The Jennings daily record. [volume] (Jennings, La.) 1900-1903, 1902-07-21

more than cOronetS, aren't
WV they?'
More what than coronets?
know the quotation of course.
but I can't say that I ever understood 1t.
A coronet is one sort of thing, and kkind
heart is another. And l don't see why.
If it comes to that. the possessor OF
coronet shouldn't be the possessor of
kind heart WE'LL
And Mrs. Erne sat back in her deck
chair with an air of having finished the
discussion. She was on her way back
home to England with her daughter.
whom she had taken out to India on
visit to Col. Erne. whose military duties
kept him out there. away from his wife
and his pretty daughter.
Mrs. Erne, like many other wives of
military men. had imbibed from her hus-
band tone and habit of authority which
she used upon the pretty Hildred I'M
sparinxty. and more than ever at this
particular juncture, when the beautiful
blue-eyed girl was showing the strong
est inclination to commit an act which
her mother termed throwing herself
away"
Mrs Erne was ambitious. and the ex-
ceeding beauty of her young daughter
had filled her with hopes. which seemed
perfectly reasonable that Hildred would
make u brilliant marriage. Indeed. 1t was
what everybody expected of "A girl who
had been the undouhted beauty Of her one
London season. -
But now this wrons-headed young per-
son. who looked so gentle and innocent
that it was difficult to believe her capable
OF anything definite an original inn
pulse, had threat ened her own prospects
and her mothers ambitions by bestowinK
a great deal too much OF her thoughts
and of her smiles upon a certain capt.
TarrinE, whom she met in London and
again in India. and who had been one OF
her most devoted admirers during her
stay In the hills.
1t had come as a great shock upon Mrs
Erne to find Capt. TarrinS among the
passengers on board the boat which was
| to bring herself and her daughter back tc
England: but on finding that another OF
the passengers was a certain Prince La
gonegro. man who united the attrac-
tions Of good looks. good manners. for
tune and title. and who was. moreover
evidently much attracted by the beautiful
Hildred Mrs. Ernes annoyance had con
siderably increased.
For Mildred quickly but obstinately de-
clined to take her mothers view OF the
relative attractions of these two men.
It's very difficult to know the truth
about any mans heart. mamma. isn't it p
she persisted. in her soft. lisping little
| voice. when Mrs. E.rne had sat back ant
! folded her hands. to end the matter. "On'
can only Judge what one feels about 1t.
DO you mean that you feel that Capt
| Tarring is full of heart. while Prince
| Lagonegro has none?' asked her mother
| sharply
No. no. mamma: of course not. But
| like Capt. Tarring better than T do tbs
| prince"
Now, Of what possible value can tn,
| imaginary liking of girl like you be? L
| Is a mere matter of prejudice. Isn't thu
| prince handsomer than Capt. Tarring
| Whittier? More distinguished looking
Besides. the important fact that he il
! better OFF,"
Yes. I suppose he is handsomer. bu
! I don't like his face SO we'll And as fo
| his being better Off. one couldn't MARI,
! a man in cold blood for that, now coult
| one?"
''Of course not, of course not. It's NJ
| question Of marrying anyhody-yet
/ only wish you to put little brain int
! your consideration of your acquaint
/ ances You've been talking to this Capt
/ Tarring lately to the exclusion of every
| body else: and. quite apart from any con
| sideration of money! hope I'm not 6
| mercenary woman-quite apart from that
/ I say, ! think you re making mistak.
| in rating him as highly as YOU do. Ant
! you know Maj. Stairway thinks as I do
| IIildred's face 1eal. This was a sore
| point with her, that 1faj Stairway, an ole
friend of theirs ands&e person whom
| everybody liked and everybody trusted
had. indeed. gone over to the enemy
| as Capt. Tarring expressed it, and Joined
| Indeed. at the very moment that the
| two ladies were discussing this matter
| young Capt. Tarring was taking Maj
! Stairway to task ir the smokingroon
| about his attitude in the affair.
! DO you think it's quite fair. Stairway
! said the young man. who was a pleasant
| faced Englishman of n type happily com
mon. ito take up the stand you do in re-
| gard to Miss Erne and this wretcheC
| foreigner"
| "Wret ched foreigner. Ell? II you near
| Prince Lagonegro. II seems an odd term
to use OF a man who is as much ar
Englishman as you are by breeding and
| education. though he is an Italian by de-
| scent.
We'll, don't put me- off and evade the
question. II seems very hard that you
who know how fond | am Of Mildred
Erne, and who used to profess and sym
pathie with me about it. should now go
about cracking up to the skies the very
man whom you know to be my rival will,
her
'1 don't know what you mean by crack
ing up-''
''Oh. yes. you do. I've heard you sing
Ing his praises to Mrs Erne and, good
ness knows. she doesn't want any in
| ducement to make her think better of a
man with a title and a fort une than she
does of me-
Now. look mere. my young friend.
you're perfectly unreasonable
II dare say
Listen to me. Didn't I tell you at
the outset. when you first mentioned
your attachment, that you had no
chance?"
But"
Didn't tell you that Mrs. F:rne would
not let her handsome daughter think
about a man like you. with only few
hundreds d year. and that you would get
the cold shoulder directly Il man a little
better off turned up?'
Yes, l know you did. And | admitted
that my chance was a poor one. But
still it was a chance, and with Hildred
to back me up, I was not without hopes.
OF course, ! don't say you haven't a per-
feet right to advise Mrs. Erne to snub
me, and to encourage the prince But I