The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-05-30
His Dear Relation.

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Lord Whitney was surprised when he
first saw his cousins widow. with whom
there had been/ family feud. Lord
Whitney had pictured his dear relation
as a typical dowager with the external
appearance of a trump and the manners
Of true virago. Lady Whitney, as il
happened, was one OF those fortunate
women who preserve their hneness of fig
| ure- Also. she did not 6isdain 10
lend some skiIlfuI assistance 10 the work
| OF nature. She had been married young,
but she looked much younger than she
was, and but for the well-known fact
that her daughters coming OUT was
| one of the events OF the year, she might
| have posed successfully as the typical
| femme a trente ans. The debut how
ever, of that tremendous peeress,'' Lady
| Mary Wytham. was such brilliant
event that in the fierce light which IL
cast on her family no secret, not even
that OF her mothers age, could remain
| unrevealed
| Lady Mary resembIed her mother as a
| portrait does the original. At a distance
! they might be taken for sisters. On d
nearer view due homage was paid TO
| the attraction OF youth, the beaute de
| diable, the sweet freshness OF the mere
| girl The very slightest acquaintance,
| however, showed that in the matter Of
! sour the girl could not compare with
| the woman. Lady Whitney was spirituelie,
vivacious, interesting; Lady Mary was
sweet, fresh, good, pretty-and undenia-
! bly, stupid. When we consider, however
| that her fortune amounted 10 over a
| hundred thousand q year she was deci-
| dedly a paragon among heiresses.
| Whitney ought TO mary mis- cousin and
reunite the title and the property" was
| what the world said. Kind and busy
bodying people even hustled about and
| tried to hslp this on. They gave dinner
| parties and sent him in with Lady Mary,
who was friendly, but a trihe fright
eaed, and therefore at first rather heay-
Ter in hand than usual. Whitney. however,
was determined to make friends with his
cousin, and she apparently found the for
hidden fruit sufficiently pleasant TO en-
able her to pluck Up sufficient courage
to enjoy it.
An entirely unprecedented effect, how
ever, was produced by some well-mean-
ing but ignorant rich people. They put
Lady Whitney on his other side at din
ner. She gave him her shoulder osten-
tatiously through the soup and FISH.
Then he smoke to her. She did not re-
ply or turn, but she did not continue
her conversation with her partner. Wit
general kind. She turned on him with
flashing eyes and a biting demon on
her lips as if to rend him, and replied
in manner that from one stranger
guest to another was decidedly fierce,
not to say rude. Whitney was not at all
abashed
1t must be admitted that Lady Wit
ney's behavior during the rest of the
dinner was abominably rude. She desert
ed her own partner and connived at Wit
ney's neglect Of his, solely in order that
she might snub. contradict, and Insult
him in the most savage manner The
marvel was that he did not give her
up. He did not, however. He regarded
her with an interested and slightly mock
ing smile, and replied with the utmost
suavity and politeness.
Don't YOU think" she said, ubruptly,
that a fortune-hunter Is a despicabls
thing?"
Certainly" he replied, readily.
And don't You think that a fortune
hunter who pursues a girl simply for her
money when he knows that he will new
er be allowed to marry her, and that
the mere idea is hateful and not to be
borne, and that ne would never dare If
the girl had father or brother TO pro-
tect her" 4
Most cowardly and Objectionable per-
son. l am glad that the lady whom
am in love with is not an heress Or
oh you are in love. are you?' she
then said, with insolent disdain. ''Who
is she?"
We'll. really, you see, as a stranger
You know perfectly well who l am"
Certainly, but as you appear to
And you have the insolence to speak
to me as If you were a stranger.
think You are the most insolent, abom-
Unable, cowardly wretch"
1 think YOU are the politest, gontlest,
most weet-tempered-'
Lady Witneys really fine eyes literally
flashed fire--but at that moment the la
dies fortunately rose.
The fact that she had not been able |
TO kither him with the last word trou-
bled Lady Whitney. She rather hoped /
that he would approach her afterward I
In order that she might finish him off. |
What with looking furtively at him to (
see If he was coming her way and med /
itatlng crushing remarks for his bene-
ht people found her rather distraite
She reached home without having de- |
ivered herself. and feeling that she must |
do so or burst, she wrote a scathing let
ter, telling him that his conduct was
most ungentlemanly and hiatt she for
babe him ever TO speak to her or come
near her again
He replied courteously. acknowledging
her letter and begging her "out Of her
great experience" 10 tell him whether
under similar circumstances he should
publicly refuse to sit by her or what?
las If l were a hundred. and every
one says how young I look
She wrote a cutting note in reply. /
mentioning incidentally that though It
vas quite true that she was quite an old /
woman Underlined twice. it was not
usual In decent society TO tell lady go.
Lord Whitney wrote to discaim that he
had done this or had any intention OF
1oing So
She found It absolutely necessary 10
answer this TO the effct that she attach
ID no value 20 his opinion Of her ap-
and he replied to her. How
ong this singular correspondence would
rave gone on I. is difficult 10 say, but.
to meet Lord Whitney at a
,arty, Lady Whitney went UP to him and
axed him somewhat violently with
persecution
Il know what YOU are aiming at" she
aid. You want to get hold Of my
leiress daughter. and you think that IL
'ou prosecute me you will drive me 10
consent 10 get rid Of the annoyance"
Il utterly deny the persecution 7
merely replied TO your letters. That was
Common politeHess. You might have ig- I
lored the replies"
Il could not. There was something so :
asty. so acknowledgement I could no.
ear that You should think" she stop
ed in some confusion.
"Bssides, I deny your accusation.
would not marry your daughter II she
sked ne. I love another woman
There was pause and then LADY Wit !
ey said ! nan altered voice: Does she ,
1ve you-''