Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-11-26
EVENING STAR.
4 Romance Of SOuth-kensingtoB.

90 There's not much else 20 be dcne,' said
Bserton. 4" Ever since this big BIT OF money lei
IN. don't feel the least cit OF interest IN the
profession. dOn'l object 10 anything new and
scientific but surgery and physie considered In
the light Of professional matters are simply an
- r. MAT on earth has put that notion into
,ouT head, Frank? You're much too good
fellow 10 be eXtinguished under a cloud OF
81 don't know" said Frank, dreamily. 81
.uupose II IS as LOcksley Hall says, " In the
,pTing young mans fancy lightly turns the
thoughts or love" Yesterday was the first day
ef.tring. The sky was as blue as in june
Thai fellow, LOcksley Hall, Is only an idiot, -
,zidthe matter-Of-faet Mr.. Davenport.
You're only al idiot yourself, Davenport"
aid Frank. "Locksley Hall isn't man bat
poem
you'Te gong TO spoil yourself Tor all the purpO-
sss Of good society and 60 moaning about after
pettcOat-"
davenport and Egerton had been FELLOWSHIP
dents al Guys, Davenport being some years the
SENIOR man. Davenport was hard-headed,
acute, industrious, did himself great credit, and
was now LAYING the foundations OF an extensive
practice. / am afraid Egertou was rather an
example OF the Idle Apprentice. Langnid, ele-
giant, handsome, he had not much appreciation
Of hard work. lie dabbled a little in medicine,
but only as he dabbledIn music, painting, and
private theatrieals- But he was kind hearted
man, highly Intelligent. and of wide, generous
culture, but like the gorgeous lilies, he did not
to toll OF spin. And his lucky stars seemed
TO be very much OF the same opinion, for a rather
dis tant relative, in quite a prOmIcuOus way
left him fortune Of twenty tho usand pounds
lie had now very handsome roo ms in South
kensington. where he had as fine a collection o
wateT-cOlor paintings and the more expensive
kinds Of photographs as could be desired, and
come fine gems. Mr.. Davenport was leaning
back in one OF the cosy arm-chaIrs. having
dropped in for cigar and a chat on his way
home from seeing some patients.
"Any young woman in particular, Frank?"
asked Davenport
why. there is, and there isn't" SAID Frank.
trc nxll lafarT aaIl
fen IN love with girl AT first sight. 10 was at
the opera that IL came on lots OF this kind of
hing come on at the Upsra, IL was at the set
autumn. | had been 20 see my fsvorlte opera
- II Fl2utO MagicO," some Of the finest music
that Mozart eveTcomposed. I started about,
like the rest Of the people, between the acts,
and on my right in the box Immediately above
me, was one OF the lOveliest girls that had ever
seen. IL 20 happened that / presently came
cutie close TO her in the crush-room. Her party
came 70 sit at a little table close TO the sofa
when 1 was doing Maraschino and soda. as
sure you that 70 watch the girl move across the
TOem was poetry in itself. Such deep eyes, such
fneiy-cut iiP- you never saw, aud as for hair the
wen take the hair and ewes FOR granted
said hr. Davenport. Did you lind anything
a" Not bit" he said; "but by the luekiest
chance in the world she dropped her handker-
chief. 10 ought TO have been bit of opera itself
instead OF mere affair in the crush-room. She
noticed the loss almost soon as did, but
nothing can rob me OF the consolation that I
certainly handed it 70 her, and received one of
the most gracious smiles that ever beheld in
my life It did for me completely. 1 went
down, bayoneted by glance. When saw them
leave their box, made my way into the lobby
where presently saw them waiting for a car
rage. Some name was called, and to nv
misery, I could not distinguish what the name
was. But ran out into the portico after IL
nearly run over the next carriage aud almost
hard work 10 keep the carriage in sight until
could hail a hanson and tell the driver TO fol-
low that particular carriage. Did you ever
follow grl in that way, Davenport"
Cant say ever made such an ass OF nv
self, hitherto, old fellow, ;" said Mr.. Davenport;
but We none OF US know what We may come
Then let me tell you, it's a very queer thing
70 be following person in that fashion. As
Victor Hugo, who seems to know a deal about
the subject, says, You are altogether for a
time suTrendeTing to a stranger your liberty
and your Individuality" To my great satisfac-
ton the hanson proceeded in the South-Ken
singtOnzdirection. It would not have been
pleasant TO have been landed on the other side
OF Regents Park. IL passed nv very door.
carriages coming or going from curious old
countess ?, Who always give parties In the dead
season OF the year We must have lost the clue,
for nv hanson stopped when the brougham
stopped, was brought face 20 face with a mot
ley-faced old gentleman with a knobby nose
swell mob"
And you have never seen her again?''
Never; but quite fell in love with the little
marry me, that's very much the sort OF thing
hat should feel inclined TO do with her. / am
essentially an animal constructed for the pur-
poses OF dOmesticity, Newfoundland dog man,
and that sort OF thing. Club life is an Organized
sort Of selfshneSs; that is all. One is even tired
OF travel. one knows what there is to expect,
and it's not so much after all. So, by an ex-
haustive process OF reasoning, we fall back on
the blessed and comfortable estate"
'' IL all depends whether it really is blessed
and comfortable, old fellow, because it's quite
possible that IL may turn out quite the other
way. They say that marriage is lottery, but
eyJove. most people make II up as John Leech's
win and may lose ever 20 much"
What do YOU think Of NV little AFFAIR."
Very badly. Its romantic. Most roma ntIc
Affairs turn out badly. I've very low opinion
al them"
al thought, old fellow, that You would have
taken more friendly and generous view Of
aIdon't take an unfriendly view. Egerton
don't even say with Mr.. IennySOn's new style
of"NOrthern Farmer" " Proputty-prOputty-
proputty." But 1 speak as a man who has
watched life, and who has watched it under a
scientific point OF view
What DO YOU mean by that last ObSeryatiOn2''
why mean that there are a lot of points
which scientific, or even a sensible man will
consider before he commits himself, aud which
man IN love never thinks of doing. In the tr.t
place there Is the pAsSi4ae. Look well at her
teeth-a most important matter; good teeth are
becoming quite scarce in the market You rave
about eyes and hair; teeth are just as important
Then Is the girl really educated? Beneath
smattering OF accomplishments il is very hard
10 Ind out whether there Is any real training or
real knowledge. Then as for disposition, Won
may have a. soft spoken lass as YOU like and
IN lev months she may prove a thorough
vixen, and develop capacity tor abusive IAN
guage Tor which the vernacular English is only
a feeble instrument. Even ii she don't use had
language, she may still use her words a. 4 use
my lancets Then, perhaps, she has 20: some
radical inherent yice-drinks, lies, pads psints
There Is nothing you can't believe of the ssgirI
OF the period" Them she may inherit a Bad
constitution from some rascalIy ancestor; aud IN
you nave nav IN your own what's to become
OF The ehildTen?--Scrofula,c consumption mad
ness" @
o. You internal Old beast TO talk that uay,''
That's just II. You have no pure spirit Of
science about you, a mere empIric. In these
Gays OF deterioration we should all 20 TO the bad
n II were not for the happy tendency of nature
always 10 revert 10 the original pure type But
We finished my bit OF smoke, and must stroll
nave half mind to go into the Southern
siuseum; u Is not often that ind nv
do" Soi' VI unns 10
Yes but nothing pays so well at q small
evening party. South kensington r.neraiIv
Z a Srz- rrhf