Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1899-01-19
WHAT'S IN A NAME.

Algy Mainwaring was not a bad
fellow at heart, but We always thought
in the regiment that his jealousy Of
his cousin Percival amounted almost
to insanity. Percival was Algy's su-
perior in every respect; it was a pity
they both fixed on the Grey Horse, for
if two fellows don't like each other,
it's rather bore to have them at such
close quarters. But, as ill-luck would
have it, nothing would serve AIgy but
the Grey Horse-chiefy, l believe,
because his cousin had Just been ap-
pointed.
don't think Percival shared his
dislike. He had got the best Of it all
round. The two men came against
each other at every turn; they were
both good shots, both tirst-rate riders
But Algy carried his jealousy into his
sport, and the other didn't, which gave
him very much the advantage.
Gradually AlgY was making him
self horribly unpopular in the regi-
ment, and, indeed, in all the neigh
borhood, by the bitter cyncism of his
tongue, and also by an idiotic habit OF
practical joking, which seemed to be
growing upon him, and ended by shut
ting many doors against him. But he
was a handsome fellow, tall, well set
up, with awfully good manners (when
he was so minded), and he was nearly
always favorite at first SO when one
door closed another opened, and his
experiences, instead of doing him good,
only served to make him Indifferent to
people. opinion, and sort of "don t
carishness" settled down on him, which
did not help to make him more popu'
lar.
When he and Percival both fell in
love with Msude Lafone, we really
thought there would be bloodshed
but fortunately for the peace of the
realm, there never was question as
to which of the two Miss Maude pre-
ferred. Algy just walked in and won
and, although l think he adored
Maude, half his satisfaction lay in the
besting of Percival He, poor fellow,
took his beating like man, although
he was awfully cut up. They said he
rode very hard that winter, and |
think we were all glad when the reg
iment left Harpenden, and poor old
Percival had no longer got the spec
tacle of the triumphant Algy perpet-
ually before his eyes.
The engagement was likely to be a
long one, for Maude Lafone had very
little money of her own, and the out
of-elbow condition Of her fance was
proverbial. Things dragged on for a
year, during which Algy's temper be-
came something awful. l think he
couldn't make up his mind to leave
the regiment and try to get something
to do he was cut out for soldering,
and scarcely fit for any other occupa-
ton.
Old Lafone had a little place in
Ross-shire, on the coast, where you
could put in couple of weeks very
comfortably after plover, rabbits and
such like, and even get dozen or SC
brace of grouse. They had a little
steam launch, and the deep-sea fishing
was rather fun, all around Cromarty
About the time of the Inverness meet
ing Algy and l went up there and
had a capital weeks sport. All went
well until the last day of our visit,
when old Lafone talked business with
Algy and upset him dreadfully. He
said his future son-in-law simply must
make up his mind what he was going
to do-whsther he was going to try
for an adjutancy or leave the army
altogether. He (Mr. Lafone) could
not have Maude hanging on and spoil
ing her life for nothing. All he said
was fair enough, if he hadn't upset the
whole applicant by saying that it was
a pity Maude hadn't fancied Percival.
l don't think he meant anything by
it, but Algy was simply furious, and
there and then broke off the engage
ment. l think old Lafone was bit
startled, but Algy was too angry to
listen to a word, and he left the house
an hour after without seeing Maude.
In fact, he behaved like the wayward,
ill-tempered chap he always was when