A Final Triumph; or, A Lady Bachelor — page 116: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A114 A LADY BACHELO. fit was late when the young man was permitted by one “Of ‘‘ we girls’? to retire. He had started for his room, — when a hand was laid on his shoulder. He turned and faced the lady who was his hostess, and who had invited him down to the ball. “* I have been waiting for you.”? ‘You are very kind; had I known you were waiting, 1 should have deserted even the delightful company I was in to come to you.”’ ** Oh, yes; you were out on the piazza with one of ‘ we girls)’ ”’ There was a tone of sarcasm in the lady’s voice. | “* She is a lovely girl, aunt.’’ *“*Ts she? Well, it was not lovely in her to keep you out there, at the risk of an attack of pneumonia. But how is it you deserted Miss Studevant?’’ ‘* Dear me! aunt, it was real-mean of you to foist that old maid on me. You are so good-hearted, 1 know, but upon this occasion you should not have been so at my ex- pense. Why didn’t you secure that lovely Miss —— for me? I know she would have been delighted if she had known I was coming.” The aunt seized her nephew, led him into a side parlor, and pushing him into a chair, took a seat opposite to him, her eyes fairly blazing as she said: ‘*T am ashamed of you!’’ ‘* Ashamed of me?’? ‘* Yes, ashamed of you; to think that you could have been fooled by that divorced vixen who has filled your ears with her spiteful slander! How can men be such ninnies? EOPMICLOOOKS (E@)