| Show my came is john smith pl ain i smith without change or addition of vowel and I 1 was in no way disc clate anted with it till I 1 fell in love with katie rogers katie had fever at it but older sister miranda bad more than once that it was neither ro cantio nor uncommon and her father in his somewhat lengthy discourses about the british aristo had an way of co I 1 aay in g apologetically at we every time he spoke ofa good name in our commercial smith was counte d name than and young smith th e rising cotton broker a more dist member of society than old brokers rokers ex captain of dragoons who could scarcely pay his thirty pound zent and never wore a decent hat I 1 quite agreed with my neighbors on those points till I 1 fell in love with katie and grew familiar with Mir andias sentiments senti menti about the ignorance of Philistine riverbank captain rogers was decender dec ended from Titz roger who came over with the conqueror and as I 1 listened reverently to the history of the family progress through eight centuries there was it total collapse of my once foolish pride in belonging to what a local paper called one of the oldest families in riverbank for riverbank was scarcely as old as my father having grown into a town with a speed rarely equalled equal led on this side of the atlantic in a general way I 1 did not under dalae myself but it was with a deep sense that I 1 employed emp lored the of Fitz roger to become my father in law we were alone to gather inthe dining room of the thirty pound house a shabby armchair I 1 standing on a at ill shabbier hearthrug harth rug He looked up at the battle roll of hastin 98 11 which hung over the and down at the fire kept by eco 12 miranda theo having apparently weighed the past glories of Fitz roger against the present price of coals he accepted my proposal with a magnificent sion of a king consenting force tain state reasons to bestow the band ofa royal prince v on an arpir ing subject 80 katie and I 1 were engaged und for a time I 1 was supremely happy I 1 was not quiet vain enough to hare my darlings opinion that 1 john Smith was better worth w or than all carlyles ile roes put together but I 1 was rather easly convinced that I 1 was far too fine a fellow to fear any rival so hen katie went on a visit to london there was no bitterness in mv regret for I 1 believed in her aad myself at first I 1 was not disturbed by mirandas boasts about the advant ages her sister was in the best society bat when the london isit extended for weeks and months v be YO nd iW origin il limit I 1 began t fee I 1 guely uneas a those day a katies letters gu gh loving were not long and she more thita once apologized for their brevity b 11 plead gitig a particular engage ment the nature of whick i abe never exy pla ined M sank my jealousy rose at last she came home and then I 1 noticed a change in her that seriously alarmed me she was pale and quieter and attires at times there was a wistful look in her eves estive of something on hi r mind ft could not be about her fathers pecuniary i airs because about t h at time be appeared d I 1 in a new hat and mirandas Mi randis kept better fires those ou and visible signs of prosperity pyo would have given me sincere pleasure if it had not been for the that 01 d rogers was more than ever disposed to take the norman aes ues t with me and for the certa anty tone mirandas sneers at people who could not count their grana fitchers fit were all for my benefit id that sort mean had katie been tempted a w f in me by a lover with i I 1 long pe aree i gro would rogers tell me some day like the father of romance that he had other views for his one evenings even called much later than usual having been delai ned by an important business matter in the neighboring city of shipley the outer door of the house was open and 1 in my usual way turned the handle of the vestibule vesti bul door and walked into the drawing room which appeared to b I 1 t I 1 was just going to ri ag the i fo the servant when I 1 heard a pleading little voice bed I 1 nd me oh I 1 sa jack dont do thad it was ti a voice of bob the youngest of katies many brothers and turning sharply around I 1 saw his seared little face peeping be tweed the curtains drawn across the bay window come here dear old jack be entreated and stay with me till a he aea past mat ithe I 1 asked as I 1 stepp ea behind the curtain to find bobs hitherto invisible form clad in a I own nig 1 albranas as he added in 1 whisper bob bad blue eyes and golden hair and in his white array he looked like in angle in a picture I 1 ri i atly guessed that he bad dece from the upper ebion that night on no angelic biasion mia sion 1 I thought she was safe up in the lumber room for the next half hou r he explained and I 1 got out of bed and was lipping down to the kitchen for a taste of the new jam I 1 knew it was my only ca ashes so beastly mean abut it when its in pots I 1 just got to the ball when I 1 beard her sneaking ane aking down stairs so I 1 ran in here in the dining room now and I 1 dont know whether ashes got n g up again or down to the kitchen 11 dont be a coward my boy I 1 OR id feeling it my duty to be moral of course miranda will scold you if he finds you but you must bear it like a man repeated boby with scorn in his subdued tones do you think id care if it was only that I 1 I 1 understood the full peril of the situation now miranda prided herself ou doing a mothers duty to the ana 1 I 1 that whatever ber bavil found to do she did it all ler and its just I 1 abt A caward I 1 dont ustia to robeet her went on bob evident I 1 y of the tradition ila of valdorf you ace jack I 1 could lilt back if she was a man itla ashe aint you know and ot courte no fellow who I 1 s a ever bits a woman I tobert murmured mur you are th of chivalry ob albut up jack and my small brother in law elect held a du grill ashes imming in I 1 peeped cautiously between tile heavy curtains and caught a ii in of mirandas lank form ad ay eye alie next moment she was but she sapped as katie ap feared at the door 11 catie she said ill berthin her thin sharp voice 1 I was I 1 think you might help ine to pot thelam smith may not be here tot and if he comee let him wait fo w loom I 1 can tell you my dear that your appear an cellas not improved since you took up with fitzherbert I 1 stood with freezing blood behind the curtains wondering what awful revelation was about to wreck m lifes ll 11 happiness in a lightning n yh imagination I 1 saw fitzherbert no doubt he was one odthe swells batio had don A military swell one handsome haughty guardsman guardsmen guards men I 1 bad read about in society novels miranda said katie dont you think I 1 ought to tell sack about fitzherbert no I 1 dont said Sl sharply 1 I dont see why the in teresta of our family are to be risk ed in a collision with the andow middle elites prejudices john smith I 1 katies voice sounded a little bearr when she s oko again know miranda you were horrified I 1 farat told you about miranda replied in a tone superiority 1 I was more open to conviction than you would find mr john smith we who have been root ed in english soil for eight cen naturally take larger views of life than mushrooms of yesterday be aidea your conduct in this affair is justified by the example and ampro val of women in the best soc bety what a world of whitened cheral I 1 had never loved miranda but I 1 had always respected her however skeptical I 1 might i have been about her personal ch arms I 1 had never doubted her principles miralda taught a class in the sunday deboo worked 3 d is irl c tn strict charity prini prin i pies and was decorated with 0 order of the blue ribbon Y here was this seemingly virtuous virtu Mir audit applauding her younger sisters falseness to a true over be cause it was the fashion of women in the beat society to trample on honest hearts 11 hate said katie and jack is so truthful himself that I 1 cant bear the idea ing him oh miranda dear I 1 was so happy when fitzherbert Fitz berbert made me the offer that I 1 never stopped to jack would think about it but now I 1 am so miserable that I 1 sometimes think I 1 must give up fitzherbert said miran da and selfish rubbish too I 1 wonder katie rogers how you can t alk in that way when you know how useful Fitz herberts abney is to your p father oh this was too awful katie not only false to me but actually so mean as to take money fr in her new lover I 1 could stand u it no longer I 1 wrenched myself from poor little bobs grasp and stood sternly facing the two girls miranda fled from the room katie stood white arid still pray do not give on my humble de count I 1 said scornfully do not let mr vulgar beju di ce in i favor of truth and tones t y interfere with the wider morality of the beat society marry fitzherbert t 0 morrow if you like and be its happy as you deserve to the chloi rushed back into kat iss face the light sparkled in ber she actually laughed T alesi n you very much jack she said but even with your kind permission I 1 cant marry fitcher beat the fact is and her blue danced fitzherbert Fitz berbert is married and dare to tell me I 1 cr aed in wild rage that you have not only accepted love but money from a married nian she looked straight into my face with her lauZ bing eyes fitzherbert is not a married man she said was neve r cod at guessing riddles 1 eft ily and as I 1 am not in a mood for them to ht I 1 give this one up if is married and if fitzherbert is not it married man what in heavens name is fitzherbert Fitz bErbert clear came the answer is the sweet gay voice fitzherbert ii a woman then with crushing conscious nees of having made a fool of myself I 1 listened humbly to kati little story fitzherbert is a we A end mil liner and was aunt claras maid before her marriage her name is not realla fitzherbert Fitz berbert but some thing quite ordinary like brown or smith oh I 1 beg your pardon jackl she was always fond of me and I 1 often amused myself looking through her maeday while I 1 was waiting for aunt clara who had gone to her dentist A busly old lady came into the shop and was very angry because none of the dew paris bonnets suited her she was one of the best customers and poor fitzherbert was in despair when she was leaving the shop in I 1 rag well jack I 1 have quite gedius for millinery ancestors was a and aunt clara says I 1 have his artistic eye for color and form an Y how I 1 always to kno w exactly what suits a face I 1 persuaded the old lady to sit down opla and with Fitzherbe res per ani fishon I 1 made a few alterations alre rations in one par nicular bonnet the rega it wall 0 becoming abat the old lady was arm J eda you 1 sic ii born colliner nOl liner my dear she raid why dw t you go an for that tort of thefil 1 it ia jill farbion among ili i t aunt clara exiled rr r r me presently an 1 I was quite fotr w with the new idea a inua talk with it was daei kal that I 1 should go to ato chop ei try day and quail fy fu r the of millinery side de ca n p I 1 became auita ito pill ar ich the customers the elder lyonA I 1 love old ladies find deli klit in gnavi 9 teem lovely and some of atheni threatened to beave unless I 1 undertook the arrangement bonnets and caps for the kertu of my S agle life offered we very li ber al pay for my em istance and I 1 was so glad to think of bel poor old daddy that at agot about you and your to marrying a young woman who worked for a shop but I 1 thought of this afterwards and was always fighting with my conscience abol u t telling you tile truth butaud eed 1 there tire anally ll iners i london anil oll jack dear I 1 see you don t mind so very much after sill the preci e nature of my conduct on this occa inn need not here be recorded the bridal wreath was a present from Filz berl e rt |
