The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-07-25

"Look here, Carruthers,' said Mordte,
briskllL
briskly. "You forget dinner party. You
home TO chat and smoke with me. You don't
,moke-you don't chat. What's upN
Nothing" Frank reused himself and took
cigar.
"Nothngn said the curate. "That means
everything
"Well, then, everything"
"And everything, as i take it, means-tell
ne what it means, CarrutheIs. May wish
you joyN
There was lump in Sylvanus' throat, but
| he choked it down manfully. Frank Won
Tered at the curatc's quickness in guessing.
Men in love always wonder at the preternat-
lral gift of detection with which their friends
jeem endowed.
'May wish you joy'' reiterated Mordle.
"You may wish what you like; but the
ruth is we are partners in misfortune"
"You have triedp
"And failed Frank raped the words out
sharply. Mordle looked the picture of sur.
prise. He held his hand out 10 his visitor.
| "Hang it. ~ said Frank. "I don't want pity.
II you bore 1t, l suppose I can"
"Our cases are different. You felt certain
If success"
did II IL so, 1t was only one OF the delu-
sions natural to man of my age
Explain"
"Tho older you grow the more liable you
arc to decisions \ man between thirty and
forty more easily deludes himself into be-
eving That a woman loves him than boy of
twenty does"
"Ha" said Mordle "All new to me, this.
Let me think II ovoK' The curate loved an
argument of this Sort Presently no looked
up
"That's all rot!' he said. "Boy Of
twenty-modest and good-can't see any
reason for woman's loving him. Man of
thirty or forty-successful in life, say
measured his strength against his fellows
can b help feeling he's quite worth being
loved. See how fallacious your argument
"Never nIind," said Frank; lit doesn't
matter which way you take it,
II say" continued Mordle, laying his hand
on Franks shoulder. "Listen to my advice.
Don't you take NO for an answer
I'm ak no woman twice to he my wife,
said Frank, with conclusion number three
fresh in his mind
"You might ask this one twenty times and
feel happy if you got her then. But twenty
times won't lie needed. She loves you now,
Carruthers."
"What folly you talk!'
II DON'T never talk folly. have seen
you together. / have watched her Us closely
us watch one of my flock who leans towards
dissent | have seen what you haven't seen,
and again | say, don't take NO for an an
swern
LET us talk of something else, "said Frank.
A 4 Ia,
on and tho game came to his mind Under
some circumstances there Is much solace to be
got out of proverbs
They talked of something else but as it always
does when man is in love, that something
else veercd round ever to tho one thing. AT
last Frank threw the end of his cigar away
and babe the curate goodnight. Mordles
emphatic CHEEKY assertion that he ought not
to despair had done him good, although he
still sworo he would not groyel and ask
again.
His guest having left HIM Sylvanus drew
himself up and patted his chest approvingly.
ut was magnanimous, very niagnanimous,'
10 said, ITO help rival like that But
an thoroughly cured, SO could afford tc
do it,"
He always told himself he was cured. Per
haps h. was. All tho Same the Rev. Sylvanus
Mordla is II bachelor to this day.
Frank went back to Lakewood House, and
apologizel for his strange absence as best h
could, He had been seized with splitting
headache and compelled to seek fresh air,
Strange to say a splitting headache had also
driven Miss Clauson, not into the fresh air
but into her room. Thunder in the air, nC
doubt" said Herbert, the most unsuspicious
of men.
About Ealf-past eleven the last of the
guests departed. Mr.. Turner, believing Lord
Kclstons friend to loo an aristocratic Chris
tian of the most orthodox type, babe him an
ELUSIVE good Knight, little dreaming of the
insults he had been heaping upon his head.
Horace and Herbert gave sigh OF relief rs
their Jew hating guest left the house. They
had too much sense to think Of apologizing
for the mishap-they merely doubled Their
civility to the eminent Israelite. At last
every one had said goodbye, and the shut
ting up began.
Frank, in a moody, sullen way, watched
Horace and Herbert as they went from win.
dow to window trying shutters and bars and
bolts He did not smile even when Horace |
gravely and deliberately counted the fork.
and spoons in Whittaker's basket-the extra
plate given out for dinner parties-while
Herbert blended two half-emptied bottles of
sherry and made one full one. The domestic |
duties were at last finished; the bottles locked
up, the spoons and forks snugly tucked up in |
little channels leather bags, ready to be put
to rest in the safe until again wanted.
Horace and Herbert looked at Frank.
''Shall We go to bed now, or would you
like to stay up longerf'
Frank started out Of his reverie. He did
not feel in the least inclined for bed.
"If you don't mind, "he said, ~ viii GO
into the library and write some letters. The
fresh air has made me SO wide awake that
lha'n't ba able to sleep for long time"
They did mind, of course; but were too
polite TO say so. Whitaker was ordered to
take the lamp into the library, and Frank
babe his cousins good night
please turn the wick down low before you |
blow it out, !" said Horace.
"And," cntreated Herbert, 'would you
mind turning the hearthrug upside down when
you leave the roomi 1t makes 1t last SO
much longer"
Frank promised, wondering the while why
the constitution Of a hearthrug was such that
the night and early morning air impaired it.
Then be suught the library, closed the door,
and was alone with his own thoughts.
There Is no occasion to recapitulAte these. |