Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-11-01
WHAT WAS HER sTORYa


pleasant little Friday dinners. and ia
lius Kerr, the eminent surgeon, wit
Linhurn, the writer, were on their wa,
together to Kolokythia Lodge.
The story Of both these men woul'
BE- worth telling, as would, under Ger
tain aspects, the story OF every man
Kerr had seen more Of the tragedy 0
life than falls to most Of as. Linburn'l
experiences In Paris and In LoLdor
would have furnished the materials fc'
4 dozen romsnces, and had he beer
content to write Of men and women as
be had really known them, instead Of
induleing in the absurd creations oil his
brain. be might have made less ephe.
neral name In literature, and would
certainly have saved his reviewers col
umns Of scathing criticism.
But tonight Kerr and Linburn were
10 be spectators, not actors. They were
going to eat Mr.. 'Campion's dinner,
study MIR. Campion's wife, and compare
notes together afterward.
Such, at least, was Linburn's inten-
ton. lie was writing a new book, and
meant 10 utilize Mrs. Campion as hero
inc. Not, Of course, Mrs. Campion as
she really was, but Mrs. Campion as
she appeared in the light Of his own
mystic imagination, which was very
different matter.
"Deal leniently with Mrs. Cam
pion," Linburn was saying, as the Two
Young men drove out West. I" know
sho has her faults. but her friendship is
precious TO me. She is one Of the few
ladies I know who dares to let her
shirt beat in unison with mine."
Kerr was so we'll accustomed to Lin
burns peculiar phrascology that it no
longer struck him as ridiculous. He
understood the drift Of the above speech
to be that Linburn was :" aur petits
SONS " for the lady, and that in return
she probably allowed him to read her
his novels in manuscript.
"Why should / deal severely with
her =" said Kerr. 81 go prepared to
admire everything see and hear. Be-
sides. after accepting the gift of din
ner, consider it ungracious TO criticise
the giver."
"Ah but / particularly want your
opinion Of her," answered Linburn.
~ To me she is as profoundly interest
ing as q study by an impressionist; |
but, then. ] know | am too emotional. |
want to know how she strikes you as
a man OF the world"
Linburn's assumption Of innocence
was amusing. He had been artist anG
actor before he took to literature, and
might be supposed to possess quite as
much knowledge Of the world as other
people but he cultivated mental affec-
tation with the same assiduity he be-
slowed on his extremely weedy NOUS
tache, and with infinitely greater sue
cess.
II Am well aware that my opinion
will not have the slightest weight with
you" said Kerr, "but confess / sm
anxious to see this siren who, the very
antithesis ofall you professedly admire,
has yet managed to subjugate you so
completely"
at is just because you will view her
from such different standpoint that /
shall prize your opinion" said Lin
burn. SAT first / fear she may i'm
press you unfavorably. There is GER
tain brusquerie about her, arising from
her very womanliness, which she lifts
rs a shield between herself and an OBJ
trusive world. 1t is necessary to break
down this barrier before you can taste
Ill the tender passion of her spirit.
She is lady Of exquisite suscepti-
bility."
Kerr laughed at this, because he
knew little of Mrs. Campion from
other sources. Her exquisite suscep-
tibility" was said to be nothing more
than histrionic power Of stimulating a
warmth Of affection she was incapable
Of feeling. 1t was this quality which
her interesting to men, and
which had enrolled the tickle Linburn
among the number Of her slaves.
There is an jmpalpable charm
about her." continued Linburn gravely;
"a simmer, fragrance, a melody,
which | am powerless to describe. Like
the bloom on the peach, like the dust
on the butterhy's wing, in attempting
to apply to it the coarse test Of words
you lose it forever"
"a delicate attribute, indeed !"
said Kerr, laughing, sand l cannot
admire your GOODNESS in
asking me 20 diagnose it for you.
Where the Lotus-lover fails what can
you expect from a wretched Philistine
like myself"
Ever since Linburn had published
+" Lover Of the Lotus" q book which
had drawn down on its unblushing au-
thor's head torrent of ridicule and
abuse. he had been in great favor with
Mrs. Campion. He dined at KolOkythia |
Lodge whenever he chose, and was
allowed TO bring any friend he pleased,
provided, Of course, the said friend was
q man Of some mark, and prepared to
worship Mrs. Campion. 1t was on
these terms that he had proposed intro
ducing Kerr, and, although he was sure
that the young surgeon would please
his hostess, he had some slight mis-
givings as TO whether his hostess was
the sort Of woman to please Kerr.
"By the by, has not Mrs. Campion
9 daughter" asked Kerr presently,
with view to diverting the stream of
Linburn's eloquence.
"Yes, she has several daughters"
said Linburn "but not one has in
herited the mothers subtle charm. Its
uniqueness intensifes it. To multiply
II would be to divide it. Precious as
the aloe, il blossoms once only in a
century"
Here he thought it picturesque to
breathe a gentle sigh, although he did
not feel at all melancholy, but. on the
contrary, pleased with the neatness of
the phrase he had just turned. He de-
termined to write IL down when he got
home, and put il into the new book.
Kerr was suddenly struck with the alb
surdity Of his companions language,
and laughed again.
ssDc talk sensibly," he said, sand
see II We are going right. 1t strikes me
We shall reach Acton five 50 on much
further"