The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1904-01-08

IA 6al lenderNSirl, Aea9&ng hs{ iii
18th 1ural Slice aa grtty lat
little SFTloss push I6erse5F OH ala pdlI
herself in as she might, could never
initiate.
Miss Latimer's young-men friends
! (she called them |'the boys'') thought
! her cousin Clarissa stuck up. They
told each other SO. But smile from
| her would have brought any one OF
them tc her feet. To. be~f ayore1 Of one
whom all the others consider stuck up
and standof1lsh appeals strongly to
masculine vanity. BesidessS she was
really bea5tita, sahd vi hEe*is assgirI
who aoyes ta bea lady 1sstaasmanSwho
loves Is be q Gentleman Bdtsshe could
not be considered "good fun
When the two girls -: disappeared
along the path that led down to the
river, Sir Humphrey. dropped the lath
Of the blind and proeeeded to bul d up
his dignity of presence
He had made up his mind. He W ,uld
marry Clarissa. ~ =
The preceding years of his life had
been devoted to his business, and he
had scarcely syeptured into feminine
society. But now he felt entitled to
show some relaxation Of his efforts,
and had decided that he must bring a
wife to the palatfal home he had,built
in a London suburb, and that she must
be beautiful. just as he had: beautiful
furniture to adorn it. He did not an
ticipate any difficulty. He could: pay
the bill. ~ =. ~:
It was curious coincidence -ttttat is
to say, it may have been a coincidence
that Mr.. Latimer said to him, as
they smoked cigar together after
breakfast that morning:
"You ought to marry, Potter"
''Well, can't say haven't thought
Of It," answered Sir Humphrey. II
feel at times want something to cheer
me up-to take my thoughts off tho
work when I'm at home"
He spoke as if he intended to buy
banjo.
'You want to find the right girl,
and then you'll never regret it. And
you won't make mistake-thst amt
your way, we all know, Potter
Sir Humphrey had money in Mr..
Latimer's business.
'You can hardly realize" continued
Mr.. Latimer, 'the rest and pleasure a
tired man can find in woman's talk,
if it's lively and chatty."
Here Mr.. Latimer artistically lost
himself in reverie, emerging presently
with a sigh.
How I shall miss my daughter Flo
when she gets married! So bright and
jolly-such a capital companions! We're
always together"
The feeling Of doting parent had
carried him away. He was not always
with his daughter. She saw to that.
ut needs consideration, Latimer,"
said Sir Humphrey, and then, little
abruptly, turned the conversation to
other topics.
But by lunch-time Mr.. Latimer had
calTIiated to nicely the minimum
cost of the transfer of his daughter
Flo to Sir Humphrey Potter. He
would, he decided, strongly advise a
quiet wedding chad not Flo's aunt
died within the year?) but he had
strong misgivings that that young
lady would like the thing done in style.
She would be sure that dear auntie
would not wish any difference to be
made.
In the afternoon Sir Humphrey sat
with Miss Latimer on the lawn, until
she suggested the summer house by
the river as being the coolest, darling
est place, and providing awful fun
watching the people in the boats.
They're all in love with each other,
and SO funny to watch! Do come,
dear Sir HUMPHREY"
Clarissa had been sent to the shops
to match wool for Mrs. Latimer. Mr.
Latimer had thought the walk would
do her good.
The thermometer registered 80 de-
grees in the shade.
Sir Humphrey passed the time pleas
antly by instructing his companion in
the method of making money on the
stock exchange. She understood every
thing, SO wonderfully did he explain
things.
She said so.
He had endeavored to. enlarge
Clarissas mind on the same subject
on the day previous. She had not I'M
derstooa him. Sir Humphrey had no
doubt of that.
She had made foolish remark to
the effect that she preferred the
methods of burglars. They, at least,
took their chance of getting caught by
policeman or shot by the man they
were robbing.
In the evening, when the moon was
just clear of the tree tops, Clarissa
walked down to the river to meet her
cousin. 1t was at the urgent request
of that young lady she did so.
'I've promised Gus to go for moon
light row, but pa must think you're
with me. He don't mind my being
late, then," she had said, as they left
the dinner table. "Be sure you're there
at nine, so that we can come in to-
gether. and don't let IA see Won a1One -