The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1898-12-30
2AiSCcilancruS
A FAMILY AFFAIR.
IF she were ONLY of good family,

eff she were only of good family
Peter Dunlap said this for the nun
dredth time, CHANGING at his typewrit-
er, said typewriter being nineteen
years old and pretty.
What is good family, DIR. Dunlap p
asked the typewriter one day.
"Why, why, ny dear, what do you
mean = stammered Mr.. Dunlap,
were you reading my thoughts -
"Oh, no, said the typewriter, Miss
Sweet, smiling Gemurely. Il WAS only
thinking "a little for myself. Is your
family q good family, MIR. Dunlap p
The finest in this country" said
Peter Dunlap, putting out his cheeks
and swelling out his chest, and we
have been bankers in the city of st.
Louis for sixty years, one Dunlap fol-
lowing the other"
bankers - mu~mured Miss Sweet as
swpetly as her name.
Peter Dunlap looked at her sharply
and cJuEEed.
My mother" said he, was bank
er's daughter; her mother was the
daughter OF Lady Cadogan, OF Eng
land: her cousins were related to an
Earl, AND the Ear!'s children inter
married again into our family. We
are, might say, Miss S"eetly,of noble
descent
Yes, yes, | thought So lisped Miss
Sweet very sweetly.
1t was no secret in the office, nor to
| Peter Dunlap, nor to Miss Sweet her
self, that there was something more
| than the clicking OF the keys between
| the proprietor and his pretty type
writer. Touching the ivory buttons,
| Miss Sweet had touched the heart of
her employer at the same time, and
| for the last 5 X months matters had
| been coming daily to crisis between
| them. Miss Sweet thought she loved
| the proprietor; indeed, she was pretty
sure that she did. and as for Peter
| Dunlap, he was very certain that his
! heart was only III one spot, and that
SPOT was under the neat Shirtwaist
worn by Miss Sweet.
Most young women under the cir
cumstauces would have felt very much
milTed at the thought of being loved
| and rejected for reasons which they
could not help, but Miss Sweet was not
| like other girls. She viewed the fact
| of her poverty with equanimity, and
was undisturbed by the knowledge
that it was only her poor social position
that kept the banker from proposing
to her. Not that she was unaware of
the state Of affairs; in fact, they had
talked it over.
You see, my dear"-Peter Dunlap
called Miss Sweet my dear'-''it is
this way Ny sisters are very proud.
Elsa is the wife of an Admiral, Clara
married millionaire, my only brother
is a yachtman and cup-hOlder, and
must uphold the family name. Now,
my dear-fur the twentieth time-l
repeat to you tuat l love you very
dearly, and if could would ask you
to DE my wite-but-you see just how
1t is
ITO be sure" said Miss Sweet, with
a ready show of that sympathy for
which the banker loved her among
other qualities, Il understand al
about it, Mr.. Dunlap, the rich banker
of Chicago, of the proudest family in
the West, cannot create a social sensa
ton and shock family traditions by
marrying q poor typewriter, who wa
so penniless when she came to hin
that she had to live in Il working girl's
home"
Yes, yes, exactly, that's the way i
is, though you put it rather harshly.'
"Otherwise you love me ~
Better than my life
Il see. 50 my life is to be spoiled
and what is left of yours :" Here Mis-.
Sweet laughed so merrily that Pete
Dunlap looked confused, and shortl,
after he put up his ledgers for the af
ternoon and went out.
1t was nearly three days before thu
subject was alluded to again, for it wa
an old matter with Peter Dunlap ano