Middletown transcript., 1881-07-15

aristocrats in particular, and cruelty
conservative in practice and principle.
So we went down. And mamma
sailed in with Mr.. Lowering, and Amy
with the doctor, and | followed with
Julia Lowering, whose little soul curled
all up at contact with the crowd, like a
sea-anemone when you touch it Z; and
just at the door my train caught on a
carpet hook, and a couple of servants
made haste to loosen it, but not before
gentleman had stopped and set it
free, and bowed without looking up,
and passed on; and it was LOring Rich
ards, and he had not known me again.
So near me, and had not known me !!
Once, the air my garment brushed
would have thrilled him through and
through And you can imagine If l
knew whether 1 were eating gumbo
soup, 6rr Bite Bite I FPeiiint eiiint oysters, or what
not, after that What was Loring
Richards doing there ? Who was that
lady he joined in the hall ? Had he
married? Was he here, possibly, on
his wedding journey? Had he, then,
forgotten me F.?
If it had not been for mamma IS claret,
which she quietly pushed toward me,
in a minute l should have fallen off my
chair; but that brought the blood
back. Forgotten me! Well, why
should be the only one to remember ?
Let me forget. Alas had l not been
trying to forget for five years ? But |
leaned over my plate to ask Mr.. Lover
ing a question, the length of whose re-
ply knew would be like spool silk,
warranted three hundred yards !; and [
was hanging on his words, when my
eyes caught sight of person that had
just come in, and was seated few ta-
bles distant, had taken out newspa-
per, and was never glancing up from
the column. A chair was turned down
near him, and it remained vacant for
some time. For his bride ? No; a
man does not come down to dinner and
leave his bride to follow alone. For
his wife of longer date? When 1 had
the opportunity Of another look, a daz-
zling creature sat there, golden-head-
ed darling, radiant as if star had
turned rose. Was 1 not ashamed Of
myself to wish to look that way What
did care for Loring Richards, OF his
wife either, if he had one ? Not in
that direction again did I turn my
head. [ was gay and all alive myself
and MI. Lowering was all devotion. |
knew by some other senses when those
two left the room, but not by my eyes
or ears.
"Who is that going out ?'' asked
Mr.. Lowering. If his looks were
burning yt5tt would be IN flames :,
Gone of the walters ?" | asked.
I" There is a French count among them,
you know, and a Polish refugee"
Margaret p exclaimed mamma,
how should you know anything about
such people ~
"Oh, mamma, I am interested in
them and since l joined the interna-
tionals, and the Nihilists, and the Mari
anne, and the rest, 1 know all about
such people, l saw Mr. Lovering's
hair slowly begin to rise on end. ''That
old rag picker" l added, "told me yes
terday that
But Mr.. Lovering's head looked more
and more like an electric hair-brush,
and mamma cried, Margaret y
Why, mamma, we are all human
beings together.
Il really must insist" began man.
ma and then Amy giggled, and
mamma looked as if she thought 1 had
gone out of my head, and Amy was
Historically sympathetic.
"Your daughters advanced opin-
ions" said Mr.. Lowering, stiffiy, care
a surprise to me.
" You silly little mother" Amy
laughed. cit is our boating club at
home, the Internationals, our charity
school, the Nihilists our sewing club,
our book club, our
+" I really thought you meant secret
societies, . gasped that old goose Of an
elderly lover.
And what if I had % said I, my
native vigor returning. " What if l
were own cousin to Vera Sassalitch ~
"Do have her name right, :" said the
Doctor. "I was afraid that our young
ladies would be following Natalushka's
fashions as soon as Mr.. Black made her
SO charming"
Charming ~ said his father. A
girl with such ideas charming ?''
!" I am rejoiced to hear you express
yourself so, 2 said mamma.
" And l, :" said l. because they are
my ideas"
:" Which are your ideas ?" he asked.
"Mine, or those Of that young Russian
girl and her like ?''
Hers, certainly" I said. ''The
ideas Of humanity and brotherhood.
And my heart began to beat like an
engine one hears in the night, with a
wild sort Of exultation that now, no
matter what had happened to Loring
Richards, 1 had made it impossible that
1 should ever marry Mr.. Lovering's
stocks and bonds, for the temptation
was out Of the way: he would never
ask me.
But it had all been a little too much
for me. And 1 saw that mamma was
comprehending the situation, and grow
ing angrier and angrier. Oh, how angry
the dear soul was You look very
pale, Margaret, = she said. Are you
not well ? see by your conversation
that Won are MT uuite yourself. You