The Argosy — page 352: what you’re looking at

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

The Lovely Widow. 331 “Oh!” said Jennie, and her pretty mouth twitched roguishly. <‘So that’s why you did not go hunting this morning ?” ‘Stuff, Jennie,” said Archie, rising impatiently ; “it’s nothing to me. Only as there zs a sort of connection with our family ‘ “Oh, but there’s a much nearer connection with old Mrs. Todd and her two fat daughters—you never asked me to invite them /” cried Jennie, provokingly. “Very well—/ don’t care,” said Archie shrugging his shoulders. “Only I thought you might oblige me, as I’ve met Mrs. Grant and mentioned you to her.” “ All right, Archie,” said Jennie, laughing, “‘it shall be done.” She seated herself at the writing-table, obtained particulars, wrote a pretty note, and was rewarded by a brotherly embrace. A few days later a young Oxford student, who was idling a few days at Lovell Park, tumbled headlong into the billiard-room with a face full of news. It was the hour before dressing for dinner. “The carriage has just come from the station, and there’s the loveliest girl in it you ever saw!” “That you ever saw, you mean, Neal!” responded Major Dale, calmly continuing his game; “for how can you tell what lovely girls Z may have seen ?” “Oh, you never think anyone pretty !” said the youth impatiently ; “but anyone else would call this girl a beauty. Who is she, Captain Melville 2” ‘“T must see her before answering,” said Archie, lighting a fresh cigar. ‘I didn’t know any girls were expected.” The fever of youth could not be calmed, and Tom Neal ran off to where some of the ladies were assembled—but not the new arrival. There, however, he learnt that the stranger was a widow, a Mrs. Grant, and darted back to the billiard-room to tell his success. ‘Oh, our cousin, Mrs. Grant,” said Archie, trying to look uncon- scious, but missing a good stroke with the effort. “Man! you’ve lost it!” cried Major Dale, disappointedly. “I wish, Neal, you’d admire your girls and widows without spoiling a good game.” And just then the dressing-bell sounded, and all wan- dered away to attire for the comforts of the evening. In a corridor Archie met his sister coming from her guest’s room. “Archie, she’s lovely! I don’t wonder you wanted to see her again !” ‘Nonsense, Jennie!” But he looked pleased, nevertheless. When Mrs. Edward Grant came down to dinner she created a sensation. ‘The extreme childish innocence of her great beauty made its chief attraction. A soft white tulle edition of a widow’s cap lay lightly on the silken rings of bright gold hair which curled and twisted round her pretty head, and the picture attained was that of a lovely child who was playing at widowhood! Everyone was struck with her, and the young Oxonian was triumphant. COMM ) VHOO|KS,CO im