The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-05-08
BOOK ONE.
LADY BEAUTY s MOTHER.
CHAPTER l.
DARKNESS IN BEAuTY's ABSENCE.

For the room had grown darker to GER
tainty. No doubt glass and silver shofe as
clearly as before, the damask was as white,
the bloom Of the flowers as rich, and the min
gled iightS-sunlight straight from off the
green lawn outside, and lamplight just com
ing into radiance on the dinner table-had
moi lost brightness by one ray. And yet the
room was darker. Everybody felt that |
spoke it aloud, and we all looked round the
table and the walls, and confessed that the
room was several shades darker
at always is darker whispered an old
gentleman at my side, when Lady Beauty
leaves the room-always"
There were six other men at the table; but
as we spoke two Of these fell into discussion
upon the old theme of Tory and Wing. Two
more--parsons struck off into some CONVEX
sation about "high" and alow." How the
third pair employed themselves | forget, but
they did not join our conversation Plainly
the elderly gentleman and myself were to
start dialogue of our own; and as plainly
We should neither be interrupted nor over
heard. did not know my companions name;
but his fine figure and his cheerful face had
already made me feel an interest in him, and
resolved to keep up the talk which he ha6
50 Pleasantly begun.
"Who may Lady Beauty be-" / asked
"Nou are a stranger here" replied the old
man. with a smile which pleased me more
than ever.
&,
"or you would know who Lady Beauty is.
Her praise is on evcryhody's lips"
But | said, generally l pay every lady
in room the tribute of at least one look;
and-and-l did not notice young woman
here this evening"
Il said nothing about Young woman
my friend continued with vivacity which
glanmed in his eyes and carved scores of hui
morouS little wrinkles round the corners of
his mouth. Lady Beauty is not yomg-by
the almanac, that is"
Then who can she bey" reflected Not
surely that spare aggTessive-looking woman
that Nit between you and me and talked of
female suffrage and the higher education of
woman"
Ny old friend laughed with great relish
That !. her eldest sister
Vol. surely not that tail. artifcia-look-
IN oil daijiS she an old maid. by the
way who had such fine outline and such
u suspicious hoom upon her cheeks
No, not her that is the second sister" the
old Gentleman answered, with another laugh
~ widow, ton, my Young friend
Il have It :" cried |, slapping the table a lit
flo fus tb,t H.,
Tory glanced up hut seeing it was nothing.
Resumed their argument 1T was that lady
in black. with the silver hair, neither stout
ror slim, who spoke so clear and low, and
seemed to keep everybody in good humor
about her. Pity sat 50 far away. was
euvying the people near her all dinner time.
Am | right
You are, he answered THAT was Lady
Beauty md when she left the table she did
take some light away with her You thought
you were making gallant sort of Joke ap-
piled to the sex generally; hut YOU spoke
more truth than YOU fancied The room tcds
darker when she left. Darker to me it al
ways is and my old friend breathed sigh,
which interested me more than ever.
ii did moi know il was she who carried the
light away" | said Il had scarcely noticed
her.
There is her praise the old gentleman
answered, warmly. "She does not force her
self upon you, And | dare say many DAYS
You don't look at the sun but when sunset
comes you mis- him none the less -
By such pleasant paths we entered into
conversation My friend told me many
things about Lady Beauty to which I
listened with an attention which pleased him
greatly; 50 much that. when we were about
to leave the table, he took me gently by the
sleeve, and said that, if ] had nothing letter
tn do that night, and liked chat and n |
cigar, and would accept a seat in his car
riage, he would tell me all the story of Lady |
Beauty. | was too much interested in him
self and his narrative to say no: and the |
story, So commenced, and continued on |
several subsequent evenings, have here re-
corded without any attempt at art, just in |
the simple way heard it. | offer it here for |
the acceptance, amusement and instruction |
of that portion Of creation who, as they are |
the fountain of life and its best prize NAV,
by the use of the gifts God has No choicelv |
bestowed upon them he not alone the orna- |
ment, but the joy of the men they love. In |
which high art | respectfully ask them to |
learn lesson from LADY Beauty