St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-11-25

named, and this disposition OF Glalac-
tiers resulted in the famous WatIeau
duel, which occasioned the loss TO thll-
adelphia and his friends OF MaXlmus
Brown, ESQ.,, late of the Rlttennouse
club.
Mrs. Adair's ball was given last May
it will be remembered, at Pearse nan,
the old Pearse mansion on the 1oik
road. and at that time Maximus, we'll III
with the fashion. was running alteI
Mrs. Luttrell, Miss Jenny CareW !naG
was. She was the rising, was the risen
star. Her husband had given nef n1G
only carte blanche, but, as rCackie
Capon said. cheque blanche as Wen ;
and with beauty ana wit aaaed
she easily stepped from conventional
precedence as BRIDE into actual power
and fame as leader of the world soutn
of Market street. As a girl, she had
taught school. the surest way to Phlla-
delphian hearts, which dearly love a
bit of charming, well-descended pow
erty: and it is a known fact that the
seven heiresses had provided the dresses
for the seven paupers who completed
the fourteen bridesmaids that smiled
behind her up the aisle of st. James
But her popularity could not prevent
the world from talking about her now !;
Peacock Luttrell's complaisance was
the theme of every tongue. Dinners,
lunches and theater parties Mrs. Lut-
trell gave innumerable; as many times
did Kingdom Bevan. Willing Richie
and Hartman Pearse appear to do her
honor and as many smiles of supreme
satisfaction were spread on the good
humored. red-bearded face of Pea
cock Luttrell, who had waited five
years for his wife to take him in spite
of his money. The smiles only increased
the scandal. and that grew until one
day there appeared in a certain New
York chronicle OF wide circulation a
paragraph so infamous that even the
club was Mortified. Whereupon what
Mr.. and Mrs. Luttrell did was this:
They went quietly to New York, and
there, after dining with an old friend
of Luttrell's, journalist, were taken
by him to the house of the editor OF the
chronicle referred to. The editor and
his wife were at home. Luttrell'S
friend named the Philadelphians. Then
Mrs. Luttrell, young, beautiful, and as
simply dressed as princess, spoke.
MADAM" she said, addressing the
editors wife, II have come to ask you
to read that paragraphs And she
handed her slip of paper. my hus-
band and IL she went on, 'desire that
you should see the woman Of whom
your husband speaks in it."
Il want you to look at my wife, mad
am," said LuttreIl, land say if you
think the truth has been told of her.
THAT is ALL" said Mrs. Luttrell. She
looked the other woman in the eye for a
moment; then she made grave, digni-
fed bow. and the visitors took their
leave. Nobody mad spoken to the ed
itor.
The next week the Chronicle printed
retractiOn and an apology, and Mrs.
Luttrell. who had returned home and
given three dinners, told one or two in
innate friends of the interview: and
gossip stopped for a time. But society
never really retractS or apologies; it
merely changes its adjective. BY April
Mrs. Luttrell's epithet was fixed. Peo-
pie gave over saying she was fast; they
called her injudicouS, and added an i'll
lection. This hackneyed euphemism
had its effect upon Maximus Browns
Imagination, and he redoubled his at
tentions. He was one of those idle men
who manumit their talents and appe-
titles and turn them into pampered ia
vorites; he lived much in the light of
what other people thought of him, and
whenever he could be overheard
without compromising his COM
panion, slightly raised his voice, which
was rich and masculine, though apt to
become pompous if he spoke too loud.
Mrs. Luttrell's wit did not brighten his
vanity; that was at once too settled and
too experienced. Travel and cultiva-
ton had confirmed him in himself, and
his handsome features and erect car.
Friage prevented him, as well as other
people, from discovering that in few
years he would become only a vain.
5tiresome fool. He held vague reruta-
{tion for gallantry, both carpet and mil
.itary;it had in truth originated with
eMaXimus, who was an adept in the art
of conveying mute and seemingly un-
conscious impressions of his own good
qualities. He chose himself for Mrs.
Adair's minuet. That great lady had a
perfectly just appreciation of him,
which she concealed for the sake of her
old friend. his mother.
1t was only ten days before the ball
that Mrs. Luttrell asked him to consent
to change of costume. He was tC
have danced as the Marquis. Would he
mind taking the Shepherd instead? He
showed that he was provoked.
"Surely, Mr.. Brown" said the lady
smiling, I'm the days of King Vatican
the shepherd was quite the equal of the
noble! And your dairy maid is beauty
and an heiress. Dear me, how difficult
men are!' I'm the days of King Cole
the gentleman replied, bowling, "the
fiddler was better than anybody.
looked forward to dancing with you"
"NIiss Luttrell studied his features
amusedly. ssDon't you see that | have
my reasonS?" she presently said.
sit is to your wishes, not your rea-
sons, that l YIELD" Mr.. Brown re-
turned. but the reasons are-?''
II want to prevent gossip" she an
swered, rising.
But her face wore miSchievOus eX.
preston, which set MaximuS ON his
guard. If she wished to prevent gossip
why did she dance with Kingdom
Bevan? Mr.. Browns vanity was not Sc
great as to blind him to the fact that
people had gossiped more about Beval
with her than with himself. Had Cos
siped; for lately Bevan's pursuit Of
Miss Almes had become marked, and
was to be disapproved by her family
Mrs. Luttrell, jealous of Miss Almes
perhaps? MaXimuS took fire. The
suggestion was one of those which have
for men OF the world an immediate and
convincing probability. Her object
was to recall Bevan.
From Mrs. Luttrell's house Brown
went direct to the club, and when he
arrived there he was all af1ame. In the
reading-room Beyan was standing be
fore new picture which the club had
just bought. 1t was called "a FOu
trance" it represented tall man, with
sinister. theatrical expression, choos
ing rapier, and it was said to be q
portrait of a famous Belgian duelist.
"Hello, Browne Bevan said, ''what
a. ass duelist is, eh?" And he
nodded at the painting. THAT fellow
won't kill anybody: all he is thinking
of is the figure he will cut in an EN-
broidered shirt and a pair Of lavender