The National tribune., 1882-06-10
A SOCIETY BARD.

"Well, YES, I am glad to be back in town"
said Miss Fillingham, rs she settled herself
comfortably in a deep basllet-chair on the
veranda and glanced coquettishly at gen.
tleman who took a seat opposite to her.
$50 you've been to RomeP" she asked.
"Oh, yes; we've done nothing but go
round churches and museums, and I've
hardly seen a soul we knew since we left. I
never was so tired of anything in my life" !"
she returned with charming frankness.
"You see 1 like people, and papa likes
places. Talk about people being monot-
onous; I'm sure they are as different as can
he, and those churches and MadonDas are
the same in every town. / always tell papa
when he wants me TO admire one of those
tiresome ST. Sebastians with a skewer
through him-I mean an arrow, you know
that saw it in the last museum we went to"
Wkereat Miss Fillingham sighed, and Mr..
Lovett, the gentleman appealed to, leaned
forward on an elaborately carved stick, and
smiled what cursory critics might have
called a rather selfconscious smile.
On nearer inspection ii was clear that he
had fine capabilities for being amused, which
proclaimed themselves in flexible under
eyelids and a remarkably mobile mouth.
He had q number Of horizontal lines across
his forehead and several wrinkles at times
in the upper lip. To the more general view
he was tall and well-proportioned, excep-
tiOnally well dressed, and conspicuous for
an elaborate air of attention which he seldom
failed to give to attractive women
The immediate object of his solicitude
this morning was dressed with elaborate
simplicity in a white dress and broad
brimmed hat, which contrasted strangely
with her little pert town-bred air. AS she
lcunged back ON her luxurious cushions
and glanced with her sleepy Southern-look-
inc eyes at her neighbor, size played with a
bunch of ox-eyed daisies in her belt, and
ta,ped her diminutive and cOqucttishly-sho
feet on the stone veranda.
They were sitting in the front of a long
two storied house, lying in part Of Kensing-
ton where there are still acres of gardens to
make rs forget, in summertime, that we are
i, the largest and most fog-laden city in the
world. Elsewhere there may be the din Of
traffic, the hurrying of busy feet, the squalor
oi crowded alleys, the struggle, the hunger
and despair which 60 to make up the lives of
toiling millions; here, within snug red-brick
walls, a languid quiet prevailed. The
splash of a small fountain where the gold
fish played, the shrill cry of q parrot, and
in the distance, from another lawn, the
rhythmical sound of a scythc moving grass,
were the only sounds that met the ear. The
bright May sun glanced on the open windows
of the long low-lying house, lit up the haw
thorn trees ablaze with blossoms, and
specked the smooth sweep of lawn with
cool blue shadows Not murmur from
the great city reached this garden, where the
birds built and the chestnuts bloomed as if
they were leagues from any town.
"Theres to be female friend, a charm
ing friend, to look after u.s." said the young
lady, as they looked out lazily over the sun
feclled lawn.
"You are to be looked after-suppose I
undertake the ofIice?n returned MI Lovett
slowly.
"Ido believe papa thinks you are going
y,
while he again smiled at her with the same
smile.
Mr.. Lovett, who had, as a rule no sort Of
toleTation for silly people, had the weakness
to be fattered by this particular form of
Stiffness. He was essentially an opportunist,
and it had become a habit of his to luxu-
riously appropriate any such chance phrases
as might be cOnciliating to his vanity. He
was, besides, gentleman with a subtle ap-
probation for the harmOnies in a situation,
and the present one offered him young
lady and such a smooth flowing set Of emo
tions as were atune to the drifting white
clouds, the faint plash of the fountain, and
the idle May-day. Mr.. Lovett was at no
time one of those captious mortals who
refuse any Of the goods that are gratuitously
provided them.
"WelI, at any rate, Ethel Surtees is coming
to stay here" said Susie; "aren't you glad /?
It's no use saying you're not, because know
you are"
"0f course any friends of yours l am
always delighted with, he replied in stereo-
typed phrase, while his mind, with one of
those quick transitions usual TO mobile
natures gave a sort of bound back into the
previous summer.
Ethel Surtees. The name suggested a
time of roses, of soft summer nights, and
summer stars, and eyes that looked at him
with grave gray light. Those were con-
nected with emotions too, if not Of another
kind, at least Of another degree.
1t was with almost an unreal feeling that
he jumped up the next minute, at Susie's
bidding, TO find her parasol.
Miss Fillingham was an only child Her
father, busy man, an architect at the top
Of hjs profession spoiled her in a careless,
oil hand way, and Mrs. Fillingham, a capri
cieus and fearful invalid, was severe and
over ihdu'gent, with the usual captiousness
of lad a. who live in over-heated rooms and
are seldom out of the doctors hands. Her
daughter paid little attention to either mood.
The only person indeed of whom she stood
in any sort of awe was her cousin-a girl