The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-12-17
CHAPTER II.
EXTREMES MEET.

II CHANGED that a certain Bob Low.
ther-a hopeful lieutenant in the Blues,
In possession presumably of more loose
cash than superiority Of brains-had in
vted several of the Heading ladies"
from the Frivolity boards to partake Of
supper at his expense at the Maison
Dore, after the fatigues of the evenings
performance on this identical 23rd of
December.
And towards one o'clock Of the night
in question the hilarlty of the assem-
bled guests was at its height; how, in
deed, could 1t be otherwise, when it is
borne in mind that the champagne and
fruits We're of the Costliest, the viands
the most recherche. the ladies' the pretti-
est and wttiest, the men as 'rattling
picked fellows as might be found be-
tween the Marble Arch and Temple
Bar, Hyde Park Corner and st.
CHESS?
You're very quiet, Mr.. Carlisle"
opined Stella Lovelace, sparkling bru-
Rette famous for a "break-dOWn" Of
her own invention, which invariably
fetched the house." as she helped her
self to downy peach; II twigged you
with the beauty in blue satin in
lLt -Alllh pOA vi AitI OlL-oldC lO-ulEub.
All. she gave you them, no doubt"
cried Rose ironically, pointing to the
button-hole the young man wore, which
had previously excited her cupid
ity.
''She did, indeed" returned Carlisle
laughing; "she being little gutter
wait, rising ten summers or there
abouts, who picked them up outside
the Gaiety, and-oh, wonder of Won
. ders--returned them to me with such a
hungry regretful look in her eyes! |
declare, I felt infinitely touched-the
poor little starvelng could have made
an honest slxpence by them at any rate,
and
No, dishonest sixpence, you surely
mean, Dick.n roared mine host from
the top of the table; whereas you
gave her instead
His benediction,' interpolated Stel-
Ia in eXultant tones.
Nay, chaste salute upon her grimy
brow suggested the leading lady Of
the ballet.
Her pure white brow corrected
( Rose; IF you quote. why not quote
correctly? It's always a pure white
( brow, fFqm the second chapter OF the
amt | right, Bob Lowther:"
Are you ever wrong. OH most sa-
gacl0uS Of your lovely seY?N returned
the host thus pathetically appealed TO;
whilst Charlie Larking. prOfane SUBJ
altern newly Joined" had the temeritv
70 advance that. in his opinion. if il
happened 10 be lady in the profession
al line under discussion. the phrase
might be altered with advantage.
How about her chalk-white brow,
ior instance. nowy | put it to the
vote. lie inquired, calmly glancing
round.
This iniudicious sally brought a posi-
I'VE storm OF abuse about his devoted
nead, and the fun forthwith became
50 last and furious that Carlisle pres
entity rose, and, motioning TO his host
that ned had enough and to spare of
thls sort OF thing and eYcusing him
self 70 the ladies' as best he might, the
young man resumed his hat and coat,
and walked out into the cold clear
night
How gratefully the frosty air famed
his flushed cheek and throbbing brow;
bow serene. calm and holy seemed the
. far-of twinkling stars; how peaceful
the troublous sleeping world beneath
us temporary cloak of snow, as Dick
turned out OF quiet by-street
into Piccadilly. and set his face
towards home"
The young mans heart was i'll at ease:
his thoughts recoiled now from the
mere recollection of the scene he had
but Just quilted, with its vulgar prodi-
gality, senseless extravaganza and friv-
ollty, which had just stepped short Of
vice. He found himself rejecting on
the sum total that little 90" must
have cost the good-natured host, what
the wines and fruits alone represented.
the "Christmas-boxes" rendered the
ladies. the bets which had been laid
land paid on the faintest provocation
in short, the criminal waste Of time
and money, record Of the nights en-
tertainment inevitably suggested to a
thoughtful mind. And to please whom
this lavish outlayg Bah. the enigma
scarce admitted Of any satisfactory so.
luton Rose and Stella BABY and
"Phipps"-damsels who accepted such
costly sacrifices on the shrine of
Friendship" as neither more nor less
than their just deserts, and all in the
proper order of events. Tomorrow. in
all probability, they would make merry
at the expense Of some other wealthy
admirer of ITALIA, and, if the opportun-
lty, served, remorselessly turn to ridi-
Guile the previous nights entertain
ment.
AS such reflections crossed his mind.
DICK Carlisle shrugged his shoulders
contemptuously, and then he drew a
long deep sigh, regret for the wasted
hours mingling with relief in that he
was Tree at last.
lie was the only son Of a country par
son, blessed with family of daughters,
and pi0us gentle wife. Until the last
FIVE years, Dicks interests had been
Identical with those of his parents and
sisters, but in lucky Tor lucklessy1
hour he had attracted the notice of his
wealthy and eccentric godfather, who
had not previously seen the young man
since .hisnfancy, but was forthwith in
spired by q sudden affection for his old
friend Carlise's only son.
Sir Jasper Earle was a childless wild
over, living in solitary state in a lonely
mansion situated in sparsely populat-
ed district some half.dozen miles from
the village of Burnham, where the Rev,
Edward Carlisle had ministered for
more than twenty years, and all his
family had first seen the LIGHT