The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-04-26
DUJLCIE.
A Philosophers Fancy.
FROM MALCOLM FRAzEE, ESQ, To MISS FRAZER
BY K cARaIAETHEN.


little sister rs IL an old Professor like me could
waste time IN such feminine pursuit as keep
ing diary. OF inscTbing cosby letters TO my \
friends. But you. spoiled Mabel, are not 70 DC 1
denied. My moral courage Qualls before /
thoughts Of the effect contradiction might have 4
unon vour autocratic nature. for / have long 4
ago learned that the greatest tyranny may De /
found IN litjle women with fair hair and pIue /
eyes Ike year own.
You comm isarate me on the dull monotony 1
of my seaside retreat, but repualate your i
pity. Duil e may be; m0notOuous II unques-
tiouably Is. Bat when / require variety Jhere /
Is the ehaareEuI sea to look at, while for amuse-
ment have the pleasure Of studying the char
acters of NV feIlow-lOigers aud of watching
little pIav between three drdmgtjs persona
which / rr5Shesy VIII end in the ringing OF
wedding bells.
The principal actors are young man who
reiaiccs in the p0etical name Of Aubrey st.
Oufntfn. ana calls himself / believe, poet, and
8 little girl with blue eyes and nothing that
distinguishes her from the rest Of the world.
She is here cutie by herself and seems to have
no one 10 look after her. She is rather white
and quiet. and wears shabby little brown
frocz, which, If j were the poet, 1 should IKE
10 replace by something bright and pretty.
Thev-thc root and the EiTl-sIt together az
vnealtime. walk together by the sea, read books
together, and speak 10 each other with their
ewes / think he patronizes and she adoTes
whichever way IL IS, they seem very happy IN
each other.
The other actor is, at present, playing the
part Of mere walking lady, but / foresee that
her talents will speedily raise her into prIma
donna and III were the girl with eyes, / should
fear for The poet She isa young widow, Mrs.
Charleton and we have already made ac-
ouaintance over the constant passing and re-
passing Of the salt-cellara at dinner She IS very
smart, very bright very beautiful If 1 were
n-rh+ tor
when she looks at me with the eyes ana voice
of Gree: IS Il IS / only fear for the poet
she must be cut Of her element here, and she
treats most CT the inmates Of the primitive lit
tie hotel with q silent contempt. if you can call
q complete zu0ring Of their presence contempt.
out Of sheer longing 70 speak with some one
she addressed me to-day at luncheon, and ask
ed me if did not find Saltliun very dull.
So dull ." she added, sweeping away meta
phoricallv speaking) the rest Of the company
with q scornfgl glance from her dark eyes,
" that l shall not put up with 1t long. Ny
sister, who meant 70 come with me, Is III. 1t is
only because j hate solitude that / come TO the
table d'hote. Tt amuses me to studym fellow
creatures"
And You find these Interestingly" asked.
" Interesting? no Unless il be those two
young things. she added, nOdding in the d.
rection OF The poet and the girl. They were
talking In low voices together, but at that mo-
ment the Young man looked up and met Mrs.
CharletOu's eyes. 1t struck me that he col !,
Ored little. and after that his gaze kept wan
dering back 10 her
She, too, observed il, for presently she turn
ed TO zoe with q significant little laugh.
he Is composing 3 sonnet to you" sug-
gested.
No, they are vowed to his Cinderella. Poor
dingv litile Cinderella"
" Yet Cinderella came ont of the cindeTs 8
fs-lfF hat "a
20 take III. the cudgels for the little girl " What
is she doing here all by heTself-s child like
thatf DO you know herr
"Oh. yes we are very good friends. She is 8
dear little girl. Her name is Dulcie-Dulcie
Meade-aud is g gOverness or something Of that
sort. She has been III, and has come here dur
ing her holiday 10 pick up her strength. She
must be very poor, for even now she gives daily
lessons 70 some people near here. She and the
poet walk - their house every morning, and
when her three hours teaching is over be
fetches her back. She is a good little thing.
She often comes and sits with me when / am
dull. ] must get her 10 introduce me 10 her
post" With that, she looked again at Aubrey
St. Quintin, with q half smile on her lips, and
I wished n2ore than ever-for Dulcie's sake
that her poet would give her new fTOck.
am not a iady's man, and I took it for q
sign that Ars. Charleton was very hard up for
c0npanioasaip when she invited me 20 como
70 her stJiag-room that evening after dinner
We might nave a little music" she said
I" or whist. II you prefer il. Duicie Meade al
ways come. aud have set my heart on getting
introduced % her poet that ] may ask him, too
Eou and with smile that almost made
me forget ny - years as two elderly people
can sit and do go0ssberry 10 the young ones
love-1aakinc. But, seriously, I am all in favo
Of il. Size IS too soft and gentle % grow into
poor, soursa governess, and the poet is-look
charming"
@He Is good-lookiHg," agreed, "but ho7
about the r5etryf"
81 d0nt know she said.
Bat ] fancy She viii know very shortly.
Well. having brushed myself up, and rattle
Tegrettiue lv quiet evening pipe and box 0
new books i presented myself IN Mrs. Charlie
tons sitting room that evening after dinner
She was sitting at the piano, and beckoned N
70 Join her. Aubrey s.. Qgiutin and Dulci
Meade were ca the balcony, looking yer
happy. and carrying On an unceasing dow c
conversion in undertoHes
hrs. CharletoH Is very charming, very clever
with the great att Of adapting herself TO othe
people She did not laugh at me for being
sleepy Old Professors you DO, impertineu
Mabel-ECr inuEdate me with professions
shop, but entered into a thoroughly intelliger
conversation, showing genuine inteiectu;
capab.litie Tar above the average. ! was yer
near forgetting that, as q rule, young widow
do not care 70 talk philosophy with men oil
enough 70 b. their fathers, and might be thel
now discussing the free-Will controversy hs
not MIS-. Charlct0n struck q few chords on Ii
piano and recalled me to myself
What kind Of music do You like" NJ
Frazerg" she asked. Your native ballads
] always think they lose all their charm unle
sung by ScOtchWOmau. Nevertheless / wi
do nay best for you"
Her best was very good, and ] had I
criticism 20 make. As she sang the constaI
oiaiog on tho balcony ceased and the poet w
attracted 70 the window 10 look at the SINCE
After one or two songs she turned 10 him vii
winning smile, telling him that as I had b;
my turn, IL was now for him TO choose VIII
she should sing next. The young fellow flush
with pleasure al being taken notice Of BY
great lady, and was AT her side in a momer
leaning on the piano, and telling her that
did not care what she sang SO long as she sal
something.
lie is q HicG-looEing boy, single-hearted a.
honest, should say, in spite OF his poetic
pTOpensities. and with one Of those faces WON
always fall ia love With-darls- haired and dar
eyed, with devotional manner 10 ali the Il
Sex, old OF young
Perhaps you sing yourself2 i am sure Y
do" said Mrs Gharletou. smiling back into
admiring eyes. Will you 2"
Oh, Boz l. ! can't sing note" he 6
EWered wish / could"
But then yea can write poetry, and that
even better"