The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-11-24
A MERE SCOUNDREL.

They were in humble circumstances.
Not the humble circumstances which
poetry and the stage render picturesque
but the dead level of lower middle-class
life. The hero, and less heroic hero
never breathed, was-dare tell it?-serv-
ing behind cheesemonger's counter. He
was young, tolerably good-loOking, lazy,
unprincipled and dishonest. There, make
hero if you can out Of these qualities.
And yet two women loved him, nay, three;
but it is only with two that we need Con
Germ ourselves now. All, if it had not been
for these women could ! ever have at
tempted to tell the poor weak scoundreps
storyt They were two of a numerous
class of young ladies employed by large
draper in one of the northern
suburbs, and were not di5tin-
guished by beauty or refinement from
their companions. Perhaps they giggled
q little less and talked less pertinaciously
about their own affairs while customer
was waiting to be served. As a rule
young ladies in shops, magazines, or EN-
poriums, are chiefly remarkable for doing
their hair in the very latest fashion, call
ing each other dear" necessarily, and hav-
ing an immense number of secrets to con
flde. Mary Hodges and Ruth Stevens
were little more staid and reserved than
most of their colleagues. This was &C
counted for in volatile minds by the fact
that Mary was q if she was a day, and
that Ruth was too much under her infiu
ence to be quite like other girls. They
were great friends. Mary felt a kind Of
protecting affection for the timid, retiring
girl who was almost alone in the world,
and Ruth conceived an enthusiastic de
vOtion for her protector and guide.
1t was a grand event for Ruth when
her friend invited her home to tea
one Saturday evening. 1t was also
the beginning of all her misfOrtunes
but that she did not know then, and
perhaps never believed. Ruth went to
her own lodgings and changed the black
HOck she wore in the shop for a pretty
grey one which was her best, and then the
two young women trudged through the
wet, dirty streets to Mary's home.
"Perhaps your brother will be veXed at
your bringing me,~ queried Ruth, ever
anxious to speak of that wonderful
brother Of whom Mary had told her sc
often.
@DickP He'll be more than pleased,
can tell you. He finds it dull at home
with only me to talk to. That's why he
goes out so often"
1t seemed anything but dull home to
Ruth as they entered the little parlOr,
which, with couple of bedrooms, formed
the dwelling place of Dick and Mary
Hodges. 1t was only small room, with
horsehair chairs and sofa, faded red cur
tains and well-worn carpet. The only at
tempts at aesthetic decoration were a few
stuffed birds in a case and wax water
lily on a piece of glass. But to Ruth, &C
customed to a dingier and lonelieI
apartment, it looked positively luXu
rious. Besides, was it not adorned
by the being of whom she had heard
and dreamt so much that she had lost
her foolish little heart without ever
having seen him? He, Dick, did the affable
host as well as he knew how. He was
not always In the most amiable tenn
per for when things went wrong, and
they generally did go wrong, he was
surly and irritable. But tonight he
wGs in a heavenly frame of mind. He
helped Mary get the tea ready, he cut the
bread and butter, calling on Miss Stevens
to admire his domestic qualities. He
chaffed her about her young man, of course
eliciting vigorous protest that she should
never marry.
"Who could care about a girl with red
hair and such an ugly name?" she asked.
Whereupon Mr.. Dick declared her hair
was lovely color, and that Ruth was his
favorite name, became it reminded him of
a young woman in the Bible who was
suoh an uncommonly loving little party.
"She had two husbands" sighed Miss
Stevens. 81 don't think any woman ought
to have that"
HNot at the same Time" said Dick
Which remark provoked a blush from
Miss Stevens, and the conviction, admir-
1ngly expressed, that he was "very
wicked"
Altogether, to Mary's great sat
isfaction, the brother whom she
adored, and the friend for whom
she felt such a warm affection, seemed
to get on together wonderfully. When 9
O'Clock struck, and Ruth expressed her in
tention of going home, as she didn't like
to be out late, Dick told her she might
just as well sit down for another hour, as
it wasn't likely he was going to allow a
pretty young lady to go home by herself
after dark. Then he mixed some hot
whisky punch, and insisted on each of the
girls having wine glassful. And when
Ruth refused, declaring she never drank
anything but water, he took hold OF her
round the waist and forced her to drink;
until, what with blushing, choking, and
laughing, Ruth's little pale face was as
red as peony and she altogether differ
ent girl from the demure little person
who stood behind the counter at the drap-
cry establishment.
what an oVenttul evening UnaC was
What q walk home when her escort in
sisted on going the longest way
How he pressed her hand beneath her
cloak! and - browning audacity - with
what cool lf-possession he kissed her
flushed cheek as they stood together on
the doorstep! No 'ondGr -UhaG R'Githl r6ilttf
-ss-iA che turning point in her life was
cached. No man had ever kissed her be
ore. No man had ever protested to find
beauty in the colorless face and eyes and !
'ale red hair.
That was only the first of many walks |
hese two took together, until Mary hoped |
md believed that her brorher was going
o give up the faults and follies of his |
outh and settle down into a respectable |
married man.
At this time Marys feeling in regard to
Dick were undergoing a change. She /
ardly knew, and certainly would not
ave owned it, but her belief in him had !
eceived many and severe shocks of late.
.ver since she could remember, she, two
ears his senior, had assisted him in every
ray; with advice, which was appreciated
% little, and with money, which was APP
reciated too much. But recently she had
Oserved in him caIlousness, a sort of
which filled her with surprise
nd apprehension. "He will be all right
hen he is married" she told herself,
DIT daring to face the question whether
nth was the sort of woman to gain influ-
ice over him, or whether she would be
)Fne down by the force of his will and nv /