The Florence daily tribune., 1899-02-01
A LAGGARD LOVER.

Paul had SAID so muCh about my re-
semblance to my grandmother. Rebecca
Seton, and had spoken so very warmly
of her beauty that l confess | dreaded
TO risk the comparison and stand beside
the portrait that night as they wished
me to do. So / made every sort of ex-
cuse when was asked to go into the
drawing room.
"You are more like her than you
think, Frances, said Uncle Mark
Becky Seton was famous for her beauty
all over Surrey in her day, but she was
talked of for more than her good looks,
OF course you know all about her love
affairsI 1t is very pretty story. and
you narrowly escaped being born Sc
ton. Every one thought Becky was en-
gagged to her cousin Richard when she
eloped.
"Some women are born Setons, 3" ]
began flippantly, ''some achieve Sc
tons - And then caught sight of Paul
looking at me with such queer face.
omitted the rest of the parody and ask.
ed, why didn't Becky marry Rich
ard -
"0h, he was bad lot. He was my
grandfather, you know" And Uncle
Mark, the dearest old man that ever
was, smiled to himself. Becky kept
him on pins and needles, blowing hot
and blowing cold-waiting for Goodloe
to propose. l fancy.
"Ill not stand that, exclaimed.
"You re insulting both my great grand
parents at once. Becky couldn't ask
him his intentions. could sheY And I'm
sure he was only waiting for the psy-
Geological moment.
"Well. Goodloe was not exactly what
you would call languid lover. Nc
fearl l say. Mollie. go and get Becky s
old Bible, It's in the drawing room.
III show you n pretty piece of Irritation
as you could wish. Dicky carried her by
storm at last with very audacious lit
tie coup, which was quite the way to
manage madcap like Becky
please be careful. You forget how
much am like her. interrupted
"Oh, you forget we're all Setons here,
and we take after our harmless old
grandfather, said Uncle Mark. but
Paul bit his lip. 'Well. there was big
party here in this very house, mind
you, and everybody was invited. but
she was such coquette that no one
knew which of the rivals she favored.
Her father insisted upon her marrying
Dick Seton, to keep the estate in the
family, and Becky's nurse was the GO
between on the other side, and did all
she could for Goodloe, who was the
handsomer man of the two. They say
that up to the moment when she saw
the carriage lights Becky hadn't decided
which of them to accept.
I'm sure would have known my
own mind. said I "but, of course, if
the right one didn't have the spirit to
propose bit my lip. How did she
decide3'
''She had divided up her dances very
artfully that evening, but Goodloe got
a chance during one of his turns to ask
her to go outside in the park for little
walk in the moonlight. She was always
ready for mischief, and they slipped
out without being noticed, except by
Dick Seton, who followed their foot
prints in the snow and found one of
her slippers by the gste. Goodloe had
his carriage all ready, and he didn t
propose to her till she saw it and asked
him why it was there, Then they must
have heard Dicky calling for his part
ner, and she picked up her skirts and
ran-for the carriager'
Mollie came in just then with the old
Bible, and her father opened it and be-
gan turning the pages. '.See herel' he
began. This is the way they did it.
Goodloe marked passage with little
dash, like this, and put the number of
the page on the fly leaf, and Becky
marked hers in the same way-with a
cipher, You can follow the whole game
up to the time when it began to be a bit
too serious for Mistress Beckys policy "
He began with Proverbs iii. IS, and
from there the verses skipped back and
forth. through Psalms. Ecclesiastes and
Solomon's Song, something like this
She is more precious than rubics, and all
the things thou canst desire not TO be com
pared unto her.
His mouth is full Of cursing and deceit aud
fraud under his tongue is mischief and vanity.
Behold, thou are fair, my love: thou hast
doves eyes
Stay with me iagons. comfort me with ap.
pies, for | am sick of love.
Many daughters have done virtuously, but
thou eaccllest them ALL
Forsako her not. and she shall preserve thee
love her, and she shall keep thee.
i will instruct thee and teach thee in the
way which thou shalt go; will guide thee
with mine eye.
Turn away thine eyes from me, for they
hive overcome me; thy hair is flock of
goats that appear from Gilead.
Hcarkeu, daughter aud consider, and in
cline thine ear; forget also thine own people
aud thy fathers house.
For how can endure to see the evil tina,
shall come unto my peoples