The Meeker herald., 1914-04-18
A Bird. In
The Bush
Overturned by One
In the Hand
sy SARAH NATTER


! When mamma and went to London
We took letters to persons there who
were abundantly able to introduce NJ
to society. Lord Barkeriale. eldest son
bf the Earl Of Edgerton, showed mo
especial attention and ended by pro-
posinK to me. He told me be loved me
desperately. and when protested that
q marriage between us was out Of the
question. owing to my not having
fortune, be declared that he loved me
20 well that a dowry made no differ
ence to him whatever.
Now. the facts about my pecunlary
condition were these: While ! had no
fortune and my parents were only
passabIy well OF for worldly goods.
was to inherit 5000 600 or more from
an old bachelor uncle who had one foot
in the grave. Very few persons in Amer
ica knew anything about this expecta-
ton. and I had not only refrained
from telling any one In England. but
had especially cautioned mamma not
to do 20. l was therefore satisfied
that Ralph Barkerdale loved me for
myself alone. and since he was fasci-
mating man and was pleased at the
prospect Of some day becoming Lady
Ed9erton accepted his proposal.
l was invited to the country seat of
the Edgertons and well received BY
the earl and the rest Of the family.
This was very gratifying to me BE-
cause had been told that the earl. ex-
cept for land. was poor, and It seemed
to me that hs would expect his sue
csssor to the title to marry some one
with means. had q charming visit
and went back to London well satisfied
with my matrimonial arrangements
Nothing was said about setting a time
for the wedding. but since We were
only recently engaged that was not ex-
pected. ] was young. bad not seen
much Of life and was In no hurry.
1t was about month after this visit.
when the London season was at its
height. that Ralph said to me one
evening:
.4rhers's something Wish to say TO
you By way Of pEscaution. II you wers
Eagiieh ! wouldn't nesd 10 say II, bat
] have underwood that goa Amseicoq%
sxpsct fso0 TIE moulsnt u N sosass-
ment hist your Aance shall dsvots
himself exciustveiy 10 ycu. Our giris
know that any sttention we pay to any
one else doesn't mean anything apd
are not 10 exacting.r
at doesn't matter 10 mo how many
girls you devote yourself to-" replied.
provided you don't concentrate your
attentions upon one person"
That's Just the reason I'm going to
tell you about 1t. I'm going to show
considerable attention to an Individual.
Ny cousin. Roger Battefsea. has got
himself engaged to Lady Constance
Everard. q younger daughter Of the
Duke Of wilmington. Roger IL a
deuced fine fellow. but Lady Con-
stance. while she il Of good family, u
-well-will You keep . secretr'
Eyes: 20 on"
LADY Constance has a husband.
The world doesn't know It, but such II
the fact. She married suddenly. and
her father packed the fellow OF by
payment Of 10000. They're getting an
annulment or divorce OF something Of
the sort, and when It 10 obtained she
II going to marry Roger. His mother
II furious over It. She asked me II !
wouldn't try to persuade her son to
give up his infatuation. told her
that to interfere would be to get my
self disliked. Then she suggested that
1 prove to him bow unreliable Lady
Constance b BY winning her away
from him. told her couldn't do It
without your consent"
didn't like the arrangement at all
and said nothing for some time while
he awaited my reply. Presently l
gave Il:
"You arc free and with my consent
to devote yourself to any one you like
until we are married. After that 1
will mot divide you with any other wo-
man. have heard that marriages
here among the nobility arc usually
made for convenience instead of love
and that the wife II expected to stand
. great deal from the husband. II
other American girls care to put up
VIII tli1G SOEL VI Luiuk Suoy NIU WIZ
come to do 20. won't. You may tell
your aunt that you have my consent to
save her son from an unfortunate mar
rage. and ! confess think yonr plan
an excellent one"
spoken like sensible GIRL" said
my dance. "You American girls have
10 much snap to you! One of our Riris
would have whined and made fuss 8
: met both Roger Battersea and Lady
Constance Ia society and became &C
Quainted With both Of them. Batter
~ struck me a. man who would
not nsed to be saved from a misal-
aiance, and Lady Constance seemed to
Ae an ordinary woman Of fashion.
with no especial depth to her. but
Otherwise unobjectionable. But one
Doesn't gst 10 know persons by meet
ing them casually. and for some time