New-York tribune., 1885-07-12
MYSTERIOUS MRS. WILKINSON


co gar our chiidhood. and not only enables to re-
III son,e thing that took place In those far-away
Ssvs but actually lifts us for moment OF Two OUT
so~r present into past selves so that we 1eei
~ We once felt, and see as we once saw until .n9
sisiou fades and leaves US with queer painiul
sens suonose everybody experiences this sensation
occasionally. 1t came upon me very stronglv one
syeping when was sitting in the House, iistening
q pole who had embarked upon one OF his deiIper-
sts attacks or the Home Secretary. Pole was hum,
ming and ha wing good deal frequently ne paused
for seconds trying to 1a a;ne ins nd a' H. he
went OH quite cheerfully witnout IT, re was NOV w ~,
the least embarrassed by his Lack OF eoquence; ne
had q general idea of what he meant to express,
and that was enough for him every npw ana again
he looked at the Speaker with a kindly reassurlns
smile who should say ,ts an l,gn. .S Wmag wv
iknew he would get through it somehow, ana l
also knew that there was ptfaIl ahead OF mn MN
sure enough he did tumble into it, He tumbled INTO
Il. so to speak with crash which provoked some
dersye laughter from the opposite a % %stce
10 Joke even when he doesn't understand IT, po- ~?
gan to laugh too, and then those about MN we,u M
the entire assemblago. without distinction Oh party
n was at this moment that tho House OF Com-
mems suddenly disappeared from my sight ana was
ranlaced by another chamber and quito dinercnt
occupants It is ong low @ rSEI ad pat bv lsrs
iotoys but by sch Dolboys of whom l myself am one.
Another boy is standing up book in band, constrn-
ing r..
}lcman in cap and gown who is turning line after
iins of the iliad ont of literal into respectable Eng
m This at least What ne tfmks f Ear ne ahead rs and
IA taking the literal reading ior granted III
impatient way that he has SO that the ostensbe tI
transator has only tc catch the words as they IA,
snd Tepeat them rapidly in order to be spared all
personal trouble and responsibility.
'a.Thus he spoke. and hurled his spear'' mur-
"aIi Hurled arI his spear" echoes thelboy.
G'Nor did he miss him..
Nordidemissim" go
aWel" says the master looking up with dawn
'aWhst's what sir r
sWhat is nor did he miss him :"
pause and then-." First aorist, SIR responds
dear old Pole triumphantly; FROM nordldsm,s9! 80
IN m those days: believe there are people who call
him so still. And yet 1 don't think he ever quite
deserved the epithet of stupid. he didn't take the
Sronble O learn his lessons WREN lie was boy he
doesn't take the trouble to master the details OF
snbiect now but he is so perfectly good -humored
aud mpsrturba6e that he always mas ssrt ms Ms !:
make him look foolish. In later years nave known
him. under pressure Of emergency. show an an ingenn
ton of that amazing verb and with happier results.
I returned to actualities from my brief excursion
"artsman. the Secretary of State for the Home De
Sartuent rise to crush the honorable member LOT
Md-wessex. He could not order fole 70 PnSIsb Tte
Int such punishment as be- could innict nc
did. His sarcasm was tremendous; bis aIlusions
TO the TsHS al among those who
were liable be called upon to administer the same
were OF kind to make members OF tne hnp hnpain IL
feeling accents he deprecated the wanton waste ol
nublic time entailed by such speeches as that 70
which the House had just listened, am sure We ai
felt that tho complaint was for once not an IL
founded one. And Pole sat with his hands IN nis
pockets and smiled and did not eae two ,In't he
surprisc to hear of his obtaining an
Ship one of these DAYS. To be sure he VIII have 70
make haste about III for aias u us = dis
than quarter OF q century ''n'' 'A'
Pole and had been friends-more or less friends
s vsIe our Sss SsS sash other
and latt@y,b wbo have each his own affairs to think
about and have half forgotten that they were once
bows together But on that particular night teit
very kindly toward my old schoolfellov. He bad
nnconsciorsly gwen me back few moments out
of the good days that shall never see again.
thought should like to have chat with MN. ana
was glad when he joined me later and, passing
his arm through minc said we would walk home
ward together, as it was such a fine night.
II arpeared afterward that he had something 70
saw to me. but didn't know that at the time, and
began by reminding him OF the old yarn above
narrated wsIsat nc " .GIva Tsn nn and abont tho
masters who ruled there in our time and about
Sparkle and Silly Billy, q can't help asking ea
soat les neges dantan! l knowit IS among the
phrases which ought to be abandoned, but let me
mt il into parenthess Just for this once only-l
say we went on one rrnfnnndlv n
terast;nr 70 ne but perhaps not equally so to the
general public. until we reached Bury,st' -;
Jamess where live when | am in Lonlon ana
Pole remembered tnat he had not followed me for
mere purposes of gossip ,,..,. an. ,,.;,,. ,.o,
WaIrnisley." he said. might come in for few
minutes I"
Naturally, made him welcome, and when | had
provided him with cigar and with sopetning 10
drink he confded to me that he was IN trouble
aWhat is ti"I asked. . i isn't money. pre-. e-
Tl.1o ao1f fh- ms
ssNc.' lie apsTessa; . it isn't money"
He replied without giving. me time TO finish my
snteuce sYes; it's the other thing. l met her
hotel in wit last ao d% thaa nf s sr
a. looks and manners 90. she is the equal of any
woman IN London. II had only myself to con
slider, shouldn't hesitate for moments but there
sre the children to be thought Of. aud then my
people have been botherng me abont 1t; ani II
there's thing that hate moTo thar than h1 another s
foT some Years widowcr and had two little girls
Of whom his mother took the principal charge IL
arain % some day but suppose old Mrs. Pole had
q not unnatural wish that his second wife should
be- as his first bad been lady OF rank.
awell. who is shef" inquired He said that she
was Mrs Wilkinson and that she was widow
after which he came to standstill, as though there
were no more to be told about hcI
ayes" said |, " and afterwardp 49,
sAh my dear fellow, that's jnstit there'snothing
afterward l know nothing more more and and cant cant hnH mn
Out anything luofc. anu e'"s y"A sNy
mother cuts up rough and begins 10 cry. Mrs
Wilkinson is in London she has aiken a house for
shs seems to have lots Of friends. only nobody can
tell me her history" 49, 80
sPole.r said gravely. @you did well to come to
me- You must not be allowed to make fool OF
yourself May ask whether yoa are.very much IN
love with this widow !" go
He looked a littlo sheepish and answered. with
alauzh oh. well-aren't We rather too old to tall
about that sort of thing thought her awfnlly
kind and pleasant, and have always felt that as
nv girls grew up they would need somebody to look
after them That was how it began, and
IL feel sure that it ought not to go on,' inter,
"a Iouo In ~