The Argosy — page 150: what you’re looking at

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

“Fohn Smith, Fumor.” | [33 ence, or anything of that kind, she would be most happy to lend i A hot, indignant blush burned the girl’s cheek as she read; her very fingers tingled for revenge! And then her better self came to her aid and she laughed aloud. ‘“ Poor Alicia !—if she had only heard her brother’s proposal that day!” And so was born that fresh article of her new faith: “‘ Intense vulgarity may be found beneath the most perfect veneer of polish and cultivation.” Mr. and Mrs. Smith quickly became very fond of Frances, and both did their utmost to spoil her; the mother, because she wanted to win the girl’s love for her son’s sake, and the father, because few men are unsusceptible to the charm of beauty added to gentleness and refinement. She brightened their home with her youth and sweetness, and soon let the influence of her artistic touch and good taste be felt upon their gorgeous surroundings. Mrs. Smith spoke constantly of her charming new companion in her letters to her son, but carefully refrained from mentioning the young lady’s name. Frances was happy now ; she tried to leave the future to the wisdom of Providence, and meanwhile strove with all her might to do and be all that she knew the man she loved would have wished to find her. She felt sure that a day would come when she would be able to ask his pardon for those unlucky words. How her face burned at the bare recollection of that scene! There could be no vulgarity more flagrant than she had exhibited in the pride of her own good breeding! Had he recognised this innate vulgarity in her as she had done in Alicia Fitzhardy; and if so, must not that love have been slain for ever? Here was the sharpest thorn in that soft nest in which she now found herself. Alas! she had learned too late the important lesson, that refinement and cultivation are only worthy of reverence when they are the outward tokens of innate qualities! Mr. Smith, like his wife, was never happier than when talking about his boy, and Frances loved to draw him out on this subject whenever the occasion offered. He, knowing nothing of the reason which purposely kept his wife from bringing the young man’s name up before Frances, quickly became very communicative. From him Frances learnt the history of Jack’s childhood, the ailments of his babyhood, the hopes the old man had for his future, and even the name of that big sum he would place.to his boy’s credit when he made up his mind to marry and settle down, or when “ Smith and Trewson” should be converted into a “ Limited Liability Company.” From Mr. Smith she also learned what the life of a successful business man must be: the energy, the enterprise, the unceasing toil, the un- flagging patience that were necessary ; and she could not but admire him for what he had achieved. It was “all for Jack,” he said; he was a plain man himself, not likely to cut much of a figure anywhere but show him the young fellow in any society who was likely to beat COMICcooOolKS.Ec© am