Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-05-31
PLAYING A BULL.

ho"Shhss Win great deXterfty. One OF the
best dressed men in town. and certainly one of
the best looking, he had sailed charmingly
through life. man with a cool head, q steady
nerve and an easy conscience-if well bred good
looking, keen witted and moderately clever
has ten chances to one in his favor, and the
Hon Gus had all these qualifications. He had
one or two faults, tor he plunged" and he had
a habit of backing his fancy horse for outrage
ously large amounts. After each Of those
periodical fits of plunging, however, he would
sit Tor some time on the stool OF repentance
and would look about for rich stripping to
teach lite to, and to make pay dearly for being
taught; but VOW and swear as he would never
to go "a header again he was always sure.
when luck was with him and his bankers
account was respectable, to do exactly what he
had sworn against.
The Hon. Gus had sister-nOt very hand
some and not very young but fine, tall stylish
girl, who dressed well and made the most of a
good figure. She lived generally in chambers
with her brother. and constant association with
him had given her an insight into London life
that few girls attain. Of late the Hon. Gus had
been decidedly unlucky, for he had lost lot of
money at Two consecutive meetings, and he had
not found any fiedgling willing to be plucked.
They are getting so deuced smart; lad of
twenty knows as much now as did at thirty"
he murmured plaintively to his sister
: lie felt aggrieyed. and considered like many
another man not as clever as he was that the
times were sadly out OF joint. and that with
new-fashoned ideas, education of the masses,
unlet lands and hard-up fathers, lite was be-
coming every day more difficult
Then Constance did not go off. and though he
was fond of her. and had grown accustomed to
her companionship. yet it would be, after all.
much more comfortable if she married a rich
%Ood-natured fellow. who would help him over
difficulty on a settling day. or perhaps allew
himself to be plucked moderately.
The Hon. Gus sat over the fire in his chambers
looking into the enters and reviewing the stu
alton: Evidently his thoughts were not pleas
ant. for he pokrd the fire sayagely and muttered
through his clrnched teeth:
Curse it all; am tired of life.''
Even the soothing influence of good cigar
had no charm for him now and he allowed il to
burn out and then threw it viciously into the
crate. Constance lay on sofa. pulled close to
the table, and was reading, or rather making
pretence to read, new novel; but every now
and then she looked over the book at her
brother. and when she turned her eyes again on
the book they wandered Hstessly over the
opened pages. 1t is not pleasant for woman
10 witness IN silence the misery of another, par
ticuiariy when that other is her own brother
Gus did not speak. but continued to look stead
lily into the lire He had evidently passed the
savage stage. and was studying cody the pros
and cons OF some new scheme
With sigh of rplief-for he had made up his
mnd-he arose from the chair. and standing
with his back against the mantelpiece, said to
his sister:
Con. we must do something; it can't 90 on:
L have not two hundred at the bank
What do You propose doing?" asked Con-
stance. closing her book.
Giving up schooling those youngsters-thev
know as much as do nowaday going in
for business
Going III for business she calculated, in in
tense establishment.
Yes, 10y Joye. 1 will 20 on the Stock Ex-
change"
''On the Stock Exchange. Gus, You must be
dreaming. Why. they are all so sharp. there
$50 much the better. You remember Samuel
JOnes?"
That horrid looking Jewl'
That h0Trid looking jew as YOU call him.
But. by the by. he says he is a Christian"
christian or jew it is all the same won
der you are seen with him. He does not play or
lend money. does he:"
''lie is as rich as Rothschd and he admires
you, Con"
''Admres me-that fellow" said the Hon
Constance. tossing her head in high disdain
II VIII have him here to dinner Tomorrow
and you must be attentive to him; put on that
pretty smile and charming manner that you
wear when You want to bowl a fellow over
continued her brother calmly
The Hon Constance TreDchard looked at her
brother thougitiuily. She knew from old eX-
perience that she would have to do exactly as
he liked, and she had wonderful respect for his
ability. Eight years before she could have mar
RED well; even five years ago she could have
been settled in the Shires with good natured
mlddle-aged man of means. But she liked Jack
ince, and Jack lnce liked her, though he had no
money.
The fact OF it was. Constance had her little
romance-most women have. some time in their
Ives-but Gns, who even then had an eve to
the main point. had urged her warmly not to
lose the golden opportunity. MARRY the fellow
with the money, Con; don't be silly fool Five
Thousand year cannot be caught every day"
Her romance ended, as these impractical
rOmances generally end in nothng or rather
IN Jack emigrating to Australia and being COM
petely forgotten and i'm Constance being single
at twenty-seven and perfectly willing to marry
any average man with sufficient money to keen
her.
she was clever and was taking but somehow
the men did not come forward. Two or three
youngsters had gone into ecstasies about her
but then Gus was busly occupied fleeing them
and she had little time or perhaps inclination
for playing her own game. Invariably with the
loss OF their money they lost their love and
stunned her brothers chambers
last season she heard man, leaning over the
rails in the Row. ask another:
Who is that fine girl? BY Joye, what a
figurei"
Gus Trenchard's sister; but no spooning
there. Hawks, you know, and all that, 4" replied
his friend.
not help flushing holly and the intense main
and modification she suffered brought some
how yisibly to her recollection the old days
when she would stoOp to no dishonor and
when she loved that honest, good-lookine Jack
Ince.
AS she looked at her brother new she cou1a
not help feeling almost as she did that day, for
she knew the part she would have to play i'm
any new scheme of his would not be an hon
orable one; and though she submitted and
even at times enjoyed the fun of fleeing a
youngster, yet her conscience would upbraid her
afterwards
However. though she was nervous and
somewhat agitated at the prospect of having
to again assist actively i'm the wOrking-out of
some dirty plot. she looked at her brother
calmly, as she asked
What do you wish me to do? Speak plainly.
Gus. It's better that should know the worst
at once"
The worst is bad enough though it is only
to make love to Samuel Jones'"
"And-" she commenced: but here she
stopped. looking up at Gus with frightened
nervous deprecatOry expression on her face
that amused him.
No, Con; not that, by jove Don't think me
such brute. Id sooner see you dead than
married to q fellow like that
constance said nothing. though she evidently
was relieved. and her brother continued:
Jones is on the stock exchange and is the
leading light of dirty ring Of rich SPECTATORS
who bull and 'bear'-One or two stocks. as il
suits them"
His sister listened attentively, and Gus went
on:
ZONES would give his eyes TO get into onr sat