Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-03-17
THE MAGIC FAN.
JOIN s. WINTER IN THE ENGLISH ILLUSTRATED
MAGAZINE.
CHATTER l.


OF soldiers OF all ranks wore It's usual summer air
OF blasa detection IL life was too much for 1t and
~ was weary OF everything-ltseif most OF all.
sand and metaphorical thOrns were everywhere.
Horses steamed In their stables and men groaned
In their quarters. while those VINO were on duty
not only grOaned. but likewise ''cusSed" vigor-
oesly.
However In the officers quarters Of the cavalry
barracks about O'Clock on this particular after
noon an evidence " a contented mind and cheer
ful bearing made itself apparent, for loud and
especially Joyous whistling came from one OF the
officers rooms
There's old Daddy Longlegs whistIng away ike
the very devil" remarked one fellow 70 another.
cad, what spirits the old chap has, nothing seems
10 take m down not even such a taste OF the in
rernal "a we've had today. with the pretty nearly
certain prospect OF worse to follow
"Ah expect Daddy has managed TO get leave y
said the otLer man languidy.
'-Neveri By Joye. III go and see. II Daddy has
managed 10 screw another leave out OF the chief,
III 60 and Try my luck while he's in the night
mood"
without more ado Chester-better known in the
Creams the Bouncer-pulIed himself out OF
his chair ana went on 70 the quarters occupied by
Daddy Longiegs who by-the-by. was put down In
and took rank as the second senior subaltern.
II say, Daddy" began the Bouncer "what are
Gos TWO ~ days. iease si l paday GENT
ally "0o'nS up TO town for the Daverers
ANY chanceof my getting two days, out OF the
chief" inquired the Bouncer.
81 should say not the very smallest returned
Jane Is in a bad temper to-day, very. Wy II 0"-O0'
"Is IL the govt or the war office7" asked the
bouncer, with Keen interest, born OF a hope OF
leave. not Of anxiety for his chiefs state OF mind
Neither It'sTommy. don't quite know what
With toosnache than usual say. old chap. can
you lend me crush hat9 Minegot 1illed with Jam
or something, the other night"
m dnTlfr raf 1saH fssaf n
wants the shine taken on it,
"Oh, Smiler's hats are miles too big for me- re-
turned Daddy. BE quick and ask for your leave,
and as you are sure not 70 get It, send the hat
round TO me on your way.
You can get Smiler's," retorted the Bouncer
coony. HIS hesd Is rather bigger than yours but
his hat viii impart a dignity 20 your general APP
pearance which win improve you immensely and
tnsn, as Daddy Longiegs sent a good solid. sub
stantial ciotheS-brush spinning across the roOm
The Bouncer disappeared in a hurry 10 ask for his
leave.
Whether he got u or not makes no dinereece to
our story. Daddy Longlegs accomplished the loan
Of crush hat, and with his portmaneau went
gaily on 10 town TO spend his two days leave, and
enjoy himself at the Daverels dance.
Now IL happened that the Daverels were enor-
nously rich people; not perhaps quite Of the same
set as Daddy Ionglegs' family, who II poor, made
up for their poverty by a supelabundance OF pride
ana o still greater abundance or pedigree In fact
the Okedons were So poor ard so proud and so
blessed or cursed with pedigree. whichever way
you like TO put IL, that Daddy was looked upon
being able 10 give brightness and luster 10 their
dance, such as does not fall to the lot OF many
young men TO have the credit of.
The Daverels were city peOple-bankers. IL the
truth be told they were almost Jews. Not that
so much as a single drop OF semitic blood ran In
their veins unless. indeed. 1t had been Inherited
from those lost tribes OF whom we every now and
again hear so much. No, Il was not by blood that
the Daverels were almost Jews, but by assOcia-
ton, for the great nrm OF which George Daverel
was now the head stood TO the world as ..Mos5 a
I,averel" and without doubt the defunc. Mr. Moss
fSl ha1h Hs an TO Hob
q jew!
1t seemed as II the great house of Moss Da-
Nerel was fatedtO die out. unless its present head
thought nj TO take In partners from the large and
emclent stan In OrIer To keep the concern going,
tron yo Ine se pleps as staeners grait
rarity and past youth and beauty. For Mr. Da-
yerei had only one Child Violet, who would one
day b. the helress Of all his vast wealth, and who
now was the darling OF his heart ana the very
apple OF his eye. To be explicit, IL was for the
sake OF the apple OF Mr. Daverels eve that Wilrred
USedon had with Infinite pain and difficulty
screwed that two-days leave out or his unwilling
colonel that he had borrowed crush hat and had
come 10 town feeling IS blithe ana gay any bird.
And yet. when he had reached the great flower
decked, gorgeous palace in queens Gate, and had
scaled the crowded staircase and found himself
holdng the young hostess hand In bis, this big.
handsome, popular young arlstocrat. with his long
pedigree and his brave gray eyes, and his devil
may-car- contempt for everyt thing and every body
except just those which suited him for the
moment felt himself OF greater account than IL
he had been one OF the ridiculous insects whose
name he bore among his comrades
1--WE come awfully early, Miss Daverel- he ex-
planned, because l was 50 afraid you wouldn't
save me a dance: but you have, haven't you:"
NO. Mr.. Okedon, 1 haven't" said Miss Daverel
with a mischlevOu5 laugh
Then, good night said Daddy falling OF the
dizzy height OF sweet and pleasant hope at once
and gOing dOwn-dOvn-dOwn-tO the lowest
depths OF misery and despair. .'Tm going, Miss
no, don't do that she laughed, ..for though I
haven't actually saved a dance Tor you, I can give
you one As matter or fact, my program Is still
'.Why, how did you manage that." Daddy In
auirec, taking this reverse OF fortune with far
qpieter GOODNESS tnan he had done It's predecessor
He got no answer, however. for a fresh stream OF
guests began 20 pour up the stairs. and Miss Dav-
he had secured her program ne did not much Inind
the interruptiOn-in fact, he quietly took the on
portunity Of helping himself. and put a neat .sW
o." against three OF the best WaltIes.
AnG yet, although Miss DaVerel raised not the
smallest objection 10 his doing So and was looking
more lovely than he had ever seen her look before
Daddy Longlegs went back To his hoJel In the
small hours or the morning. and back 20 Alder
shot when his leave was ended without having
bought matters any nearer to the conclusion for
which he had been wishing Tor months past
without, indeed, having made the smallest attempt
In truth. despite his handsome face and his
brave and bonny gray eyes, his long. 1.-THE form
ana Ills popularity, his family pride and his family
tree, the Honorable Wilfred Okedon was neiIner
more nor less than afraid-nOL OF Violet DayereI
me beauty. nor OF Violet the girl, but OF Mss
Dayerel, the heiresS. .II only he sighed a. hi,
train sped swiftly toward the military land OF
sand and thorns, Iii only she were not so beastIy
rich; but the cursed money crops up every minute,
Just when I'm beginning 10 feel lbs all right /
wish she hadn't any mOney-or. no. 4 don't aulte
wish that; but 1 do wish had as much a. She
has could get the Whole business settled out of
nand IN brace OF shakes theni 1 think She likes
me, he went on, fondly. 1.-The question IS doe,
she like me well enough"
Now, when Daddy Longlegs was away from yio-
let DaVerei ne generally answered this question.
whch was one he asked himself a great MANY
Times In the course OF the day-rO hi, entire Salts
faction; Dut when he Was near her he seemed 10
forget that she was Violet the girl he loved and
70 remember only that she was Miss DayereI, the
heiress- ~
50 IL came about that a week or two later when
the Creams got their orders Tor the Egyptian
sluair OF 1857, Daddy LOnglegs went To saw good
oy 10 Violet Dayere feeling that now 10 would moi
oe right 10 speak, whether he convinced Of her
likiEg for him or not.
ference In the word To him. He might come back
manned and shattered out OF all recognition: he
might not come back at all
" poor Daddy had possessed as much perceprion
anu power or reading the human counIenance as
ne had honor, he would just have told Violet Dsy-
sro tnat IL " As only his body which was going out
70 active service, unless. indeed, she would give
Mn heart 70 take with MIN. But Daddy did not
kno" the heart OF woman. and so. In spite OF the
agony IN Nlciet Dayerel's blue eyes he said good
bye, and went away.
fsfhaps, the girl murmured as he held her
an a. pLtlng, perhaps you Will let hear how
you are getting on? We shall be anxiOu5-father
anu 4, ana you have time 20 yrite-JO write a
line or two, father will
Il Will write 70 you IL may cried NOR Daddy
~, -, you may, answered Miss Daverel ln a
~ !. hnn, "olu nave made ninety nine men out
vi huhireu propose on the spot
But DADDY was the soul OF honor He navar To-
lnOnrnt urc1mt OF taking ADVANTAGE of tha soft