sit through concerts, they were very
good concerts, and a very good CON
cert was, from the Majors point oil
view, the very worst sort Of concert
An ordinary tune, as he sometimes OBJ.
served, he could more or less UNDER
stand. He was made to dance fire.
quently, and in the small hours Of tho
morning, when respectable, middle
aged gentlemen should be in their beds.
It was all very trying, but gradually
It dawned upon him that there were
one or two compensatious. Christine
certainly behaved very nicely to him.
He bought her q ring diamonds and
sapphires), and her reception of Il
gave him great pleasure. He repeated
this pleasure by buying her other
things. After a fortnight he owned to
himself that things might have been
worse.
But he didn't fall in love with Chris.
tine definitely until she fell Ill. Then
the Major went temporarily mad. He
became a source Of wonder and panied
surprise to his friends, and scourge
and chastisement to his valet. He
lived chiefly in telegraph Offices, han
som cabs and In the shops Of the for
list and fruiterer. By . constant sue
cession Of kilograms he kept himself
informed Of Christine's progress DUR
ing those brief periods when he was
not driving to see her, or purchasing
for her scented flowers, which she
could not lear to have In her room, or
out-of- season fruit, which she was not
allowed to eat. BY the time she had
recovered her health her conquest was
complete, and, with the magnanimity
of conqueror, she decided to do some
thing to please him. So she told
him that she meant to have her por-
trait painted. It would be hung ON
the line Of the Academy-Delmay
was always hung on the line-and af-
terward she was going to give the por-
trait to him. He said that he was
charmed, and he really was.
But" he said, "the sittings will
bore you terribly, and you are really
not strong enough for them. Why don't
you have your photograph taken in.
stead?"
Christine pointed out that it wasn't
the same thing at all.
mo" he answered: 81 SUPPOSE not"
In matters of art his education had
been somewhat neglected,
But" he went on, II have really
seen some photographs which I liked
better than the things which had been
colored by hand"
She laughed at him, and instructed i
him.
"But why do you 70 to Delmay's?"
he said. "If I were going to have nv
done I'd have It done at he'd.
rock prices, Delmay charges no end OF
a lot inst because he got some of those
writing chaps to scribble about him in
the papers."
"But he paints so beautifully" said
Christine: there is no one at all like
him."
"That is lust it," said the Major. an
VOL were not yery pretty II might hs
inst as we'll to 90 to a clever chan who
could mt IT. IN a hit for Won hut no 4,
Ia whv anv one of them who under.
stood the rudiments Of bia +rads
couldn't 60 wrong.
However, Christine had her way.
The Majors conception of artists,
derived chiefly from stage-plays, was
hat they wore velveteen coats and
ong hair, and led improper lives. Del.
may, it is hardly necessary to add, had
never worn velveteen coat in his life,
vas as we'll dressed as the immaculate
Major himself. and differed from him
,hiefly in the fact that he possessed
ar fewer scruples and much more in.
diligence.
Miss Blake was patient woman but
he got weary Of continual attendance
It Delmay's studio. After repeated sit.
ings he still seemed to be progressing
'ery slowly; she didn't like to tell him
o hurry, especially as he was always
charming to her, but she
sked him to dinner with vague idea
hat a sense of the social obligation
night lead him to shorten those sit.
ings as far as possible. The Major
uggssted that he should see the Dor.
ait, but Christine thought It would ,
Q better for him to wait until 1t was
nished. 1t was nearly finished when
elmay found that his conscience
ould not allow him to 70 on with II !