Iron County register., 1899-08-24
Caught in the Slips
ASASASASASASAeAaA

though not at all surprised whom I
saw that Jack Fansnawe had lost his
heart to Lucy Cleverly. Jack was one
OF the incest boys 1 have ever known.
L must beg his pardon, however. for
Classifying him among the boys of nv
acquaintance; since he was, in fact, a
man-a varsity man-who had achieved
u years, plus some odd months. with
all and more than all the susceptibility
OF that impressionable age.
had seen 4 great deal of Jack dur
ing the three years he had been ..up.'
Papa was then professor Of moral meta
physics We lived in the Iffiey road.
and, as We knew something of jack
people, we naturally invited him to our
house. where he soon became quite al
home, running in and out as much as
he pleased Our acquaintance ripened
into close friendship. Il was not lono
before Jack grew to regard me as a sort
OF sister, making me the recipient of
mis- most secret condolences: now ex-
pecting my sympathy, which he always
got, now requesting my advice, which
he never took: but invariably. and un-
der ali circumstances, being the same
frank. artless. open-hearted. brotherly
Jack.
OF Lucy CleverIy find it difficult to
speak. When one girl, a homelv, unat-
traetive girl like myself, mentions an
other girl. a pretty, fascinating girl
like Lucy, in deprecatory terms, folks
are apt TO ascribe it TO jealousy and
spite But l assure you, upon my
honor Though probably YOU will not
believe mel that nothing of the sort
enters my present description. Lucy
was extremely pretty, in the brunette
style. with the most graceful of girlish
figures and the sweetest and most tax
ing manner imaginable But that was
the extent OF her good points-alI on
the surface. The real Lucy, that lay
beneath, was scheming, flirting, vain,
heartless Lucy, who lived for admira-
ton, and loved to have as many adorers
as possible in tow; caring nothing for
the pain she inflicted, nor the delusive
hopes she raised, so long as she could
show off the abject thralldom in which
she held her devotees, and wear them.
SO to speak, for her public advertise
ment, as a redskin brave wears the
scalDs OF his victims.
She meant, indeed, to marry; but she
meant 10 marry well. She wanted
money. and she wanted a title. Jack
had neither; but he was not very far
removed from both. He was a cousin
to an earl, and only one life intervened.
To be sure, ii was a good life. that of
g healthy young man of 25. his lord
ships nephew, who might marry any
day and raise up other intervening
lives besides his own. Still it was
something TO be next but one to an
earldom; if only on account of the fam
Ely connection. And, in addition. Jack
was handsome. attractive. and athlet-
ically distinguished. He had his blue
both for ''rugger" and for cricket, with
half-blue for golf thrown in. So that.
taken altogether, he was a lad whom
Lucy found il worth while 10 encourage
AS far as she could do SO without com
mitting herself.
Now, 1 Go not think that there are
many sadder sights than that of a
guiIeless, supplemented, generous fell
low like Jack being entangled and be-
fooled by a scheming siren; wasting
the treasures of a loyal, manly nature
upon one who was utterly incapable of
appreciating them. And when Jack
(who, as l have said, made me his con-
fidante in everything) first told me of
his love for Lucy Cleverly could have
cried my eyes out for the pity of the
thing. In fact, afterwards, when l
was alone l did nearly cry them out.
Although at the time l had sufficient
command of myself to bear the an
nouncement with composure. and suf-
ficienJ nous not 10 say single WORD
in disparagement of Miss Lucy. To
have done so. TO a lad in his condition,
would have been worse than useless
Alas, poor boy. He must find her out
for himself. That was the only way.
There are some lessons that cannot be
taught. only learned. This was one.
But such lessons are just those which
pupils are most dull of acquiring. They
are, ] think. in the same position as
that in which / found myself, when.
an obstinate little miss of four, / start
ed learning TO read. One of the first
words had to master was h-a-m-ham
"a simple word enough, and rendered
simpler Tin the kind intention of my
reading book by the picture of ham
just above it. But, TO my young imag-
ination. that picture of the ham sug-
gested nothing so much as the outward
shape and semblance of goose. There
fore, L rendered it thus: H-a-m-goose-
/ was corrected. But what was the
word Of a mere nursery governess IN
comparison with the picture in the
book? L stuck TO it: ''H-a-m-goose!
Nothing they could say would disabuse
me of it. l persisted, defiantly, even
from the corner where / was ultimately
put: 'H-a-m-goose: h-a-m-goose!
Jack as just in that condition now. 1t
was no good anybody saying anything.
He must be left to learn, by slow and
painful process. that ham did not spell
goose.
The occasion which the foolish boy
took of declaring himself to Lucy was
that of cricket match, in the Parks
Jack told me all about it, The varsity
were playing \. J. Webb's eleven The
Dark Blues were in, and-the wicket
being fast and true-were having
merry time of il. Jack was sitting, in
the attitude of Turk or a tailor. at
Lucy's feet, paying her considerably
more attention than he was paying to
the cricket.
''She was looking like an angel.
(This was Jacks account.) .der sweet
face seemed TO beam upon me with a
heavenly radiance. She asked me,
softly:
"'When do you go in, Mr.. Fanshawe?'
"sOh. I'm in eighth wicket ] said.