The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-05-18
BY H. s. cANFrELD.

tccpyrght. 1902. by Daily Story Pub. Col
 Mamma Beaton was giddy but ma neuverer. She knew that wealth was both power and place and its ownership She had wealth herself-at least Papa Beaton had it-and she was not minded that Alice should marry a poor man. So when Mark Lanninx returned from came back to New York 35 years old, dark-bearded. easy hammered and learned In the ways of the world, she set her matronly cap at him. only. of course. for Alice's sake.
 There was no better blood than Lan ning's. On the one side his forefathers had been English suuires; on the other his mother came from the old patroons who first blew tobacco smoke and quaffed beer in New Amsterdam. He was rich; he was cultivated; his position in society was sure; he was great catch; he was charmed by the fresh beauty of the girl. She was not averse. Only 2. she had the. city and lawn tennis at Newport. If her heart had been touched by any one 1t was but slightly. She had not loved and doubted that there was such thing as love. She was ready to ac- cept Lanning as she accepted anything else ordered by her mother-a new gown, say. or dozen of gloves. or a ball. Her hair was the pale yellow which
 
 but her eyes were dark gray and steady and there was a certain heaviness of chin. Nothing had happened to com press her rather Full lips or call that she had a will of her own it had been kept in abeyance. There seemed nothing In the way of this union.
 Papa Beaton looked on with wise eyes under a high bald brow. He, too, was williro Lanning kept his large account at the Beaton Bank People began to look upon Alice as an Easter -bride-to-be set apart for one man. who certainly called constantly and was openly devoted To be sure she did not love him and her parents knew that she did not, but what of it? In an Eastern family if on spiced meats, she is bathed in baths of perfumed milk. her eyebrows are l trained, her nails trimmed and stained. she is taught the dufcimer and guitar, to l ugly dueklings. remain in the back ground. When ripe the beauty Is sent down to Constantinople for inspection by the Sultan's agents. She is approved \ done daily--in Constantinople and New York Shall we be less civilized than the followers of Mahomed, the false prophet? There entered upon this scene, so smooth. so peaceful. that it seemed made by hand, youth to fortune and to fame unknown. who name was Roy Vanaster. He came from the West with letters to Papa Beaton from a banking correspond ent. and the old gentleman could be no less than civil. Vanaster said that he would remain in New York a week, then return to his own part of the country, where he purposed to make living as a mining engineer. He was hong-legged fresh-faced, red-cheeked young fellow with bright blue eyes, an engaging smile and a way of making himself at home which some people called effrontery.
 He did not go away from New York at the end of a week. or at the end of two weeks. At the end of a month he was still there and still calling steadily at the Beaton mansion in upper Fifth Avenue. He seemed to have money enough for his hotel bills. for drives. for fovkrs. He was. in fact making rather strong running. and hs free Western mind saw no reason why he should not If he wished to- Hints from Mamma Beaton ran of him like water from a ducks back Papa Beaton said, in a round about way, that his daughter was reserved stock. and Vanaster smiled de- iightfully thinking evidently that she was reserved for him. Once or twice he was rather in Lanning's way, but that experienced gentleman d.d not mind. He was sure of himself. was Lanning. and had a way of looking over other mems heads. ..slti.E3Y enc ..... -t Then a fellow in England with an eye to the main chance invented ping-pong. 1t swept triumphantly across the water and invaded the homes of New York s aristocracy. The diping tables became ping-pong tables; the dining rooms and