Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-07-03
rur WORST MATCH OF THE SEA-
son.
BY EDGAR FAwCETT.
IN HIS VOICE.

I.
IN HIS VOICE.
IT is certainly very nice of Mrs. Heath.
And by the way, was prepared for the
fat reverse of benevolence from her hands.
believed when took the trouble to be-
iieye at all on this subjecO that she mildly
ioathed me. thought she had never for
rotten a certain event or two connected
1Tith the past-the dear irrevocable days
when hadn't lost my money and stood
forth the crown and flower of marriageable
New York bachelorhood; when, also, she
was poor little Fanny Chichester, and no
coming millionaire, like Archibald Heath,
ESQ. had as yet cast his shadow before.
doubtless behaved with more or less
yillainy then; it certainly is mean spirited
to trifle away girls time under such cir
cumstances-t that is money to the
sweet industrious creature. 1t is just like
nutting ones hand in ones pocket while
4 pathetic looking mendicant stands by,
and then Withdrawing the hand empty, to
the mendicant's painful amazement.
But most surely all satire is ill-timed
which / may presume to level against
Mrs. Archibald Heath. We have changed
nlaces. she and l, since those departed
days. Her end of the seesaw has gone
maiestically up, mine disheartingly down.
Doubtless ought to feel grateful enough
for being asked here to this lovely Laurel
wood by a lady whose invitations are often
groyelled for and then not gotten; and
perhaps if l belonged among the scram-
blers and the elbowers, my exquisite
triumph would be like receiving new
sense.
Well, as it is, 1 am grateful exceeding
". A nature that can forget an injury, or
rather remember it well enough to return
it with kindness, comes nearer to that
human state which merits canonization
than in any other instance l can hit upon.
This seems to be precisely the case with
Mrs. Heath. am asked to Laurelwood,
and among the three other people
who are asked contemporaneOusly
there is certain Miss Lillian Martel, a
relative of Mrs. Heath's husband.
This evening, after I have been having
a rather endmable talk with the girl, and
have been larguidly making up my mind
to like her aslong as am here "a lapse of
time whose Duration yet remains among
the futures mysteries), what should oc-
cur but sort of little private interview
with my hostess?
"How do you like herr" Mrs. Heath
wants to know, lingering spray OF moon
lit honcysudkle as we stand together on
the spacious piazza, this peerless, placid
colored July night.
| am in asort of absent mood, and don't
answer at all precipitately. A little in
sidious Moonlight has pushed itself
through the dense honeysuckles, and is
tinging my companions large, full-mould-
ed arm till the firm clear flesh looks like
sculptured pearl. / am thinking how
once, in an impassioned youthful moment,
my lips-well well; the arm is a finer
physical specimen now than it was then.
allow do [ like herr" l repeat lazily.
"Her? You mean Miss Martel?"
"Of couSe' with dash ofimpatience)
ooh, certainly" while I am waking
myself up. very much; that is, she
talks ratler nicely, l think. We dis
cussed crdquet mostly"
"You must have exhausted the topic"
states Mrs Heath with light laugh,
considering how long you were together.
Don't you think her pretty?"
"She has nice hair; so bright and wavy.
point aIwlys to ignore whatever dimly
resem blesthe back of woman's head; it
is usually such stronghold of deceit, not
to say extravaganza"
"What sweetly amiable idea! Do you
know you're getting to be terrific cynic
now that dividing her sentence with
saucy laugh) "you've lost your property?
If l buy !ou nice tub, will you promise
me occasionally to sit in it? But about
Lily Marel. Do you think her clever?
Archie says she is, and Archie knows,
you know"
"Does he? l suppose that if John
Stuart Mill talked croquet with Carlyle,
there wouldn't be much resultant bril-
liancy in conversational way"
(Which means that Miss Martel didn't
interes, you. l am sorry to hear it. She
has been out so little, and wanted her TO
have asuccess next year, ifpossible. A
real success, l mean; not a mere stupid
bellesiip founded on the fact OF her
money"
l papetrate an effete cough. People
are apt to use cough as an ambuscade
for stme sudden amazement. "Her
money?" I presently repeat, enough on
my guard again to attempt little hypo-
critical unconcern 81 didn't know about
it,"
Mrs Heath raises astonished eyebrows.
"You haven't heard? You don't tell me |!
l thought nearly everybody knew"
(Mor. dainty communication with the
hone5suckle.) ooh, yes; very rich in
deed Got it from her grandmother BY
the way" (sweeping my face for second
with keen eyesl "these tidings are not GO
ing to dam the current OF your future
civilfy, | trust Some men are so NOR
bidly afraid of being thought fortune
hunters And ifyou're not just as pleas
ant 10 Lily henceforth as you have pre-
viously been, shall feel that have done
herauite a serious injury by throwing
youths little apple Of knowledge"
After that our interview is more or less
concluded That woman has grown to be
the very sultana of diplomatists. Could
ANYTHING have been more delicately put?
Thu blow to my dignity and the balsamic
salve of healing were offered simultane-
ously. In those few strong words, too,
she forgave me for all the past-she who
can so well afford to forgive now! Her
benign finger has pointed for me path
to prosperity. So many finger, similar
" circumstanced, would have withered in
its socket rather than perform any such
piece of digital benevolence. Bless her!
= ~. II <fo N (roc