The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-07-23

side ana showed tnhJ sne appreciu,eu
her position as his wife. 1t was a sign
of proper, if excessive, subsection, but
to sit p laying polka when the hat
brush was mislaid was an unheard of
derelictiou of duty. .,
Geoffrey returned home exactly hall
an hour earlier TO administer care
fully prepared lecture to the culprit,
only to find that she had gone TO the
Gayety with Joey. The solitary din
ner with no one to scold was a dismal
experience, and Geoffrey felt distinctly
aggrieved. Next day things were no
better. Florrie was in tearing spirits,
received the deferred lecture with
ribald laughter, dismissed his theories
of wifely duty as "bosb," and had the
audacity to refer him to Lady Angel
lea, who, ''no doubt, was an authority
on that subject as well as every other"
Geoflrey was very. moody all that day.
AS that evening he walked up Cur
zon street it was this thought that
made MIN prepared to be very gracious
and as lenient as he consistently could
be towards any little excess of youth
full spirits. A sharp struggle with the
latch key was cut short by the butler
opening the door to let visitor out.
The occurance so late in the afternoon
was strange, and the appearance OF
the visitor so singular that Geoffrey
stared at the apparition in unteigned
surprise.
His (for the visitor was man) face
was partially concealed by a slouch
hat. What there was TO be seen APP
peared to be of an olive hue and adorn.
ed with a sweeping black moustache.
Inky locks hung in profusion down al
most to his shoulders, and the rest OF
the body was concealed in cloak
that would have made the fortune ol
any melodrama. On the stage Mrs
FitzJohnson's visitor would have beer
in his element. In Curzon street he
apparently was not, for, with an oatl
or at least some foreign exclamation
that sounded to Geoffrey like ''picklet
onions he gave swift glance a
the astonished Captain, ran down thu
steps and disappeared into the gather
ing gloom .,
"Who the dickens is that, Squares ?
"The gentleman did not give M
name, sir. He said as how Mrs. Fitz
johnson would know he was, and
need not announce him.
Geoffrey kept his presence OF mind
"Oh, of course. l had torgotted
What time did the gentleman come !!
"At half-past 4, SIR :.
Half-past A ! And it is now half
past 7.
"Did any one else call this after
noon 2"
eyes, sir but after the gentleman
came Mrs. FitzJohnson told me to sa.
Not at home to any other visitors.
Geoffrey did not wait to hear an.
more, but dashed into the drawing
room. He half expected to find hi
wife the victim of an assassin's knife
On the contrary she was at the plan
playing a dreamy sonata of Ruber
stems. On his entering the room sh
half arose, but on seeing who it wa
she resumed her seat, exclaiming, "Ot
it's only you !"
"Whom did you think it was Tha
Guy Fawkes back again Who, ma
| ask, is he,and what was he here fror
half. past 4 till now for, to .he exclr
sion of everybody else ?"
Godfrey was gradually working hin
self up into a passion. Florrie mad
no attempt to calm him, but smile
family and struck few aggravatln
chords on the piano.
"If you really care to know, ths
Guy Fawkes,' as you are pleased
call him, is Count Sparlatti, an ol
Dresden friend of Joey's. He is a
Italian, and when Joey came bac
from Dresden the Count came wit
him to learn English. He was alway
at Mumblethorpe. "Ah me J. (anotht
plaintive chord) "what happy day
: those were And what fun we had
The Count was my sweetheart then
"Don't be a fool, Florrie." III
: passion had died out and the lecturin
mood taken its place. "You are
} now, and quite old enough to kno
that it is not proper to have men sta
7 ing three hours tete-a-tete with yo
e and to tell the servants that you are
D home to no one else. Do you unde
! stand ?"
Il "No, | don't" The blue eyes ope
ed their widest. 81 thought it was Il
a chic thing to do. OF course,
J. Mumblethorpe they would be awful
shocked, but then they are so old fas
+ ioned. They even have family pra
ers. But since | have been married
! have gained experience. l have Sc
L several charming women. Lady A
gelica, for instance. Could you wi
|. me to take better model ? Hence,
y any one notices my friendship WI
l. Count Sparlatti you can tell them tn
knew him when he was quite b
}" such nice boy l may soon |
e come so charming that / can ma
l. love in public--smile in the 'nice..bo..
D, face, put my hand on his arm for h
J. to clasp in his. Only this sort of thi
b requires practice, so you must n
G think it strange if | have few prlvs
1t rehearsals when / am mot at home
% the world at large"
"How dare you speak like this p
d "Oh, you don't know how much
II dare when l am put to it, But t
a defiant little laugh ended in sob, =
6 the dauntless novice ran out of I
is room.
Ie Geoffrey gnawed his moustacl
A. fumed about the room, resisted, as I
e manly,an impulse to run after his wi
e kiss away her tears and implore her
" be charming on the old Mumblethor
3 lines, aud finally decided TO conf
l. his troubles that very evening TO La
!; Angelica.
l. From that fair oracle he receiv
but very cold comfort. "My dc
Geoff, it serves you well right. "
e thought because she had given you
d her heart you were warranted in ne
d lecting her. So like man. \
Lansdell was just the same. NJ
{. she is consoling herself. Quite rigl
=" had no idea she had 80 much sen