Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-12-30

| lnOOuB-uOt VI SpicHur
know ?" She had heard a Jolly poet
thus excuse pessimistic sonnet.
His face suggested agreement, and she
was emboldened TO go on, assuming an
argumeptative tone:
''Of course, you know, Mr.. Dobbs,
I'm not so foolish as to suppose that we
can do much 10 alter these things
though, of course, it's very sad, and all
/ tbatiH
Don't believe her." cried Jean En-
den, much 10 the establishment OF her
audience. "That poem was never writ
ten by person who thought such things
could not be helped.
The Countess laughed.
"You see what a champion | have, v
I she said. 81 must leave her to fight my
! battles. I believe she knows what
mean rs well AZ DO myself"
Dobbs turned 20 her.
"Of course, like the rest OF us you
admire these wonderful poems tremen-
dously 2"
"Well, don't know that 7 admire
| them so very much. / think they have
| faults, but am very fond OF them"
"An attached dependent, was the
mans comment, "but not a toady. u
And he looked with some kindness at the
( little woman in black.
care you going to the Derby - said
/ the Countess suddenly.
Eyerard Dobbs accepted this remark
rs finger-post TO point him away from
her book. lie took the path indicated,
and the talk turned on the frivolities OF
| life.
Here she was eloquent-even brilliant.
When he left her presence he left mys-
terry and took with him problem. how
such woman should have written such
/ a book This was the mystery. The
problem was the old one-how 10 make
the best OF both worlds-the sensual and
tho spiritual Had she solved it? he
wondered.
Apparently not, Judging by her talk,
and vet her book-so strong, 80 earnest,
so utterly true. He read the poem
again, "Not Wanted"
The companion had been right. "Not
/ Wanted had been written by one who
believed every word ihe wrote. Dobbs
had written enough poetry OF that kind
himself to know the real thing when he
SAW it, and for him there was no mis-
taking the note OF passionate sincerity
Then how explain the contradiction OF
her poems and herself?
Suddenly the humiliating thought
flashed upon him that il was not IN heI
but in him that the fault lay. Had she
perhaps seen through him seen that he
was more or less of time-server and
| IL keftQnie democrat, and had she simply
assumed that uncOmmonplace manner a:
the easiest way Of expressing her deter
mination not to cast conversational pearls
/ before balf-hearted swine
lie got hot all oyer-as we all do when
we think We are found out. lie made
one Of those sudden resolutions Of hon.
csiy whereby We seek TO deceive our
selves and those whom We suspect Of not
being deceived by US.
/ tie flung himself into a chair and be
gan to formulate TO himself his comics
sion, shaping it to be understood by the
writer Of " Not Wanted. y
81 will write and ask her to see me
alone, and then she will help me. an
certain she could help me-"
and ri the moment rose a vision Of
the Countess, her Partisan dresses, her
smile, her voice. How could that con.
fession be made to woman with three
chins? He stihed the thought. After
all the real woman was in that book and
not in that French gown. But the
memory OF that triple chin somehow
kept pen from paper and the letter wa.
not written.
The next morning brought him n coro-
ncted envelope containing an invitation
to n garden party, with a little line
across the corner: q DO hope you are
not already enyaged."
lie was already engaged but he broke
his engagement and went TO hampstead
ut the day aul hour indicated. lie
hardly hoped to be able to talk % hei
much, but reality surpassed expectation
as far as opportunities to talk went. he
almost mon0po.ized her, and she seemed
7 quite willing to be- monopolized bat no
had no chance of maxim his confession
Tor, try as lie would, he could not sci
/ her 70 talk OF her book. she carried her
aiieciaiiOn of uncOncern so far as to pre-
tend not even 10 remember the name oi
a certain churchyard, which had in
spired two s0nucts ID May Blossoms.
lie came homo baiiled, read her book
again. and determined, with renewed
enthusiasm, TO break down tie wall OF
reserve she he'd bnIt up between her
work and hin, and 20 get a. her real self.
4 vain determination. 1t WAS not
that he did not meet her often. tie mot
/ her constantly. and sometimes wondered
/ how it was that whereas before he had
seen so little Of her as not 10 connect
/ her with her name, he now met her two
or three times q week 40 dance, concert,
reception. or literary reunion. lie also
found that lie vas receiving invita-
I tions from people who were not quite in
/ his own pet set; and rs be hal not
written anything just lately, and had
/ done nothing very glorious, he found
| this sujaen influx OF cards mysterious.
Bat he concluded that talent WAS be-
coming more popular, and accepted his
invitations.
When ecould not talk to the Countess
he talked to Miss Emden, who Interested
him in spite Of her shy, constrained
ways, by her evident enthusiasm for and
comprehension OF Madame de Nnler-
may. But when no did talk 10 the
Countess he found it always impossible
to get her to talk OF the things he
cared for And hls final stroke Of i'll
fortune IN this direction was given by
himself by the unlu-k ky remark which
he made one day at a picnic:
81 believe you hate me 10 talk Of your
book"
"You are quite right" she said, q
do, " and laughed-the loud, gay laugh
that always echoed through his thoughts
OF her
lie then tried to get the companion to
talk Of the book and of the writer's views.
She would talk OF the book readily
enough, but OF the writer's views she had
little to say. And the impression deep
ened in him that they considered HIM
unworthy Of confidence on the great
subject Of the condition Of the people.
And yet the Countess did not seem TO
think him unworthy OF attention and