A Social Meteor — page 134: what you’re looking at

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

124 A SOCIAL METEOR. One story, however, which was generally lis- tened to with interest, was to the effect-that he ‘owned a tiny country-seat, just outside of New York, which he yearly filled with gay companions, whom he entertained splendidly for the length of time he staid with them. Games of chance of all kinds were indulged in, and huge sums of money lost and won. But if this was true, he took his losses or winning with wonderful equa- nimity, for his countenance when he came back was as unruffled as when he went away. Another was to the effect that early in life he had fallen in love, and had been jilted by his fair inamorata for a coal king twice her age, and of a reclusive disposition. Nine months of the year, according to the gossips, she was obliged to vegetate in the wilds of Pennsylvania, miles away from any town, to suit her husband’s notions. But the other three she had her way, and settled for that length of time in a beautiful house on the Hudson. It was said that Peter, who took the vow of celibacy after his rejection, was always so affected by the sight of her, even after the cruel years had tobbed her of her beauty, which had cast a spell over him at first, that he went away as soon as GEomicboo <S (E(@)