The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-04-26


take quite q fatherly interest IN her.
ooh, don't mind, she answered brightly.
I am very happy. Every one Is so kind.
Mrs. ChaTleton-and Mr.. St. Quintin."
The poet? ] must read his book before l
can Judge him fairly"
He is the cleverest man 1 ever met" she
said, with a tender pride that must have be-
witched Aubrey St. Quintin could he have
heard her; and his poems arc lovely lhaye
got them-I viii lend them to you if you like"
Altogether, By the end Of the evening we had
become excellent friends. 1t viii interest me,
while / am here, TO watch the progress these
young people make in their courtship. If can
trust my eyes, they are already engaged sub
rosa. and think each other perfection.
;
sA1coLm FRAZER, Esq, TO MISS FRAZER
Sept 5.
So you are interested in my character
sketches, are you? But, indisereet Mabel, you
have nearly forfeited all condolences by your
vile nsinuations concerning lovely young
widows" and the vanity inherent IN soft
hearted old bachelors" Neverjumpt to hasty con-
illusions for YOU may overlap facts and alight
on the unreliable soil Of fancy, rs in this case.
Know, inquisitiye little sister, that am I'M
perVious to all the poisoned shafts that ever were
loOsed upon man by woman. have found my
mistress. aud no time can be called lost that is
spent in pursuit Of her. You will argue thatIt
is waste of time to chase what can never be
overtaken, and that knowledge forever fees
those that pursue her. True, o sapient one!
But you overlook the roses that are gathered as
we follow in her ieeting footsteps, and no argu-
ments from your impatient pen viii ever make
me swerve from my allegiance.
an invulnerable to the sirens charm; bat
not so, imagine the poet. Instead of looking
in the face Of his little girl love- he gazes with
I - a J.. = Il
the brilliant beauty Of our fine lady, Mrs.
Charleton. If she guesses what is going on, it
is unkind Of her not to spare him. But be-
lieve the admiration is partly mutual, and that
our flashing ruby does not disdain the worship
Of so interesting subject as Aubrey St Quin-
| tin.
And what Of Cinderella?
| Good little Cinderella-why, she is innocence
! itself-goes into rapturous praises Of Mrs
/ Charleton to the poet; into rapturous praises
| Of the poet to Mrs. Charleton.
You viii wonder what place I can find in
! this triO3 / confess that ! am like dusty old
folio among elegant modern editions de l,tIe, and
/ that / serve the purpose Of mere utility. /
1 make the fourth wheel 10 the coach, and pre-
vent that announcement number which is said
70 be mere trumpery. 1 made remark to this
effect the other day, and feel morally certain
| that Dulcie, in whom take such q fatherly
interest, had the want Of feeling to murmur
| q" frumpery which was not nice Of her, when
I come chiefly for her sake.
To tell the truth, 1 am beginning TO feel sorry
for her, and try TO occupy her attention that
she should not think herself neglected when
/ Aubrey ForshiPs at Beauty's shrine. Not that
she has shy jealous qualms yet.
/ Probably he himself has no idea that he is
in the least degree swerving from bis affection
for her; and as for disappointing her .
bah / should have to shake him. The little
girl Is worth a dozen Of her captivating friend
-patrOness-w whichever position it Is she occu-
pies.
/ ike Dulcie because she is go simple and
honest in her love Tor these other two When
she gave me the volume of Songs and Ballads .
by Aubrey St. Qgintin she looked as proudly
Z At the little book as a mother at her frst-boTn
" Isn't he cleverE" she said, lifting up hel
eager, shy eyes to read my answer in my face
when ] returned It, 1t is not every one WHIT
r could write like that"
] was glad 70 be able to answer sincerely tina
7 considered the poems above the average, and
that the poet though not destined to be Nil
ton, tof course / omitted the last parcnthetica
| comment In speaking to Dulce,) had a goot
deal Of fancy and sentiment.
! No wonder he wrote well, with such q sub
! jeCt," ] could not help adding-it is the espe
, cial privilege Of elderly bachelors to max
speeches like this 10 nice little girls, and l die
! not mean il as fattery
By this time Dulcie and have assumed
! kind Of fstherly and daughterly relationship I
! each other, and it seems TO be pleasure to he
70 come to me with little semi condolences, O
70 beg for my opinion and advice on the tin,
, interests Of her life. She blushed a little a
: my remark and looked conseious-then said
/ 1 with childlike ingenuity:
We did not know each other then"
$50 you are not old friends. How long hay
: you known each otherG"
= On, / remember. l came here the end {
I July, and ] met him for the first time on
i Sunday-just three weeks and two days agt
: coming home from church. / be
: your pardon. II IS very wrong Of me 70 com
i and interrupt you with my silly talk Whe
J you are busy"
l was reading on the seashore, where she ha
Z Joined me. The other two were at a little di
= lance shrimping.
. l. like you, am on a holiday" I answere,
4 BY book can keep, and would rather hes
i about yourself Are you quite alone in I'll
= world Miss Dulcie?"
= Yes, now; ana only 1917 she said, strokin
: out q crease in the dingy brown frock IAN
have no home no fTiends-no one but hnyse
to work for"
= She did not speak complainingly, bat in
- dull, matteT-of-lact way that touched me-
can see what she wants well enough, poor 70
Torn little creature. ] suppose Aubrey S
= Quintin viii give il 70 her; anyhow. he ougl
TO. II not, and If 1t were possible, ! shou
i. almost like to adopt her as my daughter an
y see what / can do 20 bring some color into ht
- cheeks and merriment into her eyes by giYil
- her new frocks and feminine trihcs. Pshav
- what can this be but nay dotage coming OF
- Nevertheless, when she left ne laid aside n
book aud spectaeles, and calculated that If
~ had married at 20 and become a father at q
:, might have little girl just Dulcies age. Sti
- ] an glad / have not. How she would distu
he oil lF - ECt, I n
=. gagged IN some abstruse calculation, and AC
~ al my bachelor comforts would be destroyc
] suppose il is thinking Of yoa, 81
=. - bel, that makes me so prOsy, so / warn you TIA
~ this is the last letter yOa receive from me
la5 a long time. Perhaps If the fortunes Of DulC
30 and Aubrey become at all complicated / sh
80 commit the folly of inscribing them in n
a. . diary for your future edifcation. Marry
nc he must-Wretehed fellow to hesitate even
10 l have TO play go-between to bring him to t
I point. 1cannot have my Dulcie made unhapl
.