The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-11-30
CHAPTER XIV.
Sand-Eeling-Part II.


Meanwhile 4 second love-scene Is
being played out between widely diff
ferent actors, with widely different re-
suits.
"We were interrupted the other day,
my dear Glenn" begins Cousin Felix,
coolly possessing himself Of Miss Hard
castles hand and drawing it within
his own-"interrupted at a point OF
some interest to me, at all events. {!
am contemplating marriage"
"Your taste inclining toward Lady
Lydia, if she had no Mr.. birmingham,
or toward Mrs. de Mauley, if she had
no debts"
"And I have been seriously review
ing the subject from another point Of
| view than that Of mere personal ik-
ing. Such a woman as Lady Lydia
birmingham, however une2cumbered,
would not suit me for a wife, nor Mrs.
de Mauley either"
"No?"
"Mrs. de Mauley sings-false, they
tell me, h%abitually; half q note sharp
in her correctest moments. But this is
beside the question. False or true, she
sings. Women who sing naturally re-
quire musical mornings, full dress con-
certs, and a friend Of the soul who
plays the violoncello. I could not stand
musical mornings, full dress concerts.
and a friend of the sou! who plav"'
v~ioloncello."
"yor von,d no iae, is Of your wife's
nS. Confess it openly"
Wv ,-perience tells you that I am
ferociously jealous temperament,
does it not?"
Miss Hardcastle bushes, but, hap
PLY, the state Of the atmosphere and
his own preoccupied mind serve to con-
ceal the weakness from Cousin Felix.
"Then Lady Lydia-I mention her as
the type Of a class-is horribly IN
punctual. Six days out Of seven, with
a wife as giddy as Lady Lydia, you
would have your fish oyerbroiled. OF
course. she does this very well for a
man like birmingham. birmingham is
a rich fellow, and can keep q chef, an
artist, equal to all emergencies. 1t
would never suit me. For genteel des-
titution the domestic virtues are a vital
condition Of existence"
Mr.. Broughton enunciates this senti-
ment with solemn distinctness, like one
~disburdening his conscience Of some
all-important and slowly-arrived-at
dogma.
you agree with me, I am sure,
Clementina. For a rauper like myself,
the domestic virtues are indispensa-
BILE"
II hope you will meet with Them"
says Miss H%ardcastle, with rather a
forced c~heerfulness. 1.-THE domestic
virtues, beauty, wealth, youth, and
widowhood are not qualifications COM
bined, to be met with every day, and
in the crowded highways Of life"
"In the crowded highways, no." he
replies. "For the precise reason I am
~endeavoring to make my selection, to
find my paragon, in one Of the very
quiet, untrodden by-paths that lie
around Fief-de-la-Reine."
The hand that rests upon his arm
trembles, despite all C~lementlna's
trained habits Of self-control.
Mr.. Broughton proceeds, with equan-
unity:
GAS for wealth, I resign 1t. My
tastes, as you know, are anti-British,
Spartan-like in their primitive frugal
ity. A theatre stall in the winter"
"A theatre stall! At Fief-de-la-
Reine, I hope?"
"a run to Monte Carlo in the spring.
An ice in summer. With simple
pleasures like these I have been con-
tented, ven as q bachelor. Married to
a pretty, gentle woman who adored me
such q woman, say, as Daphne-I
could be satisfied with life. We would
take a farmhouse-all chintz, and con-
tentment, and low-raftered ceilings
by the sea; live upon mutton chops,
STOW III Owl roses, and"
II don't know whether you are aware
of it, MI. Broughton, but the whole Of
this time, and while you have been in
tent upon your own wise talk. my feet