Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1910-06-23

SIMIZLIAN RNEMyMAN
me to understand telegraphyr'
.legraph wire"

My dear boy said Mrs Brayton to !
her son, while they We're alone after
dinner, lit is time for you to marry-to
settle down. Among the nice girls you
know, it surely must be easy to pick
one"
My dear mother" answered Ernest
laughingly, lit would be much easier TO
pick half dozen than one. Not that
the supply is SO superintendent. but one
is such narrow choice; 1T bring seec
ton down to such a fine point
Nonsense, Ernest. Suppose your
father had thought so?"
Father, having eyes in his head and
the usual amount of good Judgment,
was Obliged to fix on you, dearest moth
err but there are no such chances now
adays. No living girl can ever dupli-
cate you
1t was now October. The preceding
summer he had passed at his mothers
quiet house in Brighton. one day a
party of friends invited him TO dinner
at their hotel. At table near him,
with some people whom he had never
seen before, sat a young giry who occu-
pied his attention from the first. An
exquisite waist. faultless shoulders, II
white neck supporting a head of in
describabie grace, charming face-eX-
pressivc, joyous, limiting al capabilities
of deep emotion--could not fail to excite
his curiosity and to arouse am unac-
customed and tender sentiment. Decid-
eddy the two elderly people with her
We're not her parents, nor was the mid
dle-aged man who completed the party
her husband.
Brayton's tip to the waiter failed to
elicit information as to their identity.
1t was in early December, when iIrn-
q had al ten NJ ON
girl. and had not yet fallen in love with
any other one. that he attended Il dance
at Mrs Chester's. Hardly had he made
his bow to his hostess, when he per-
ceived the fair unknown. Fautlessly
dressed, and tritling with a fan. she sat
In a gilded chair, surrounded by several
young men, who occupied their leisure
between waltZes in paying court to her.
ErneN lost no time in being presented
II by Mrs. Chester, and learned that she
was Miss Pamela Martin.
Ernest was soon whirling in n waltz
with the lovely Pamela, and after it
was over had the temerity to ask and
| the good luck to obtain another
| Ernest not only danced with Pamela
again, but twice more, and handed her
to supper. This was remarked upon
and the news went from drawing room
to drawing room that if Pamela Martin
and Ernest Brayton We're not engaged
/ lHey soon OuSIll W De
Mrs. Brayton was not long in hear
ing of this and set herself to work to
acquire information. Not long after
ward at dinner she said
We'll, my dear boy. they have you
married at last"
| with whom?
with Pamela Martin. Don't deny
her acquaintance"
II have met ler-let me see, five
six times"
1 Does she improve each time?"
II certainly think more of her than
at first. She is brilliant, with charm-
ing manners and undeniably beauti-
full"
This looks very serious" said Mrs
Brayton.
Mrs Brayton numbered among her
younger friends, as a specially loyal
and trustworthy confidante, Mrs. Sophy
Manning not yet %, and already two
years a widow.
MY dear Sophy" said the elder
widow to the younger, one crisp win
ter afternoon, III, looks to me as II
Ernest would marry Pamela Martin
after all"
After all?"
little best to discourage such an even,
short of absolute opposition? Thai
would hurl him at her feet at once"
And mild opposition tends to thu
same result Why not try the opis1st,
treatment? Talk about her all day
every day. Get Miss Fadely to SIM
her praises to Ernest. Let him thinl
that the whole world burns with Tn,
desire to fling her at his head, and i
may cure him of any wish to fling him
self at her feet
why, this is like homeopathy re
versed," said Mrs. Brayton. But, Sc
riously, my dear Sophy, have though
f,ftx an vil,fr ha .gt 4 bot
could make Ernest happy"
IF he should ask me to be a sister t.
him? He knows me too we'll To low
me. Love is born of a certain strange
ness-at least the novel writer's sa
So"
Nonsense, sophy! Ernest coul
very easily love you; and / know tina
you like him very we'll"
The pretty widow laughed
"Oh, what lot of diplomacy to en-
snare a young mani And that his ow
mother should be in the plot, too"
This conversation seemed to hay
had no results in any direction, be
cause by Icastertide the engagement
of Pamela Martin and Ernest Brayto
was announced.
In the early part of June Mrs. Bray
ton proposed to Ernest that he shoul
accompany her to a property owne
by a Mrs. Manning in Ireland.
Mrs. Manning, however, had mad
elaborate preparations for hous
warming in her Irish house; regi
ment of servants was already Their
and there was to be no lack of societ
amusenents.
Pamela pouted little when Erne.
informed her that he must be ava
from her during the next six week
He promised to rejoin her at Brighto
In fact, Pamela had been Informed ,
some extent, by good natured FRIEND
who are always alert to bring ba
news, that Mr.. Brayton had lost a Il
of money in consequence of the failul
of certain bank, and that he was b
no means SO eligible as formerly. 81
nothing was said on this topic betwee
the lovers. They were to meet in lat
August at Brighton.
In Ireland each day found the tw
ladies with their escort, Ernest, Ell
joying the wonders of the scenery
over them brilliant sky. And OF
evening Ernests eyes rested on I'll
following paragraph in Town Swat
bings, just arrived from London:
| TT is currently reported that the e,
odus of one of our best known youn
/ society gentlemen to some Irish retire;
/ is the result of the heavy monetal
/ losses he has recently sustained TIL;
/ under such circumstances a young lad
/ to whom he is currently stated to ha,
l been engaged prior to his departur
/ should be considered as absolute
/ bound beyond redemption is not SUI
i possible case. The dicky bird who ST
L | on tho v.IOw tree SOunda IN ono .