The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-03-05
A PHANTOM BRIDE.
by the Author Of THE IcE CAR
StvAL."
CHATTER n.
I:XrDiMES MEET.

IL CHANGED that a certain Bob Low
ther-a hopeful lieutenant in the Blues,
In possession presumably Of more loose
cash than supcriluity OF brains-had in
vited several Of the Heading ladies'
from the Frivolty boards To partake Of
supper at his expense mt the Maison
Dore, after the fatigues OF the evenings
performance on this identical 23rd OF
December.
And towards one o'clock Of the night
In question the hilarity of the assem-
hled guests was at its height; how. in
deed. could ii he otherwise. when IL is
borne in mind that the champagne and
fruits were of the custliest. the viands
the most rr's-rir. the ladies' the pretti-
est and Wlttle3t the men rs "rattling
picked fellows rs might be found be-
tween the Marble Arch and Temple
Bnr, Hyde Park Corner and ST.
CHESS,
YOU'RE very qiict. Mr.. Carlisle"
opincd stella I.oyelace. n sparkling hrli-
netlr, famous iOr u break down" of
her own invention, which invariably
fetched the house, "a, she helped her
self to dowuy peach, 81 twigged you
with the beauty In blue satin in
the third box on the oil-side tonight
All, she gave you them. no doubt"
cried Rose ironically, pointing to the
button-hole the young man wore, which
had previously excited her cupid
ity.
''She did. indeed returned Carlisle
laughing; "she being little gutter
waif. rising ten summers or there
abouts. who picked them up outside
the Galely, aud-Ohl wonder of won
ders returned them tn me with such n
hungry regretful look in her eyesl |
declare, felt Infinitely touched-the
poor little starycling could have made
AN honest siNpcnce by them at any rate,
and
No, Il dishonest siXpence, you surely
mean. Dicl,.' ruarcd mine host from
the top of the table; whereas you
gave lcr instead -'
Ills benediction" interpolatcd Stel-
In in eXultant tones.
NAY. chaste salute upon her grimy
brow suggested the leading lady of
the ballet.
Her pure white brow" corrected
Rose; IF You quote, why not quote
correctly It's always a pure white
brow from the second chapter of the
first volume down to the finish. Now,
amt right. Bob LowtherY"
Are YOU ever wrong. OH most sa-
gacious of your lovely seXy' returned
the host thus pathetcally appealed to;
whilst Charlie l.Hrking, a profane sub
altern newly Joined, " had the temerity
to advance that, in his opinion, if 1t
happened to be a lady in the profession
al line under discussion, the phrase
might be altered with advantage.
GLOW about her chalk-white brow,
for instance. now2 | put it to the
Vote he inquired, calmly glancing
round.
This injudicous sally brought a posi-
tive storm of abuse about his devoted
head, and the fun forthwith became
so fast and furious that Carlisle pres
emily rose. and, motioning TO his host
that "he'd had enough and to spare of
this sort of thing and eXcusing him
self to the ladies as best he might, the
young man resumed his hat and coat,
and walked out into the cold clear
night.
How gratefully the frosty air famed
his flushed cheek and thrObbing brow;
how serene, calm and holy seemed the
far-otf twinkling stars; how peaceful
the trOublous sleeping world beneath
its temporary cloak of snow, as Dick
turned ont of quiet by-street
into Piccadilly, and set his face
towards home
The young man heart was i'll at ease;
lllN lllVNkllNN ltNblltA INV NUN llt
mere recollection of the scene he had
but Just quilted, with its vulgar prodi-
gality. senscless extravaganza and friv-
olity, which had Just stopped short of
vice. lie found himself rejecting on
the sum total that little gon must
Lave cost the goOd-natured host, what
the wines and fruits alone represented,
the "Christmas-boXes" rendered the
"ladies,n the bets which had been laid
land paid on the faintest provocation
in short, the criminal waste of time
and money, record of the nights en-
tertainment inevitably suggested to IA
thoughtful mind. And to please whom
this lavish outlay BAH the enigma
scarce admitted Of any satisfactory So
luton. Rose and Stella, Baby and
"lhipps '-damsels who accepted such
costly sacrifices on the shrine of
Friendship rs neither more nor less
than their just deserts, and all in the
proper order of events. Tomorrow, in
all probability, they would make merry
at the expense of some other wealthy
admirer of Thalia. and, if the opportun-
ity served, remOrselessly turn to ridi-
cule the previous nights entertain
ment.
As such reflections crossed his mind,
| Dick Carlisle shrugged his shoulders
contemptuously, and then he drew u
| long deep sigh, regret for the wasted
hours mingling with relief in that he
was free at last.
lie was the only son of a country par
son, blessed with family of daughters,
and pious gentle wife. Until the last
| five years, Dicks interests had been
identical with those of his parents and
sisters, but in q lucky Tor lucklessP)
hour he had attracted the notice of his
wealthy and eccentric godfather, who
| had not previously seen the young man
| since his infancy, but was forthwith in
spired by a sudden affection for his old
friend Carlsle's only son.
Sir Jasper Earle was a childless wild
over, living in solitary state in lonely
mansion situated in sparsely populat-
ed district some half-dOZen miles from
the village of Durham, where the Rev.
Edward Carlisle had ministered for
more than twenty years, and all his
family had first seen the light.
When the baronet had originally
startled the inmates of the pretty par.
sonage by volunteering ito do" fol
Dick, 1t had been vaguely understood
that if the young fellows future con
duct satisfied his patron, his fortunes
would henceforth be ensured; and as
Sir Jasper believed firmly in lads
"seeing life," Dick had been sent
abroad, after short career at the uni
versity, to explore Continental capitals
previous to being installed with coup
lie of bachelor friends in luxuriou.
chambers in certain small house il
Piccadilly, from which coign of van
tage he presumably enjoyed as much o
life about town as his age, Independent
circumstances aud liberal allowanc,
Womb hermit.