The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-07-20
CHAPTER II.

ming.
CHAPTER II.
Mrs. Portico. 40 We know. was always talking
about going to Europe: but she had not yct-I
mean q ycar after the incident have just re-
lated-put her hand upon youthful clcerono.
Psttlcoats OF course. were required: 1t was
necessary that her companion should be Of tho
sex which sinks most naturally upon benches.
In galleries and cathedrals. and pauses most
frequently upon staircases that ascend to cello
brated views. She was . widow. with . GOOD
fortune and several sons. all Of whom wore In
Wall street. and mono Of them capable OF tho
relaxed pace At which she expected to take hor
foreign tour. They were all In state Of ten
sion; they went through life standing She
was q short. broad. high-colored woman. with
loud voice. and superabundant black hair. ar
ranged in way peculiar TO herself-wlth 20
many combs and bands that IL had the appear
ance Of national ooiffure. There was an i'm
preston in New York. about 1845. that tho
style was Danish some one had said something
about having seen II In Schleswig- Holstein.
Mrs. Portico had . bold. humorous. slightly
damboysnt look; people who saw her for the
FIRST time received an impression that her late
husband had married the daughter OF . bar
keeper or the proprietress Of . menagerie.
Her high. hoarse. good natured voice seemed
to connect her In some way with public life: 1t
WAS not pretty enough to suggest that she
might have been an actress. These ideas
quickly passed away. however. even II you
were not sufficiently initiated to know-as all
the Gressies. for instance. know so well-that
her origin. 80 far from being enveloped In
mystery. Was almost tho sort OF thing she
might have boosted Of But in spite OF the
high pitch Of her appearance she didn't boast
OF anything; she was . genial. easy. comical.
irreverent person. with large charity. q
democratic. fraternizing turn OF mind. and .
contempt for many worldly standards. which
she expressed not in the least In general
sxioms flor she had . mortal horror OF phi
losophyl. but in violent calculations on par
ticular occasions She had not grain Of moral
timidlty. and she fronted a delicate social
problem as sturdily as she would have barred
the way OF o gentleman she might have met In
her vestibule with the plate chest The only
thing which prevented her being bore in
orthodox circles was that she was incapable Of
discussion. She never lost her temper. but she
lost her vocabulary. and ended quickly by pray
ing that heaven would give her an opportunity
to slo1 what she believed. She was An old
friend OF Mr. and Mrs. Gressie. who esteemed
her for the antiquity Of her lineage and the fire.
Queney Of her subscriptions. and to whom she
rendered the service Of making them feel lib
eral-like people too sure Of their own position
to be frightened. She was their indulgence.
their dissipation. their point Of contact with
dangerous heresies so long Is they continued
to SEQ her they could not be accused OF being
narrow-minded-a matter a. to which they
were perhaps vaguely conscious Of tho neces-
sity OF taking their precautions. Mrs. Portico
never asked herself whether she liked tho Ores
A-l H. Rn-
sis. she accepted transmitted associations. and
she found. somehow. that her Acquaintance
with these people helped her to relieve herself
She was always making scenes in their draw
ing-room. scenes half indignant half jocose.
like all her manifestations. TO which It must be
confessed that they adapted themselves beauti.
fully. They never '' mel" her In the language OF
controversy; but always collected to watch her.
with smiles and comfortable platitudes a. II they
envied her superior richness Of temperament.
She took an interest In Georgins. who seemed
TO her different from the others. with sugges-
tons about her OF being likely not to marry 90
INCREASINGLY as her sisters had done. and Of
q high. bold standard Of duty. Her sisters had
married from duty. but Mrs. Portioo would
rather have chopped of one OF her large.
plump hands than behave herself - we'll -
that. She had. In her daughterless condition.
y
full and romantic. with lustrous eyes. and
little psrseeuted. 20 that che. Mrs. Portico.
might get her out OF her troubles. She looked
to Georgins. to . considerable degree. to graf
lily her In this way: but she had really never
understood Georgina at all. eho ought TO have
been shrewd. but she lacked this refinement.
and she never understood anything un-
I'll after many disappointments and vexations.
Il was difficult to startle her. but she was much
startled BY communication that this young
lady made her one nne spring morning. With
her horld appearance and her speculative
mind. she was probably the most innocent wo-
man In New YORK.
0eorgina came very sarly-earlisr even than
visits were paid in New York thirty years ago:
and instantly. without any preface looking her
straight In tho TACO. told Mrs. Portico that
abe was In great trouble. and must appeal TO
her for assistance. Gsorsina had in her aspect
NO symptom OF distress; she was a. fresh and
beautiful - the April day Itself; she hold MP
her head and smiled. with . sort OF familiar
bravado. looking like . young woman who
would naturally b on good terms with fortune.
II was not In the least In the tone OF person
making confession or relating nisadven-
ture that she presently said: well. you must
know. to begin with-of course. II will surprise
you-that I'm married"
Married. 0sorgina 6ressisr Mrs Portioo
repeated In her most resonant tones.
6eorgina got up. walked with her majestic
step across the room. and closed the door,
Then she stood there. her back Dressed against
the mahogany panels. indicating only By the
distance she had placed between herself and
her hostess the consciousness Of An irregular
position. I'm not Gsorgina Grsssis-pm
0sorsins Benyon-snd II hes become plain.
within Q short time. that the natural conse-
auencs will take place"
Mrs. Portico was altogether bswildered.
The natural conssqusncsr r she exclaimed.
staring.
"Of oas's bsins married. OF souFss-I sup
pose you know what that b. No one must