The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1881-11-05
AN AGREEABLE SURPRISE.

AN AGREEABLE SURPRISE
On the Sd of September, to her infinite chagrin,
Mrs. BOyne finds herself in London. 1t happens
in this wise: For the last month she has been
paying a series of visits. On the 31st OF August
she was due at a delightful house with an IN
credible number of "'s" in Wales. On the 3oth
she received telegram announcing that heI IN
tending hostess was attacked with a mild form
of scarlatina. Mild or severe, the result to the
guests was the same-the party was put off.
Now This. of all others, was the reunion from
which Mrs. Boyne mad anticipated the most
pleasure. 1t was a charming house; one was
ALWAYS amused there-always met the right
people-and the fair lady of whom | write has
looked forward to meeting one person who is
even more right than all the rest Not that there
is what is euphemistically called any charm" in
her; if she is a little talked about sometimes,
what woman with a vestige of good looks is not?
She is quite discreet and perfectly well able to
take care of herself. She is handsome young
woman Of twentysix; men like and admire her
extremely; it pleases her to be liked and adj
mired especially by the person before alluded to.
Her husband is at AK; he was to have joined
her On the 9TH in Wales, so she would have had
a weeks start. Now her anticipations and her
realities are ruthlessy dispelled; everything has
gone wrong; everything is wretched, miserable,
disappointment in the eyes of poor Mrs.
BOyne, is for the worst in the worst of all pos
sible worlds. She has perforce, returned to town.
Where was the use of going off alone to spend
money, of which she has not too much, and to be
bored into the bargain? She is too clever a
woman to invite herself to friends house. She
looking to 90 about alone. So she came home.
Home is a charming place when she is established
there but at the present moment it is quite IN
like itself. The carpets are up; her own bed
room is being painted and papered; workmen
are about; the butler is away for holiday; so
is the coachman, and her horse is being taken
care Of by the vet. She cannot drive-a recrea-
ton of which she is particularly fond. To add
TO her veXation last night her maid, who has
been with her five years and who makes dresses
that get the credit of coming from Worth or La
Ferriere, announced-with a smile on her face
the wretch that she was going to be married
as soon as Mrs Boyne could suit herself with
another maid. The poor lady could have cried
She could not help saying TO the girl that she
hoped she might be happy, but feared very much
seldom turned out well, and a young woman.
from being comparatively a lady, became q
wretched drudge She was sure TO have great
many children, and it was more than probable
that her husband would beat her. as men of the
lower orders invariably did. And then nineteen
men out Of twenty drink Mrs. Boyne, taking
an interest in her, thought it right TO warn her,
but the maid smiled and Mrs Boyne fancied she
detected little ironical curl about the corners
of the girls mouth.
On the afternoon of the Sd of September, then
Mrs. BOyne, in desperately low spirits started
for a walk She strolIed into the Row and took
a chair. 1t is indeed true that
"A sorrows crown Of sorrow is rememb' ring happier
things"
What CHEEKY hours has she spent in this deserted
waste. What pleasant talks she has had. What
incipient. full-fedged, warming irtatiOns has she
enjoyed here. Now she might fancy herself
Alexander Selkirk-there is not even a man to
take the penny for her chair. Even that does
not afford her the slightest consolation. If her
fellOw-guest who was to have been at Llewdbrllyll
II am not positive that have spelled the name
correctly had been reduced to the same straits
as herself they might have consoled each other:
out d man HdS anyways lIlIy places 10 90 to- par
tcularly man 50 gOod-loOking and so desirable in
every way as Sir Colin Kilhart. Lost in melan-
choly meditation Mrs. BOVINE fixed her hand
some, mournful eyes on the tropical plants in the
distance which, however, she does not see 50 pre-
occupied is she with unpleasant thoughrs
Presently she is aroused by the crunching of
gravel, and turning her eyes in the direction
whence the sound proceeds she sees coming
towards her with jaunty, swinging step the
figure of a young and well-dressed man. As he
approaches she recognizes him to be Dick BRYAN
"a tolerably intimate acquaintance. The Joy de-
picted on his frank young countenance on catch
ing sight of her must have been fiattering TO
any woman He held her hand for quite a
minute; he Toasted his eyes on her face as
though he had not seen goOd-looklng woman
for at least fortnight. and he told her three
separate and distinct times how awtully glad
ne was TO see her. Mrs. Boynes spirits went
up at once: she felt better already: in five
minutes she had told him all her trouble; her
disappointment at her put-off visit; the discom
IoTI oi her domestic arrangements; the criminal
lngratltude Of her maid in narrvinp The ONLY
thlhs she Iorbore to confide to him was her
chaSrlh ABOUT Sir Colin Then Dick in his turn
impaired his woes TO her; the wonderful shoot
ing ne was missing and the desolation and star
nation OF which he had been the victim for