The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-25

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shall not see them after we leave here" Then
there came that unspellable sound again, and
the married lovers strolled away"
M~ACHINATIoN
In the morning, when Mr.. Belts, as usual.
went on sentinel duty, Mrs. Stevenson was al
ready down stairs and stood in the sunshine
talking to Tatty Prime. She said: NJ Steven
son has gone TO the city on business. He Will
be away a whole week" Then she took her parasol
from Margaret, her comely and respectful maid,
and sat down to enjoy the sea breeze. In a few
moments half a dozen people had gathered
around her, and Duncan Scott was about joining
the group when Mr.. Belts detained him with
the sneering remark:
I'm my opinion. your devotion will have its
reward, young man. That sort of a married
adventures is always vulnerable"
SIN my opinion returned Scott quite briskly,
considering the cultivated impeachment in his
"vewy SWELL speech, in my opinion no gentle
man will speak in that way of a charming wo-
man like Mrs. Stevenson"
Il could answer YOU" retorted Belts, his
small face blanching with angry passion, but
by the way, who was she?"
Observation-Disclosures is decidedly out of
date and principle is wather-aw-bad form. |
don't go in for either, but there's something
about Mrs. Stevenson that makes a fellaw-aw
believe she's all right"
Bah! Who was she}7 demanded Belts again
with almost an audible snap of his thin lips.
Tut, tut" said Mrs. Whipple as she brought
the little basket to the fore, that question is
taboo. And ye are children Of" A beatific
expression, as with an ivory needle she indicat
ed the meridian, more than supplied the rest of
the text. why, dear Edith will be a society
queen next winter. Philip has already bought
a proscenium box for the opera season, and l
shall chaperone his sweet WIFE
Twill your cried Nj. Belts in a shriil tone,
and quite forgetting his bronchial difficulty.
Come with me" he added in a whisper. Mrs.
Stevenson has, in my hearing, called you old
mother Whipple-a prying and offensive old wO-
man" Come with me If YOU care to hear more.
What gasped Mrs. Whipple, what! Oh,
my dear sir; oh, my dear friend, tell NE all you
knew. It's quiet in a corner of the large parlor. F"
Fully half an hour it took to impart the infor-
nation, and to make the necessary moral aphor-
lsns thereon. But the deepest reason for Mr..
Betts's rancour he failed to expose. That story
of his grandfather. which he believed was forgot
ten, if indeedit was ever known, had in a moment
turned his very soul to gall. Although he iln-
pulsively repeated some epithets that insulted his
pride, he would not, could not blot out the mag
nificent fairy tale of birth and breeding" which
he had conjured himself into almost believing.
When Mrs. Whipple rose from the colloquy
she declared, shaking both uplifted hands:
Dear. dear! I've supped full of horrors, full-Of
horrors. Oh, how are we to keep the precepts
when the wicked beset our footsteps? But,
never fear she added, s~avagely. ''never fear.
Society shall know what a viper we've nourished
in our bosOms. Feels guilty, does she? | should
tLLlhA 81, llJOctI. i J. NNlCl LSE, anu l. ii CdICl
her" Then she emerged from the piazza, and
choosing a station near Mrs. Stevenson, who was
looking very pretty under the glow from a pink
sunshade, she remarked with effusion: You are
charming this morning, my sweet Edith, per
fectly charming"
Within five minutes Mr.. Belts had rehearsed
the whole tale to Duncan Scott; but this time,
on cooler thought, he held back the epithets that
touched his own dignity.
"We-aw-suspected as much,' said Scott,
nhilOGpphically .'Oyvpc Shp'C q ckaof oil Wn1l
she's a confounGed clever woman to carry off
her new position so gracefully. Morality and
all that is d deuced bore, you know. Admire her;
| do. by Jove!"
'Bu5 she called our esteemed friend old
Mother Whirple, exclaimed Mr.. Belts.
"Deuced good name, too mumbled Scott
under his breath. Whereat Mr.. Belts wickedly
smiled, but fastened to add: Mrs. Whipple
can't be expected to endure the insult; and I'm
quite with her-Quite with her"
Then up ambled Mrs. Whipple herself TO
whisper: ''She called him that wretched Betty
Belts, and "a stupid prig.''
well, if it's personal spite, you know" said
Scott; '"why-aw-heaven help the new beauty
Shortly the band appeared, and the players
were making ready to give the usual morning
concert, from a little pavilion on the lawn. AS
the leader, a very eood-looking young German,
strobe by, resplendant in the fine uniform furn-
ished by Gibson, Tatty Prime mimicked his
carriage and expression, and waved in derision
an imaginary baton. The young man glanced
up, saw the travesty, and flushed to the roots of
his hair, while Mrs. Stevenson turned on Prime,
sharply, with a reprOof.
Even a poor musician may chance to nave
human feelings" she said; then rose and with
Popsie strolled across the lawn to the music
stand, civilly beckoned to the leader and asked
respectfully:
MAY beg to hear that Strauss waltz YOU
played so we'll yesterday? We enjoy the music
very much" After adding a few more friendly
words, she returned to her chair. leaving the
German beaming with delight. Prime, mean
while, stood plucking at his mustache and trying
to look unrebuked and comfortable.
Isn't she a kind hearted darling?" Popsio
whispered to Mrs. Whipple, who in her turn
whispered to Mr.. Belts: 'She naturally teels
for persons of low station"
All went quietly for a couple of days. Mr..
Belts and his colleague sowing here and there,
strange hints and pregnant questions, but in a
quite impersonal way, and only for the protection
of society. while they wore the fac SMILES of
their old smiles, and kept very close to dear
Mrs. Stevenson" Once she walked up and
down the hall with a certain professor. who was
a learned man as we'll as a great catch, and
Miss Carter, who aspired to marry into the lib
eral arts, remarked: although underbred in
stincts may be subdued by authority, withdraw
that authority and they run riot"
Mrs. Whipple promptly sighed out: "Ah! l fear
poor Philip ought not to have left his wife alone.
She is a sad tiirt."
Popsie Bennett. hearing this, spoke up very
angrily. She's no such thing. I'm no fHirt, if
you please. Why doat you scandalize me!
Here, I'll sell you my portrait by Baroni for
twenty-five cents" and the daring belle struck
an impudent attitude.
Nonsense, my dear" answered Mrs. Whipple,
fatteringly; you're Popsie, our own New York
beauty. You're only brilliant, not improper,
and this with emphasis) and we know your an
tecedents.'
''Bother!!' retorted the young lady. migrate
fully, and from that moment persisted in turn
ing her back on Mrs. Whipple's most affectionate
advances. This detection was keenly felt by the
widow, and she complained bitterly to Mr.. Belts.
Its very hard for me. with my little income,
to be at odds with Popsie. She goes every
where, and this enlargement cuts me off from
a great deal. Now, tomorrow, for instance, l
lose the races. always went in the Bennett
drag. Dear, dear! Mr.. Belts, people only laugh
over our innuendoes; they haven't the slightest
effect. l really can't be alone against the whole