The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-12-23

N"AA
pretty women at the hotel adored her
as they wouldn't We're she SO much old
er than they?
Fifteen years his senior? Ridiculous
But even if she were, was not beauty
eternal when it was full of soul?
He STROBE to and fro, apparently
wanting no company but his owr
thoughts. Finally he entered the fort
by way of the water battery, for he had
heard that there was a cannon there
gun forty-whioh had romantic histo-
ry. 1t was a legend of Old Point that
If fellow asked a lady to walk with
him to gun forty, it was equivalent to q
proposal, He reached the gun, leaned
gloomily against the carriage, and Won
dered why so many men, some of them
worthless, probably, had been made
happy while he was compelled to en-
dure all the discomforts of wet blan-
ket thrown upon his heart-and by his
own father, too. Years hence, when he
would be approaching forty-fve, he
would remember this day, and be more
sympathetic should son of his be in
the condition In which he, Phil now
found himself
The approach of other visitors reused
| him from his reverle. He etrolled into
and through the fort, along the south
walk of the parade, where, to his as
| constituent, and somewhat to his in
dienation. he encountered his father
and Miss Raybright looking at some
trophies Of war and chatting as If be-
tween them they Were not making mis-
cry for a very tender heart. As If to
! ~, ;pJ to,,o ;f,,, ct
| Phil, when recognized by his father,
was addressed as "Bub' and ordered to
join the couple and make himself agree
able. Miss Raybright did not seem the
least embarrassed by the meeting, as
Phil felt she ought, and when Trewtt,
who had little knowledge of almost
everything in nature, broke the tip of a
tWig from one of the old live oaks on
the parade, and showed Miss Raybright,
from the conformation OF the leaves,
how Fort Monroe was the northern lin
1t Of that species Of the genus quercus,
and the lady listened with an expression
of great interest as she slowly broke
leaf after leaf from the stem, 1t seemed
to Phil that twas a heart better than a
heart of oak that was being cast under
foot.
All day the youth lounged about dis
consolately, for he did not get mo-
ment alone with his charmer His ia
Their monopoized the girl, even sitting
a dinner with her and her mother the
ladies inviting an army officer, instead
of Phil to take the remaining chair at
the table. What was his father up to?
Between Philip, Junior, and Philip, san
ior there had always been entire conf
dence, as frequently exists between wild
owed fathers and only sons; yet the
young man was excited enough to be
suspicious. His father had the reputa-
ton in business circles Of being man
of great tact, Perhaps he was making
the most of his opportunities to spoil
his sons chances by saying things
which would lessen the regard In which
Phil was sure Marian held him
1t is unnecessary TO say how far sus-
picion may go even In the best natures |
when it gets fair start. There was to
be hop at the hotel that evening. |
Phil knew that Miss Raybright did not |
dance, or even care much for looking at |
dance. Every one else would be |
there; the beach would be deserted; the |
air was still and warm the starlight |
would be bright enough to show the |
way. yet dim enough to hide any one
from curious eyes. He would write her,
declare his love and beg her to write
him an immediate answer to his room,
and afterward meet hin on the piazza
and stroll with him on the beach-if the
answer was favorable
He started quickly to act upon this
but never before had his
pen seemed so dull He wrote note af- /
ter note, destroying each before he be-
gan another, for man though he be-
lieved himself and fluent of speech
though he usually was, his words did
not seem adequate to Their duty H.
tried to tell himself--and her-that his
tongue would be more able than his
pen, but this did not make his success
9ive notes seem more fit to be read by
Marian Raybrght He had noted how
quickly her eye detected any awkward
less or other fault in book or story, and
that she seemed really panied by lame
or batting sentences; yet now. in spite
Of an education on which expense and
,ffort had not been spared, he seemed
unable to write with either distinctness
~ good grammar He had heard her
make pltliesS run Oh some proposals
read aloud from novels yet any of
,hese were in better form than such as
he was composing and destroying.
Meanwhile, the evening was disnp-
bearing; soon 1t would be too late to
Expect the response he hoped for, Des-
)erately the young man scrawled half a
1ozen lines. sealed them, hurried beow
tipped a waiter to take the note at
nee to Miss Raybrights room and fol-
owed the sable Mercury part of the
way to see that there should be no mis-
AXE Then he strolled out to the Office
net his father and pretended not to
ecognize him; but Trewitt stopped
him. saying
What's the matter, my boy?''
Nothing" said Phil, averting his
yes.
BE honest with your father, my son.
'rewitt replied, almost in d whisper,
et very earnestly. Something unusu-
/ is on your mind (
Phil remained silent. and was also
ullen
BE honest" repeated his father; "be
lanly too Don't on hack on yn,1r