The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-01-21

proprletress OF the Esmeralda Hotel,
Seabreeze, that In each OF the twelve
years during which she had owned and
managed the establishment on the
shore nj Scabreeze. she had successful
~ brought two young people into re-
latlons with one another that had re-
suited In matrimony. To tell the truth.
Mrs. Maltworth was n born matchma-
ker. as many young lieutenant could
have witnessed.
You would have imagined from the
smile on her good-natured. motherly
face-whlch had taken OH Just the
faintest suspicion OF wrinkle since
Providence removed the gallant cap.
tain from this sphere-that sorrow and
worry had given her wide berth. In
this You would have been pardonably
wrong. She was one OF those rare In
divlduals who can sink their own dis
comforts and smile on the pleasures OF
Others. 1t was largely due TO this fact
that the EsmeraIda had prospered, and
during the season Its rooms were flood.
ed with young people bupbllng over
with holiday spirits, who joked and
laughed together rs II the office and the
counter were nothing more Than mere
imaglnings which would not reappear
at the expiration Of brief fortnight.
But Mrs. Maltworth and her two
daughters were growing Respondent.
The season was rapidly drawing to q
close and as yet no two young people
had been attracted to each other. To
be sure there had been one or two mild
fiirtations which had excited consider
able expectation. but they had not de
veloped" and had expired before the
participants left SeabreeZe.
Heres letter from q Major Rum
sey. my dear" said the widow one
morning. HE wants to come next Mon
day with his son and daughter to stay
why, he doesn't say how long he Will
stay"
WHO Is he?" inquired the elder OF
the Misses Maltworth. a prim young
lady OF twenty-five. whose living inter-
est was, centred and circumference in
the cutting down OF expenses ut the
Esmeralda.
The widow passed the letter 10 her.
He writes from Shoreham. YOU see.
and that is very select We shall
have to put him and the son on the Sec
ond floor front. and his girl IN the room
opposite ours"
The young daughter nodded approx
al. She was n pretty girl. who had all
her mothers amiability and tender
ness, mixed with her fathers soldlerly
pride. Many susceptible young men
had been captured by the attractive
face and charming style OF Mabel but
she judged them from so high a critical
standpoint that few passed muster. So
Mabel wisely treated them all with a
great amount OF politeness and as
wisely administered cold rebuff when
their attentions became warmer than
necessity warranted.
Major Rumsey duly arrived with his
son and daughter and an immense
quantity Of luggage. which surprised
not only Mrs. Maltworth. but the
boarders at the Esmeralda. who COM
pared It with their own modest port
manteaux, much TO the discredit OF the
latter.
The major was middle-aged gen.
tieman whose hair was generously
sprinkled with gray. labeled military
from head to foot and possessed OF a
stuff. hearty voice that instantly Won
the Widows heart.
II always feel thoroughly at home
with army gentlemen she confessed
TO him ere he had been In the house
half dozen hours. You see. I am n
soldiers daughter. and married man
who carried u commission"
Madam" replied the major. you
surprise and honor me"
Yes. my poor husband. Captain
Maltworth. OF the -th Cavalry
What" roared the major, springire
from his chair. Your husband-old
Bob Maltworth OF the -th?"
The same. sir" curtesied the widow
my dear Mrs. Maltworth. this is in
deed pleasure. I and Old Bob
Capt. Maltworth. were mates together
before -. Have you ever heard him
speak OF his old friend Rumsey?"
The widow. with . choking in hei
voice, did. NOW she came to think OF
It," have a hazy recollection OF hearIna
her dear Robert refer 10 n certain old
chum OF his named Rumsey. but she
would have never connected 1t with the
major before her. Dear, no. that she
never would.
Bless my soul. my dear lady" con-
tinucd the excited major. walking to
the window. fancy coming across the
widow OF my old friend. The. world Is,
after all. quite 4 little place; now, isn't
~"
The opening Of the door and the en-
trance OF Mabel caused him to turn
round.
Mabel. my dear. this Ia Major Rum.
sey-and-he Is an old friend OF your
poor papa"
The major bowed to the fair young
girl before him. while she blushed and
murmured: How dye do?" in so
pretty manner that the major was on
The instant charmed and capt!vated.
That evening there was q merry
party In the widows little drawing
room. which excited considerable curl
osity among the other boarders. There
was much laughter and Just a few
tears or the par: OF the hostess, and
that night young Harold Rumsey
dreamed OF bIushing. bIue-eyed girl
who had called him Mr. Rumsey" no
end OF times. although he would have
given anything to have been called
Harold.
The visit OF Major Rumsey. Mr.. Har-
old Rumsey and Miss Eleanor Rumsey
ito quote the "Seabrceze News") was
decidedly time OF unqualified enjoy
rncnt. The happiness OF tho three suf-
fused through the whole OF the Esmer-
aida Hotel, and the prophecies was
heard to remark that never in all her
III" had she seen so jolly 4 company as
~ITS4SSA & ~