Page:A strange, sad comedy (IA strangesadcomedy00seawiala).pdf/51

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A STRANGE, SAD COMEDY
39

lightful to her, and she confided so much to Farebrother.

"You see," she complained, confidentially, "down in Virginia we spend all we have on the luxuries of life, and then we have to do without the necessaries."

"I see," answered Farebrother, "but then you 've been acknowledged as a cousin by an English baronet. Think of that, and it will sustain you, and make you patient under your trials more than all the consolation of religion."

"I'll try to," answered Letty, demurely.

"And he is a first-rate fellow, too," continued Farebrother, who could be magnanimous. "I made up to him at the club before I knew who he was—"

"Oh, nonsense. You knew he was a baronet."

"I'll swear I didn't. Presently, though, it leaked out that he was what the newspapers call a titled person. We were talking about some red wine that a villain of a steward was trying to palm off on us, and Sir Archy gave his opinion, which was simply rubbish. I told him so in parliamentary language, and when he wanted to argue the point, I gently re-