The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-10-19

Lady R. Except onev' Who? who? Oh,
Claud do tell me!
c. That's better. Now you look awake.
Keep that expression. All, now you've lost
it again.
Lady r. You horrid man, tell me at once.
Who is it? Oh, Claud do tell me, please!
c. 1t is nothing. l spoke without think
ing.
Lady r. Then you meant what you said.
don't care for things which men say after
thinking. Then they deceive us, poor, SIM
pie women that we are!
G. Simple! There never was simple Wo-
man since Eve. The best women manage US
for our good-the worst for our ill. The
ends are different but the means the same.
Lady r. Was the one woman-the para
gon-was she not simple?
c. On my soul | think so. She was not
bent on sucCess-success in society. Yes,she
was simple.
Lady r. So is bread and butter.
G. And she was clever too. The innocence
| of a child and the wit of woman, with
sweet wholesome humor-not compound
of sham epigram and rude repartee.
Lady r, know,I know. A mans woman !!
mans woman With pet LAMB frsking
before her. and an adoring mastif at her
heels; child-like gaiety in her step ane frolic
Jun; gown of crisp, white muslin; an inno-
cent sash; the hair plain, quite plaiw; aud
the nose a little Redeemed by cold water. Oh,
how should like to see her!
G. You are not likely to be gratifed. She
is buried, as you would say, in the country.
Lady r. Do the Tyrrels never leave Lime
shire?
C. The Tyrrels! How do you know? Why
shond you think 1 was talking of them
Have they daughter?
Lady 4. Have they daughter! When
men try diplomacy how they oVerdo it. Have
they daughter Claud, Claud, how strange
that you should not know that the Tyrrels
havs daughter, when you spent a whole
Summer at the Tyrrels' place from the very
beginning of May to the very end of Septem-
Der, and the girl was at home during the
| whole OF your visit!
c. How do you know that?
Lady r. Do you think that there is one of
| your numerous lady friends who does not
know the history of all your love affairs2
| G. Perhaps you will favor me with this his
tory. 1t will probably be entirely new to me
Lady r. will try. But it is hard to re-
member in this hot weather. Now, attend.
The scene is laid at Lindehurst, an ancient
house in Limeshire. There dwell the living
representatives of the family of Tyrrel, older
| than the house; and thither came in early
| spring painter bent on sketchng-a sort Of
Lord of Burleigh-a Heinrich Heine-a man
| not too young, a-who was the man who had
seen many cities and things?
c. Odysseus. Ulysses.
Lady r. Aud who was the girl who played
| ball? The ingsnue?
G. That Nausicaa should be called an IN
g6nue!
Lady r. Ulysses, who had been in many
societies and seen all sorts of people, was
rather tired of it all, and growing little
snappsh and cross. So he sketched because
he had nothing better to do, and he looked at
Nauscaa for the same reason and so, by de-
grees he found himself soothed and refreshed
by the girls artlessness, or apparent artless-
| ness.
G. Apparent!
Lady r.. She was such contrast to the
weary women of the world. She was so in
| genuous,oh, so ingenious! When he went
to sketch, she went with him. as matter of
| course; and she showed him her favorite bits !;
and he made thousand pretty pictures of
cows and pigs and dandelions, and above all,
OF the old orchard full of apple trees. He de-
| veloped a passion for painting apple trees in
every stage, from blossom to fruit. And the
country seemed very countrfied, and the
| green refreshingly green, and the COWS nice
and milky, and the pigs unconventional, and
| the dandeions great deal finer than camel
lias, and everything lazy and industrious and
/
much pleased by the novelty.
g. A very pretty story. Pray 90 on.
Your expression is almost animated, and the
picture is coming little better
Lady 4. Then came the reaction.
Z. That's not so lively. Don't change if
you can help it..
Lady R. The novelty ceased to be nov
city. Old Tyrrel grew grumpy. Mamma
had always thought that the child might do
hnffQr o. I'M o,Io
then my lord Ulysses got disguised, and the
curtain fell, and so the idyl ended. There, I
| have told you how the country miss set her
rustic cap at the man of the world, and set it
in vain.
c. She was utterly incapable of setting
her cap at anybody.
Lady R. Who? Miss Lottie-Tottie-
ly-Milly-Whats-h
G.. Betty. Miss Tyrrel.
Lady r. Then have succeeded in recall
Ing her to your mind? The Tyrrels haze
daughter.
G. Go on, if it amuses you.
Lady IL. 1t does amuse me little. Now
it is for you to take up the story. WHY did
you go away and leave this Arcadia and Miss
Nausicaa?
C. Because I was afraid of loving her.
That is the truth, since you will know it.
And now let US drop it. 1t is as much a
talk of the present of you, Clara, if may.
Lady r. Things of the past are so seldom
past. The pyramids are about STILL 1 must
know why you were afraid of loving this girl
Q. What is the use of talking about that?
Lady r. It's as bad as suppressing the
third volume of ones novel. If you don't tell
me I shall go away.
G; Why should mind telling you? It's
tale of the dark ages long ago. Keep YOUR
head a litf1n 10 ho loff
Lady r. But want to look at YOU.
G. Deny yourself that pleasure if you can.
Thanks.
Lazy R. Well? Go on, do.
q. A nice fellow 1 was to win the love of
young girl.
Lady R. Why? You are not worse than
most men,.
G: Will you kindly keep your head turned
to the left? Thanks. There was girl with
all the world about her, sweet and bright and
young, and Woman's life before her with
promise of all good. There was I, man
who had outlived my illusions-who had
found the world dusty, chokingly dusty.
The apples were dust in my mouth, had
tried most things and failed in most things.
My art was of less importance than nv din
ner. l could still dine, though didn't eat
fruit in the evening. Bah! The apples
turned to dust between my teeth. Why
o''ootu Hun q youuS CltdLuTe3 lTeSu as
June rose, to dry stick?
Lady r. They train roses so sometimes.
G. Misleading metaphor! I came away.
It's all over, all well over, long ago. WHY
you insist on raking up this foolish matter 7
can't imagine. Yes can 1t is to turn the
conversation. You know quite well what I
wish to say to you, what have made up nv
mind to say to you. We have known each
other for long time, Clara; we heve always
been friends; we have both outliyed some
Illusions; think we should get on well
together. Clara, consult your own happiness
and mine. What do you think2
Lady r. May look round now?
Q. Do be serious. Don't be provoking.
Lady r. And do you think that two dry
sticks supporting each other is more engag-
ing spectacle than rose trained on prop?
c. Enough of tropes. desire plain
answer.
Lady R. Don't people strike sparks by
rubbing two sticks together?
G. What are you talking about?
Lady r. How the sparks would fly! I
suppose that 1 ought to be very grateful,
Claud. am not quite sure. It's not mag
nificpnt offer A hannupt of loot ;ll,,,;o.ss