he discovery. Not that he was given such, to any
extreme, but then he was a society man, born and bred, with all of
society's pleasing little airs, which might have made him a society
fool, if he had not also possessed too much manhood and good common
sense. Between his handsome self, and it being known that he was "old
Congreve's heir," it's a never ending wonder that he wasn't spoiled; but
he had kept clear headed, and also clear hearted so far, and had come to
find out that there were but few women who were not susceptible to
flattery, and who would not drop into a harmless flirtation with little
invitation. Therefore, when Olive came, and never seemed to regard him
as any extraordinary being, he decided to make her; so after trying
indifference, equal to her own awhile, he was somewhat amazed to find
that his was feigned, and hers was too genuine to be complimentary;
after which he tried the attentive, which rarely fails to bring a girl
around, and was astonished beyond measure, to find that it was in vain.
To be sure, Olive accepted his flowers, sometimes wearing a bud or two
in her hair, and seemed to think it very kind in him to remember her in
that way. And she went riding day after day with him, with the most
hearty enjoyment, for did she not see the most magnificent scenery from
the mountain roads, round which they cantered in the lovely days? And
they frequently spent evenings together, when at her request he would
read aloud from books she might name, and then they would discuss them,
when he would find that hers was no ordinary school-girlish mind, that
could be bent according to another's ideas. And so, at last, he came to
feel a genuine desire to win some feeling from her, since she was
rousing so much in him; but the genuine desire seemed as vain as the
former idle one, for while Olive undoubtedly enjoyed his society, since
he assisted her in discovering the best sketching points, and was an
able conversationalist in what he had read and seen; there was nothing
beyond it, and she would have enjoyed the same, just as well, in any one
else. Most any girl but Olive, would have come to understand and
appreciate, the evident preference he at last professed for her society,
above that of the Staunton belles; and most any girl would have been
flattered by the attentions which now bore sincerity in their face; but
to Olive they seemed only courtesies paid to her as a guest, for which
she was grateful, and gave no