Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-12-04

Sue flllhafn Is peasant district 10 visit in a
steamlaunch. whether to lunch on slOpng
garden lawns, fun of the scent of roses aud
pinks. Mrs. Twilles invited her guest TO din
ner on the following Thursday to meet Mr..
IWliles; he on his side invited friend who
was in the habit of giving him boxes for the
play ada had mentioned that she delighted in
theaiers. land begged permission TO send box
promised him for the Gaiety on Tuesday.
When man of thirty has never been seri-
Dusty In love, the first attack of the tender
passion Is likely to be very sudden and Sc
we're one. Sir Charles Aylmer had no idea that
he was in love with Ada. but he thought of her
all that night and the following day. and grew
dismal lest she should learn that he had frit-
tered away his money on horses legs and
should think meanly of him for his folly.
On the Tuesday he went into the city on
business with his stockbroker, and having
torn one OF his gloves In alighting from his
hanson, turned into shop near the Exchange
To buy new pair. His amaZement may be
conceived, when behind the counter he saw
Ada and her mother quietly selling shirt col
lars TO brace of merchants clerks. Over the
glass behind them were the abOminable
IWilles, Hosier." in staring gilt letters.
Mrs. IwllleS turned scarlet, Ada grew pink.
and looked sorry that Sir Charles should APP
pear so stupefed. He recovered himself. how
ever. laughed at the unexpected meeting
bought his pair of gloves, and reminded Ada
that he hoped to meet her at the Gaiety that
evening 1.-THE box had been sent to Fulham over
night, walked out more foolish than he had
ever felt in seeing book makers button their
pockets over thousands of his money. He
bad not gone a dozen steps down Cornhll be
fore he heard bTeathleSs voice behind him.
"Hf.,' and he was accosted by plump little
man with pepper and salt whiskers and shiny
blue eyes, who thrusting cool, dry hand into
his, said: Sir Charles, am Mr.. TwilleS, and
delighted to see you. You dined at my house
on Sunday, and I'm sorry | wasn't there.
What do you say to a chop in the restaurant
across the way? Come along, want TO have
Mr.. Twilles strobe rather than walked. His
hands fidgetted with thick gold watchguard,
as II ne were in tantrums about the time and
he darted across the road among the Omni
buses and cabs as though he much preferred
the risk of being knocked down and run over
to that of losing an instant. Aylmer followed
him, bewildered, and wondering whittier this
would tend. Expectations were of no use,
for the nimble hOSier had preceded him. He
darted up the stairs of the restaurant. caught
up the menOO. as he called it, ordered a lunch
con which proved his cOgniZance of the science
OF eating, and included bottle of sparkling
hook. well iced then, as soon as his halfreluct-
on the cuff and said
Now. Sir Charles just listen: do you think
my daughter Ada is selling gloves in that shop
because she couldn't afford to ride in her ear
riage with the best of 'em? Let me tell you
Ada will have ten thousand year the day she
marrieS."
Il am very glad to hear it-for her sake"
rejOined the barOnet, with well-bred cOmpo-
sure.
My name is Twilles in Cornhill,'' resumed
the hOsier, buttering slice of his roll. and
gers in PiccadiIly, where I sell Belgian lace.
and ChucklebOrOugh in Burlington Arcade,
where deal 81 in birmingham B jewelry. | keep
stalls in Billingsgate, and wine vault in the
London Dock. What do you say to that?''
You are lucky man, Mir. Twilles," re-
piled Sir Charles in establishment.
So am. replied the commercial pluralist,
lifting a prawn from cut. glass saucerful of
ice and crushing it. But I've not told you
Purgative Bath Buns. I've three smacks en-
plOyed in the Pichare Fishery. and turn out
boxes OF sardines as good as those the French
thou Of Standing GDp N sen
Russia last harvest, and have got a contract
for supplying the MOntenegrin Army with
aod siTeS crnSs fbPHg Seh amen e l S IeSS SIM
POpery, because l rugged out 80 pilgrim
monks with my patent mOnaStic ulster at two
guineas a head. or 80 shillings for those who
have hair Innings. because they are doing pc
nance. I've license for music and dancing
al public house of mine i'm Holloway. and I'm
at the head of the Terra de los Fiveros Emf
grafton Agency, bagging 30 ShilingS apiece for
every emigrant who likes to go and take his
chances out there against the sun, the snakes
and the mosquitoes"
See what it is to have several strings to
ones bow" smiled Aylmer, who, not being de
void OF humOr, was growing amused.
Several strings: You call it. think could
count hundred of EN- il tried replied Mr..
TwilleS. rapping his knife on the table to ac-
celerate the walters arrival with dish of cut
lets: where there's money to be made l
make-just mind that I'm the owner of a
proprietary club: I've opened meeting house
for the Salisbury Plain Shakers-admissiOn
siXpenee. I've inaugurated three ranks, in
vented new game of tennis, which people
can play on their hOusetOps when they haven't
garden, and manufactured the new Tour
lists Boot with knife, fork and spoon in
one. a tooth brush and comb i'm the other and
looking glass inside both soles, which are hol-
low. Then I'm going to send MeSSsrs. Biggar
and Parnell about the country to give course
OF lectures on Parliamentary tactics, and l
have started a new magazine, to which Mr..
Gladstone will contribute an article next
month"
Enough, enough broke i'm the baronet.
laughing, for the outlet had now been served
. see you are a universal benefactOr, Mr.
Twilles-but what can do for your
nv by marrying
ing outlet. Sir Charles gave a slight start at
this unceremOniOus proposal; but Mr. Twiles,
whose mouth was full, waved his hand to
Sir Charles, can talk and eat at the same
time. My daughter was mighty struck with
you the other day, and her mother says you
make mistakes about those things. Now, I
watched you to-day when you came i'm our
shop. and saw you vince, Though you didn't
ing the. petty cash. Why did you wince?-
Cause Ada was selling gloves? But she does
that cause choose her to be useful instead of
married. she wouldn't sell gloves, you see and
I'D rub out the name of Twilles over the door,
which only keep there because COrnhil shop
was the first place where set up i'm business.
As to education, Ada has been brought up like
n princess and 'ud make you a good wife.
whilst her money would just come in nice and
handy to set you on your legs again, pecOOn-
iarly speaking.
"WhO told you that was off my legs. Mr..
Twilles?' asked Sir Charles Aylmer, arching
his brows with more good humOr than resent
ment i'm his tone.
YOU'RE ruined like Pompei. Sir Charles:
but that's no great matter, for if some didn't
get ruined others wouldn't get rich," said MIR.
Twiles. smacking his palate with his tongue to
try the hook why, LOr' bless YOU" added
he, there isn't a lord or barOnet whose money
matters don't know something of. I've even
got some Ofy your papers i'm my hands, and, with
all my respect Idexchange it for Baring's any
day. II i offer you my daughter its because /
think you and she would make neat pair and
because Mrs. Twilles, YOU know, would be
mighty pleased to hear Ada called your lady
ship but, of course, 1 don't expect your an
swer to-day. Take time to think about it, and.
meanwhile, see as much of Ada as you like.
II I've seized the matrimonial bull by the
horns in this summary fashion, it's merely be-
cause knew that you'd take fright and leave
a hOSier'S child.'