The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-10-23

Tic OlnCS, I1stli.
81 can't; haven't a minute to stay. / just
came round to see if you could pay that little
bill"
"What bil?' =
@Why, your share of the supper at D-'s
and the ride afterward."
"Ohi yes-yes. Well, how much is it"
"Only "a tIifie--eiQht dollars"
Mr.. Wilde leisurely opened his pocket-book
and placed one or two bills in his companions
hand. 3b
"That's right, believe. seA very unpleasant
day. Good morning, Hail."
He ran briskly up the long flight of stairs,
two steps at time, while the shabby woman
who had just been standing outside the thresh-
hold during this colloquy, as if waiting for
somebody, came into the vestibule to escape
the driving rain.
"Giye US box of your very incest cigars
tip topl" bawled Jenny Stokes, the office boy,
diving into the tobacco store. "Quick our
boss is in hurry. Ten dollars? that amt
much for a good article. say-you might
give me one for myself always get Mr..
Wilde's cigars here"
"Take it, then, and along with yourself" said
the man Of smoke. @What can do for you,
mem? ?"
"A pennyworth of Scotch snuff that was
all the shabby woman in the faded brown
cloak wanted. But even through the dingy
veil her eyes sparkled; she must have been
very fond of Scotch snuff
The big bell of the City Hall was booming
the first stroke of twelve as Mr.. Wilde stood
once more in the yestibule preparing to open
his umbrella.
''Going to dinner, Martini" he asked, as
another legal luminaTy ratified down the
stairs.
@Well, 1 suppose it's about time to think of
such thing" returned MIR. Martin.
"They have some capital turtle soup round
the corner" said Wilde, "come round with me
and try it, viii you%
Mr.. Martin would certainly: he was not in
the habit of declining such invitations, and
the two set forth in high spirits; while close
behind them glided the woman in brownl
The waiter looked little surprised as the
shabby apparition crept in and took her seat
at one end of the long table where Eustace
Wilde and his friend, Mr.. Martin, snugly es-
tablished themselves; but walters in down
town restaurant soon cease to be surprised at
anything, and he brislly came forward to take
her order.
Soup O. tea, I1'm-yes, MN. Dry toast and
sandwich right off, nm"
Rather an abstemious meal compared with
the dainty fare in which her neighbors were
indulging-turtle soup, with fakes of unctu-
GUS green fat floating on the surface, roasted
woodcocEs, garnished with rich amber jelly,
a bottle of red claret to finish off with, and
bunch of Hamburger grapes, arranged with SUI
perb late peaches.
"Beg your pardon, m'm-you've got the
wrong check-this 'ere's yours p calculated
the waiter, as the woman in brown took up
the check stamped "$6."
She laid it quietly down again; she had dis
covered all she wanted, and moved cut of the
restaurant as noiselessly as she had entered.
sits very stranger said Eustace Wilde,
thoughtfully.
"What's strange ~ inquired his friend, de-
taching black purple berry from the bunch
of grapes on his plate.
"That woman who has just gone out in the
faded cloak-did you observe what a delicate
white hand she had?"
HShe didn't look like one of the white-hand-
ed kind, observed Martin, carelessly.
"No; and that's what.struck me as being SO
singular.
And with that Mr.. Wilde dismissed the sub
iect from his mind.
Meanwhile the little brown phantom sped
swiftly down the next street, futtered up the
long fight of marble stairs, and tapped softly
at the door of Eustace Wilde's snug office.
"Come in"
Jenny Stokes was sitting on the corner of
the table, cutting his, initials neatly on the
green morocco cover-an operation which he
called excepting Office" He looked up rather
disdainfully. n
"Is-Mr. Wilde in?" tssSf
"Gone to dinner said Jenny, laconically; /;
@be back in twenty minutes. Take care,
ma'am-your wet dress win spoil Mr.. Wilde's
new chair. Take the old one, if you please"
The s'old one" was handsome armchair
whose green leather cushions were scarcely de-
faced; the "new one' was superb affair of
black walnut and crimson reps, with a nova
bic desk attached to the arm
"Is that style of chair very EXPENSIVE pv
asked Maggie, meekly motioning her head to-
wards it.
"Guess it isl" returned Mr. Stokes, with
laughable pride. "Let me see; the bill's here
somewhere; it only came this morning. Oh.
here it is. Forty-fye dollars that 'ere chair
cost"
As the visitor made no comment. JENNY
applied himself once more to the curl OF the
S on the morocco table cover, secretly won,
dering what business that rusty female could
have with the fashionable lawyer, his master.
while the penetrating eyes under the veil took
in all the elegant little accessories of the luxu-
rant Office. ~
"Clickl clickl came pair of knuckies
against the door. She started like guilty
thing, but it was only haEgrown boy, the
very counterpart of Mr. James Stokes
Here's the books your boss ordered, and
the bill"
JUS you leave 'em,' said Jenny; Mr. Wilde
will send the money round this afternoon
How much?n
"Twelve dollars, and fifty cents.n
1t was handsome illustrated edition of a
popular author, but the visitor dared not lin
ger to look at it. Murmuring something about
calling again. she withdrew much to Jenny
Strokes, relief Nor was she too precipitate
in her movements; for as she turned into
Broadway her cloak brushed against Eustace
Wilde's broadcloth garments.
She hailed a passing stage with one finger
of the little white hand that was SO incongru-
Gus to her rusty dress and misshappen bon
net.
eQuite enough for one day." said the brown
phantom to herself, as she stood on tiptoe to
pay her fare. 'Ill have little settlement with
my lord tonight that shall astonish him-rath-
err
And she laughed till the dimples danced ov-
er her cheeks, all alone by herself in the stage,
and careless of drenched skirts and driving
rain. T @
She was sitting at her workable, the brown
aalr a shining like bands Of satin, and the neat
nsSre ,,s attTed in black silk dresse trimmed
thot ret sn5tering bugles, when Eustace came in
of IfdS a. lisnt. The table was set in the middle
naerI1, pom S" forming pretty picture with its
pe@lS ualnask and gilded china, and the urn
''Sas aTh;as ih1errliy 1ey on the tray.
W;,do .t, looEs Somfortable,"- said Eustace
.sl.,' wide throwing himself into an eas1 chair.
ITS dreary night outsideo ''' easy 'na'i
alsn ls lt2" r. said Maggie, innocentlv
said Will SIa you @ nayn't any idea hoac dreary.n
salu M,oe. That is one Of your feminine
advantages; we men are forced to LILLE
the worlI IN all weathers,e Da'sle Wit2
Mrs. Wilde took her seat at the tea-toh,o
without remark, but her lips twtebeS Sea-Iaole
at the corners. little
"Eustace," said she when her bushona -
lighted his evening cigar and was nu nS. Haa
up magazine, Il am ready for for yon n' 70 .ai1ng Ian
over my days housekeeping accounts y " iooA
NAh. very right said be annrov;,'rI,, a..