The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-03-31

agreeable, so amusing and so useful that
 her patroness would by no means con-
 sent to her going back to the dreary life
 of Sir Pitts country seat. Thus the little
 campaigner stayed on and on, soon dis
 placing in Miss Crawley's affection poor
 A.lss Briggs. who had been her dear
 friends companion for an unknown num-
 Der of years and who wrote poetry and was hulied continually by her dear Matilda"
 Rebecca had been aart of Miss Craw- le household for some time when poor. wlted Lady Crawley stopped weeping an taking pills and died. Immediately, not waiting even for the funeral wicked old Sir Pitt hastened to London, and seek ing an interview with Becky alone in the front rarlor, fiatly proposed to make her Lady Crawley -,o. 3.
 "Oh, Sir Pitt" cried Becky "I can't! l am-l am-married already" Then she fled to her room and cried-perhaps be- cause she had not had little more pa tience Now to whom was Rebeeca mar ried? To whom, indeed. but Captain kawdon Crawley.
 Ate; the unueXpected disclosure. the couple fled to Brighton for honeymoon. Old Miss Crawley took to her bed, sent for her doctor and her lawyer and altered her will, cutting Rawdon off without a shilling. Sir Pitt raved like madman
 At Brighton the Crawleys straightway raa into Becky's dearest dearest friend, Amelia Sedey. likewi:1 on honeymoon trip sLd her marriage, like Becky's had precipitated a dire lamily disruption.
 Amelia's father. Johr Sedley, having be- co. e rich through stock brokerage, had arranged many yes before with his friend Osborne, Wealthy merchant. that Amelia should marry George Osborne who had entered the army. To this ar engagement both young persons took kind ly, George as a matter of course and Amelia with all the ardor of her simple and affectionate soul.
 George Osborne was a conceted and selfish dandy, whose once good qualities had been smothered when he was motherless boy by the overindulgence of his father; but old Osborne was immense ly proud of the fact that his son was in the army and consorting with men to whom he alluded boastingly as "swells."
 Suddenly, when everything seemed fair, business disaster overwhelmed old Sedley and old Osborne immediately ordered George to break his engagement to Amelia.
 Perhaps he might, in tlme succeeded in bending his son to his will had 1t not been for William Dobbin, brother officer and loyal admirer of George. So loyal was Dobbln, that he urged George to in- 'i'h 7 the advice tore his heart: for great hulk ing awkward Dobbin was silently, deep- ly in love with Amelia himself. It was Dobbin who served Amelia, ever near her, asking nothing in return while George taking her love for granted daz- zled others with his splendid presence. It was Dobbin who watched over George now as he had fought Georges battles when they were boys in school And as I hnpn n hnx i,, George accepted his devotion and gave in return as much as it was possible for the spoiled darling to give to any one except himself.
 Dobbn felt that it would kill Amelia if George failed her. His arguments. aided by young Osbornes own selfish inn patience of control won the day. George insisted on marrying Amelia, and his in- dignant father turned him out neck and crop, refusing to see him again or to hear the mention of his name.
 George drew from his bankers all that was then left to call his-a small amount of money inherited from his mother, and proceeded to spend it right and left dur ing his honeymoon.
 The sight of Rawdon Crawley, the bril- liant leader of his set. delighted him. And Rawdor and Rebecca. now living on noth- ing year, with some considerable help from Rawdon's great skill at cards and billiards, were equally delighted at this opportrne arrival of a ee-handed ac- quaintance.
 When Rawdon was not winning Georges money Rebecca was dazzling him with her wit and attacking him with shafts from her green eyes. The little woman could no more help trying her Vaccinations upon the first man that came near than she could help breathing She meant nothing wrong by it, not the least
 in the world; but it made Amelia very miserable nevertheless.
 Jos, the fat civilian. who had come back from India for short stay. was with tho bridal party. but he was little com pany for his sister. and she felt a de- cided cheering of her little heart when honest old Dobbin arrived, bringing his unspoken and hopeless devotion along with him. But the little party at Bright on was suddenly broken up
 Napoleon had returned from Flba and all Europe was arming against him. The Reign of the Hundred Days began and the three military men were ordered to join their regiments preparatory to ser vice abroad
 In the rear of the British army which invaded the Low Countries in 1915 was a host of civilians. Officers took their wives and families along as a matter of course, and hundreds of fashionahles. looking on the invasion as a sightseeing iaunt. went to Brussels to make merry and dance up to the very verge If battle.
 Amelia went along and so did Jos. At they found the Crawlays in- stalled in much splendor Rawdon was aid to Major General Tufto, and Becky was with him. They lived at the Gen erals hotel and tho general footed the bills. People talked, or course. but peo- pie will talk anyway and our little ad- flew in the very best military society
 The Crawleys never noticed Amelia at all, but George was a constant member If Rawdon's card parties. Dobbin lec- tured the dandy on his neglect of his wife md his good advice was received as such ldvice generally is.
 At last came the night If the celebrated ,a1 given by the Duchess of Richmond Pebecca achieved great triumph She was radiant and q crowd of officers swarmed about her all night. As for Amelia. George lett her sitting in cor 1er and neglected her for hours, flutter- ng around Rebecca like a moth around a ,.ndle. Amelia would not even have had anything to eat had not Dobbin looked After her
 Ut last the poor woman could stand 1t 10 longer ''Take me home. William" she said TT am not well.'
 George stayed to see Rebecca to her ,arriage and when he banded her her there was a foolish note asking Ter to elope with him concealed amid the lowers. Rebecca saw 1t and gave her ldmirer an enigmatieal look out of her steady eyes. As they went into the