The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-07-24

barometer. The rise was a steady one.
Next morning, when the slave ought to have
been in close attendance on her master,
cutting the end of his cigar, filling his
match box, and meekly receiving the orders
for the day, she was playing polka on the
piano, and actually forgot to wish the great
man good bye On and off during the day
Godfrey found himself bordering on
the alteration in his wife 1t was,
of course, bore to have her
whipped dog; but, after all, that was a
fault on the right side, and showed that she
appreciated her position as his wife 1t
was a sign of proper, if excessive subjec-
ton; but to sit playing a polka when the
hat brush was mislaid was an unheard Of
dereliction of duty. Godfrey returned
home exactly half an hour earlier to admin
lister carefully prepared lecture to the
culprit only TO find that she had gone to
the Gaiety with Joey. The solitary dinner
with no one to scold was dismal experience,
and Geottrey 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 'bosh, and had
the audacity to refer him to Lady Angelica,
who, no doubt, was an authority on that
sub ect as well as every other. Godfrey
was very moody all that day. The men at
the club voted him slow, and Lady Angel
lea called him bore to his face. 1t was
very annoying, but he was obliged to adj
init TO himself that his triumph over the
subiugation of his wife had been little
pramafura Tha r,rNaass t,nuct ba continued
and one great element in its fiual success
was, he told himself with secret glee, the
fact that, unless she had suddenly and IN
accountably altered, she loved him to dis
traction As that evening he walked
up Curlon street, it was this thought
that made him prepared to be
very gracious and as lenient as he con.
could be toward any little excess
of youthful spirits A sharp struggle with
the latch key was cut short by the butler
opening the door to let visitor out The
occurrence So late in the afternoon was
strange, and the appearance OF the visitor
so singular that Godfrey stared at the ap-
partition in unfeigued surprise His for
the visitor was mani face was partially
concealed by SLOUGH hat What there
was to be seen appeared to he of an olive
hue and adorned with a sweeping black
mustache. Inky locks hung in profusion
down almost to his shoulders, and the rest
OF the body was concealed in a cloak that
would have made the fortune of any melo-
drama On the stage Mrs. FitzSonnson's
visitor would have been IL his element. In
Curzon street us apparently was not; for,
WIZ Eli oath-or at least some foreign ex-
10 hat Oh to f.anTray afh
like picked onions"-he gave a swift glance
at the astoaished captain, ran down the
steps, and disappeared In the gathering
gloom.
Who the dickens is that, Squares
The gentleman did not give his name,
sir He said as how Mrs FIFTH ohnson
would know who he was. agd need not an
nounce him Squares spoke i'll tone of
respectful Indignation at this outrage on the
convenances. Godfrey kept his presence of
mind.
"Oh, of course had forgotten had
forgotten. What time did the gentleman
come This as an after thought while
ascending the stairs
AT half-past four, sir"
Half past four And it was now half
past seven.
Did any one else call this afternoon
Yes, sir, but after the gentleman Camt
Mrs EtzJ ohnson told me to say Not AT
home TO any other visitors"
Godfrey did not wait to hear any more,
but dashed into the drawing room He
half expected to find his wife the victim of
an assassin's knife ON the contrary, she
was at that eternal piano, playing a dreamy
Of Iuk in I'm
the room she half rose, but on seeing who
it was she resumed her seat, exclaiming,
oh, it's only you
Whom did you think 1T was; That Guy
Fawkes back again Who, may | ask, is
he; and what was be here from half-past
four till now for, to the exclusion OF every
body elsei'
Godfrey was gradually working himself
up into a passion. Florrie made no attempt
to calm him. but smiled family and struck
u few aggravating chords on the piano
If you really care to know, that Guy
Fawkes, as you are pleased to call him, is
Count Sparlatti, an old Dresden friend of
Joey's. He is an Italian, and when Joev
caulc back from Dresden the count came
with him to learn English. He was always
al Mumblethorpe. All me! [another plain
i've chord what happy days those were.
And what fun we had The count was my
sweetheart then"
why, you were only 9years old'
That's all' another still more plaintive
chord
Don't be fool, Florrie7 The passion
hal died out and the lecturing mood taken
its place. You are . now, and quite oil d
enough TO know that it is not proper to have
wen stay ing three hours tete tete with
you, and to tell the servants you are al
home to no one else DO you understand"
NO, | don't, the blue eyes opened their
widest Il thought it was the chic thing
to do OF course at Numblethrope they
would he awfully shocked, but then they
are so old fashined. They even have family
prayers But since have been married
have gained experience l have seen severa
charming women Lady Angelica for in
stance Could you wish me to take better
model Hence if any one notices my friend
| snip with count Spariatti You can tell them
that 1 knew him when he was quite boy
such a nice boy | may soon become Sc
charming that can make love in public
smile in tho nice boys face, put my HAND
on his arm for him 90 clasp in his. Only
| this sort OF thing requires practice, so yot
must not think it strange if l have few
| private rebearsals when am not at home
70 the world at large"
How dare you speak like this"
"Ub, you don't know how much i dar
when am put to it" But the defiant littl'
laugh ended in a sob and the dauntles
novice ran out of the room.
Godfrey gnswed his mustache, fumec
about the room, resisted, as unmanly, al
impulse to run after his wife, kiss away he
tears, and implore her to only be charnin;
on the old Mumhlethorpe lines, and final,
decided to contine his troubles that yer!
evening to Lady Angelica
From that fair oracle he received but yer,
cold comfort My dear Geof, it serve
you well right You thought because SD
had given you all her heart you were wal
rantsd in neglecting her. SO like mar
Mr. Lansdell was lust the same Now SD
is consoling herself. Quite right had n
idea she had so much sense. | admire hel
Do you think she would dine with me O
the fifteenth, BY the bye, if the necessit
should arise let me recommend you my 81
licitors. They managed Mr.. Lansdell's an
my affair beautifully. My husbands me
sages sound aim st aTectionate when the
come to me through the senior partner.