Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1898-11-09
~
Miss. UPTON'S FIRST "ASSIGNMENI. j
BY JOHN J. A'BEcKEr.

'.Has Mrs. Harmon been abroad
this year?" Lefty asked the maid In
case this was the Mrs. Harmon there
would be no object in calling on the
other unimportart bearers of that
name.
''No,' said tile maid, as she closed
the door in Miss Upton's face.
'sThen she isn't the one want, !"
| said the newspaper woman to herself;
''and I have no more desire to see her
than she has to see me-
Trying to keep up her courage by
this reflection; Lefty made her way to
the next house OIL her list, and there
affecting slightly naughty air as
being likely to. impress the servant
and thereby, poss bly,, the mistress
she said, 81 should like to see Mrs.
Harmon for moment.
The servant looked at her with some
surprise. "Mrs. Harmon is dead this
two years, he said, deliberately.
: ooh, really!" replied Lefty, her
naughty air suffering a sudden col
lapse. perhaps I have made mis-
take. This-isn't-Mrs. Nugent Har-
mon's?" This was the next Mrs. .Har-
mon on her list. Lefty was proud Of
her tinesse.
"No. This is Mr.. Thomas Har-
mons; but Mrs. Nugent Harmon is
dead, too" replied the man, regarding
her with increased curiosity.
Lefty blushed furiously and felt o
wild desire to laugh. This would cer-
tainly not have enhanced her standing
in the servants eyes. Then, since
this man seemed SO acquainted with
the Harmons, she was tempted to ask
him if he knew which was the Mrs.
Harmon whose daughter was to marry.
foreign nobleman. =,
But Lefty could notquite bring her.
self to cleaning the news she needed
by friendly, confidential talk with men-
servants. So she only said, nervous
ly, "There must be mistake some
where. Thank you," and hurried
down the steps, feeling as if the mans
inquis;tive eyes were burning into
her back
All this wasn't very nice. In those
''s.oriss" of the Sunday papers there
had been no preliminary failures to
find the person. The reporter had al
ways called at Mr.. Whoever's and had
Sheen cordially motioned to chair, !"
and then Mr., or Mrs. Whoever had
procecdedrtostell him all he wanted to
know. insthe most friendl j, consid crate,
However, TO be discouraged would
never do, so Lefty, after little sigh
rs she's two young girls of her own
age roll bysin an elegant Victoria, went
to the next Mrs. Harmon, wondering
whether she were dead, too.
But she would have no mistakes
here. She wrote on her card, "Will
Mrs. Harmon please see Miss Upton
OF the Daily Investigator for mo-
ment in regard to her daughters en-
gagoment?"
All! Here was the reward of indus
try. The servant said, "Mrs. Harmon
will be down in moment, miss. Will
yon please sit down aud waltz"
In a few moments Mrs. Harmon
came in. She looked like wealthy
society woman, though younger than
Miss Upton had expected to find her:
She had a pair of keen, black eyes, her
face was a sharply pointed one, and
her lips were rather thin.
She bowed to the reporter pleasant
ly enough, but did not offer her hand.
What.could she do for Miss Upton?
She knew the Daily Investigator very
well. There was slight accent on
the Every"
"There is a report: Mrs. Harmon,
that your daughter is to marry for
eigner of title, whom you met during
your travels in Europe this past year."
said Miss Upton, with her most ingra-
tiating manner. ''Won't you tell me
some of the particulars?'
"Do. you want to publish what I.say
in The Investigator" asked Mrs: Har-
mon, quickly.
"Why, of course, I want to print all
that you are willing should appear
about the matter. The public, nat
'urally, has great interestin the sub,
iect and wants to know about Miss;
Harmon's fance?"
Mrs. Harmon's eyes twinkled, and
she drew in her lips little strongly.
She seemed amused.
'sShe's tickled to death over it and
will tell everything there.is,,' thought
Miss Upton, with an approving refec-
tion on her own diplomatic tact.
"Well, you must ask me what, you
want to know" said the lady, good
naturedly.
"Is the engagement announced
yet?" asked Miss Upton, affably. ),
"No," replied Mrs. Harmon, with:
an air of being very pronounced. 81
can truly say that it is not announced
yet. Lean t.imagine how the report
that my, daughter is engaged could
have got out. What wonderful people
you newspaper folk arep'
'eI understand that the engagement
is not announced" Lefty went on,
with.a smile that seemed to say to
Mrs. Harmon that she could apprecir
ate her way Of not telling, q, thing.
"Can't you, .te ] me who the. young
man is? I suppose ought to say the
young lord?".. -!
ssOh, howedid you know it was q
.lord?" Mrs. Harmon cried, smiling
with artlessfe fenjoymentFoveFthe.n
paper woman's acuteness. 1'I didn't
say it was.a lord. The next thing
you'll be- asking. me is { where the
dukes country-place is!'' :.
Mrs. Harmon paused moment as
if thinking deeply. Then she said,
absently,; "Do you know there were
any Americans at Grantham Court
last autumn?'
'T'm sure I don't know" Lefty re-