Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-06-26

u.
stop the others from using ii, dare say we
won't" he said, reentingly. II don't know.
You'll have TO see the city editor about that"
dismissed the young man and went to bed.
But 1t was a bad night for me. And 1t was
worse morning when read the cruel and in
Hated story of the mysterious Kansas City
grass widow" and my noble young Arthur in
all the newspapers
OF course this was romance. 1t was forgot
ten by the busy and hurrylng public. But II
gave me deep wound. II reused unfelt sus-
picions in my mind. I knew that did the
poor boy great injustice. l did not even har-
Dor these Injurious suggestions. Yet there they
were. The evil seed had been SDwn. might
trampie them down, but they were taking
root.
When poor old Crosby disa ppeared, 1 had
learned to distrust detectives. Now learned to
despise them. more inefficient and selfcon-
ce1ted class of men 1 had never met. After
weeks OF search and with large sums OF money
at command. they produced not one clue of
but everything ended nowhere. 1t was mel
ancholy and ignoble failure. For time /
paeea reliance 1hn on on Chicago detective an
great things in the way OF clue-hunting, and
Oh whom strange to say, the New York detec.
tives We're not in the least jealous They had
no occasion to be. He talked muchand did
nothing.
And yet this Mr.. Manning. without my know
ing IL, ala succeed i'll winning my confidence; L
toid hlm OF my great affection for my grand
nephew, and of his friendship for poor old Cros-
by. These things We're not germane to the case;
but, in the loneliness OF my heart told him
them. He was very respectful and very SYM
pathetlc. lie was not at all OF my sort, ii may
use That phrase, but insensibly grew to like
tue man, and when, after few weeks stay in
New York, he returned TO Chicago / was sim
eeTey sorry to have him go. He was a good
OF course, Manning did not fully sympathize
Win me In the feeling that a cloud had been
orousnt on the family name and honor by this
mysterious disappearance OF my granddaughter.
l could not expect that Manning was not a
thorough bred. Still, the evident and sincere
interest with which he followed all my lines of
mental exploration, and they were many,
rather won my regard. And that was why l
was sorry when he returned to Chicago; and
tnat was the reason why, a few months later,
when the gay season had returned to New York,
with the SHOWS and 1rosts OF winter, that was
months card fromo old man Dexter, the racing
man; and he made himself very much
at "a, nome with the younger members OF
the club vino declared that he knew every thing
worth knowing about sporting matters. had
not noticed that he was well Informed on those
subjects. am not a sporting man. But had
made mental note to this effect: "This man
mas read every book that have, and some that
have not
Meanwhile, with sorrowful eagerness that
cannot describe, had kept up my quest for my
boy, now ten times more dear than ever had
supposed that body could be to me. 1t was
vain. Hope fled and was replaced by an appre-
hensive certainty which in turn gave way to de-
spair.
Arthur Spencer had disappeared as utterly as
II The earth had opened and swallowed him.
To say that lite seemed empty and frivolous
TO me now that so much sunshine had gone out
i
not think that have ever been much of what
the world calls society man. Social life in a
fashionable city has always seemed very hollow
ana shanl-iike TO me. "But it is the best we can
get, have often said to some of the social CEN
sors whom have met. Let us make the most
OIL H.. But now, all the cy nical things that l
had heard said came back to me with new
Iorce. was losing my relish for the society Of
my fellowmen.
why do you make yourself such a recluse
this winter, Mr.. CHESTER" asked one gay young
woman VINO could not possibly have heard OF
my great and consuming SORROW
because the world OF society has gone on and
leit me mgr and dry, like stranded hulk" re.
piled, as saliy as l could. ave old fellows are
being crowded off our stools" added .'Those
10 the snubs and sights of their own sons and
daughters, are not So badly OF; but We take the
Sings ana arrows all the same"
The glddy young thing laughed and said:
"Soclety Will put on mourning when you HE
you to That monastery that you seem to have
In your mInd 5 eye, DIR. Chester"
monastery! 1t was not a bad idea. Must
one needs lie Catholic, l wondered, to be a tit
Candidate for monastic retreat?
Ana yet, 1t was supremacy foolish and selfish
ior me 10 even SO much as entertain the idea OF
night from the world and its incessanl de
lnands. lhey Uere lncessant. That was Just
the trouble. How L hated the cards and inyi-
tatlons that came in upon me, day after day.
W nat u WEAKNESS 10 the flesh those mems dim
hefs, In which was wont to take delight, grew
10 De. There was the same everlasting round
Oh oysters, soup, bOuches, fish, entrees roast
sorbets game, Salads and So on and SO on, with
the same almost unvarying list OF cliublis,
sherry, white and red wine, champagne bur.
gundy ana lqueurs, the SHINE fellows, the same
cigars, and even the same walters and the
same servlle DondmdI, VINO stood ready with
mercenary grin To help one ON with his wraps
ana snatch u pOa-0Oire with oDsequiOus haste
Ii was all hollow.
When the familiar spirit of AsmOdeus had
taken the ROOFS of the houses the affrghled
student Oh human mature wanted to see no
more. The joy Oh my Lille having been cIouded
III not permanently eclIpsed, began tO,see how
neaflleSs and lnslncere the world vi society
was. wanted no more dinner-givers hunting
around for men and women 10 look well or tn TX
we'll at their tables. Match-makers eagerly IN
quest OF eligible young men or maids Tor their
nets. Fortune-hunters sharply looking out for
opportunities To swap off an eligible figure and
goOdiy apparel Tor the hand OF an heiress. Sell
lsh pleasure-seekers on the lookout Tor OF her
men to help them kilftime. This seemed 10 be
hardly worth living tor or living with.
MannlnS-1t Was odd how grew To like that
nlah!-asfeed with Inc III thinking that Lie was
very much OF Il sham, take ii by and large AT
Times, so great Was my respondent disgust, [
even thought OIL seIi-desiruction. But put the
Thought away with selicontempt. No Chester
had ever done disionorable deed. Suicide
was dishonorable. 1t was bad emo lgh to have
TINS cioud OF mystery hanging over my poor
BOY 5 name and late. blushed To think that
mad even Instantly contemplated (eio de sc.
My perpieXity was deepened by Manniny's
return to Chicago, tor was left alone with AN
unsy mpathetic world. Not that he was especi-
ally CONSIDER; but nobody was u CONSIDER: aud
therefore missed MS imperfect sympathy.
10 De C0ntinued)