Show THAT ENGAGEMENT So Julia Nottingham is engaged at last s dd Mrs Whiteley Well Im sure Im very glad to hear it But she spoke in a tone which belied her word For somehow Julia Nottingham Not-tingham was not popular among the ladies of her acquaintan e Oh yes said Mrs Sibtborpe with asagaoious nod of the head I have it from the very best authority her own aunt Indeed said Mrs Whiteley A rich widower said Mrs Sib thorpe Fifty years old and bald On said Mrs Whiteley Theres no fool liKe an old fool Owns half a hotel on Broadway went on Mrs Sibthore eager to d s seminata the news and a block of tenement ten-ement houses on Sixth Avenue K ep t his otrn carriage and horses ana nas I bought an elegant country seat up the Hnason I Julie will queen it now said Mrs Whiteley almost enviously Mrs Whiteley be it understood was a widow not quite past the boundaries of youth and not at all averse to a second sec-ond marriage with some eligible parts And how about Clarence Egerton i Oh shes thrown him over of course ash Mrs Sibthorpe That was nothing but a flirtation dome people have all the luck sighed Mrs Whiteley And while her good fortune was the subject of popular gossipMiss Nottingham Notting-ham herself sat in her own room at home complacently surveying theset of solitaire pearls imbedded in blue velvet aid toe magnificent dead gold br celea which had just arrived with Mr rial potts card attached How superb1 said Mrs Nottingham Notting-ham a brisk little woman with gray curls and a auspiciously unchanging bloom on each cheek Oby s said Julia indifferently But I wish his name was anything but Ph lpotts obnktpere says Whats in a namearchly rejoined the M other Very likely said Miss Nottingham with a toss of her head but you see Bhakflpere wasnt a young lady just qbout to be married And she thought regretfully notwithstanding not-withstanding her caloused coquettish heart of poor Clarence Egerton who had ambrosial curls a profile like Adonis and a salary of nine hundred a year But she wen piling down to meet her middle aged dance that afternoon Myown Julia said Mr Philpotts beamingly dear Hiram sweetly answered Julia with a little swallow of the unromantic unro-mantic Christian name in her throat I have brought yon a bouquet for Mrs Poddingtona reception tonight said Mr Philpptts producing a miracle mir-acle of the florists art wrapped in as many silver papers as a mummy How kind of you love said Miss Nottingham I will call for you in the carriage at 9 precisely added Philpotts Im sure its very considerate dear smiled Julia And love bringing out of his pocket a heavy gold necklace from which hung a diamond set locket is a triflle which I hope you will oblige me by wearing tonight Julias eyes sparkled She was a miser at heart and gold and diamonds were very beautiful in her eyes It was worth whileshe reflected to marry man old enough to be her father for the sake of treasures such as these But when the carriage came that evening to convey her to Miss Podding tons ball it was empty and the servant handed her a note from Mr Philpotts He had an attack of his old enemy the rheumatism he wrote and found himself him-self reluctantly compelled to remain at homeAllthe Allthe better said Miss Julia to herself witha last glance at the mirror before she wrapped the white cashmere opera cloak about her shoulders and tripped lightly downstairs loan have a charming time with poor dear Clarence who is never at a loss for something to say and waltzes like an angel Miss Nottingham was not displeased with her own appearance in silver green silk halfhidden by clouds of sunny tulle and a set of emeralds which had been Mr Philpotts gifts Yes said she with a complacent little nod as her mother complimented her on her becoming dress its all well enough but just wait until I come out in black velvet and diamonds as a matron ma-tron 1 tronMiss Nottingham enjoyed herself that evening She waltzed to her hearts content flirted enough for three and finally disappeared in the green recesses of the conservatory with the straight nosed Clarence Egerton The Poddingtons had more money than they knew what to do with and they had expended a goodly portion of it in the decoration of the great arched palace of plate glass which opened out of the supperroom Banana trees waved their immense tropical fans over heahacacias brushed the roofpassion vines swung their purple cups on every side and a little grove of palms and olanders in the can ere inclosed a sparkliup fountain of cool spray which tinkled down among mossy rocks and into clusters ut pale green ferns like a forest waterfall Just within this enchanted nook a rustic rus-tic seat of twisted bamboo afforded an excellent corner for flirtation and of course Miss Julia Nottingham and her rejected swain found their way to it in short order Now dont be ridiculous Clare said Julia Let go my hand But you shall answer me first persisted per-sisted Clarence You shall tell me whether you really love this old moneymaking money-making machine youre going to marry on the 19th of next month Of course I dont love him I And you do love mt Well yes I doif that will be any satisfaction to you Then Julia it is me von should wed cred out the young man Now you are getting silly again said Julia imperiously withdrawing the hand which Mr Egerton had contrived con-trived to keep captive until then When you know very well that your income would hardly keep me in gloves and slippers Julia It Is as well to be honest about it said Miss Nottingham I do like you the bestand I shall appoint you my chevalier in chief when 1 am married to carry my fan and bouquets you know and take me out to morning concerts con-certs and matinees when my husband is at the bank But old Philpotts is rich and thats why I am marring him Of course I dont love himwho could be expected to love baldheaded ii < 2wva i i iL u IoU I fogy like that But I dare say I shall wake a very good sort of a wife and ne cant live forever you know so wnen I am a rich widow I can marry to suit myself Dont I bag of you wait for that I cripd out a hoarse voice half choked with rage and to Miss Nottinghams great dismay and surprise Mr Phil potts himself stumbled over a hedge of whiteblossomed gardenias into the fountainsparkling nook Im a bald heat ed old foggy am I Im a mere moneymaking machine Miss Notting ham I couldt have credited this if 1 1 hndt heard it with my own ears Perhaps yon uiay one day be a rich Vidow Mils Nottingham but you wont be mine I beg to release you from your engagement I And Mr Pnilpotts stalked out of the fairy bower overturning two or three lemon trees in tubs on his way And Miss Nottingham sat looking after him with clasped hands and a face as pale as ashes and Clarence Egerton puled hard at his mustache Upon my word said he secretly enjoying the discomfiture of the young lauy who had so coolly thrown him over but a fell weeks since This is what one would call a pretty kettle offish of-fish The old chap must have heard every word It was quite true Mr Philpotts finding himself be ter as the hour for the reception approached had resolved to give Miss Nottingham an agreeable surprise He dressed himself and came to Mrs Pd nnpioifs a little late to be sure but yet in t lerably good time Hearine from some one tHat Miss Nottingham Not-tingham find yoi < mo hj coisrvi I tory he inn > ei i > fo lowe t her thither and heard wutu the reader ulr < ufly knows And this is a true version of the broken eneagemnt that set all the fashionable word wondering that season sea-son Miss Nottinghams wedding dress was never worn and sbe is still on the outlook out-look for a successor to the rich old fogy the she did not 11 aryNew York News |