The Press., 1889-11-28

air of suppressed amusement which lent color to the notion
 $ Ethel unfolded it quickly, then sat trans fixed like who receives sudden and fatal Injury For before her horror stricken eyes i. glarod these words, In her own handwriting: Yours very sincerely, Jack Davenant."
 "What does it meani' she cried at last in hoarse voice for it seemed that some fiend- ish magic had been at work
 tsThats what want to know," Mrs. Byrne answered more gently. II received this note the day before yesterday. There was no address, and the handwriting was certainly not aJacks Nor is my cousin in the least likely to invite me to lunch at his chambers. So 1 wrote off to him at once, and told himsto drop in to dinner If he had anything to say to me"
 Ethel had fisen to her feet, and was stand ing with . little frozen smile on her face; but at this point she broke in hurriedly:
 Did you show him-Mr Davenant-the letterr'
 Mrs. Byrne nodded She was not person of delicate perceptions, and had come here bent on a little harmless amusement; but somehow the amusement was not forthcom ing
 Ethel clasped her cold hands together in a
 
 familiar with her handwriting; had he not made little criticisms, severe and tender, on the occasional notes of invitation which she had addressed to hint
 "Jack said he knew nothing about the note, and hadn't the ghost of an idea what it meant" 3e.
 .Oh, Jack, Jack,r cried Ethel's heart in parenthesis, .'what musex you think of mel"
 Mrx Byrne went on: s'Grace Allison came in later, and the mystery was cleared up. She swore to your handwriting, and we con ciiided you had done 1t in a it of absence of mind Poor old Jack, how she did chaff him r
 Ethel was trying to recover her presence of mind,
 .How could have made such stupid mis- taker she said. with short laugh. ''I sup pose was pursuing some train of thought. had met your cousin at party the night before-you know how it R.
 Mrs. Byrne was sorry for the girls distress.
 ssIt's mistake any one might have made, though you must own 1t was rather funny. However, can assure you this-it won't get any further Jack $ scarcely likely to tell, and Grace has sworn on her honor."
 Ethel laughed again, meaninglessly. AS far as she was concerned, the whole world was welcome to know it now. No deeper disgrace could befan her "I wonder If he is shrieking with laughter, or merely sick with disgust" the poor girl thought when her obthse and amiabie visitor had at last de- parted ,.aOh, how hate him, how hate himi" which was hard on Jack, considering that his own conduct in the matter had been irreproaehable But Ethel was in no mood for justice. 1t seemed to her that she had utterly betrayed and disgraced herself; that never again could she venture to show her self in a world where Florence Byrne, Grace Allison, and, above all, Jack Davenant lived, moved and had their being.
 Sick with shame, hot and cold with an guish, poor Ethel sat covering in the great drawing room like guilty thing.
 Ethel astonished her family at dinner that evening by inquiries as to the state of the fe- male labor market in New Zealand.
 Uncle! Joe, phflanthropic parson. who happened to be of the party, delighted to find his pretty niece taking an interest in sub ject sr little frivolous, delivered himself of a P short lecture on the subject.
 Ethel sighed at hearing that there was SC little demand for the work of educated womer (save the rlarkD in that distant colony, ani began to turn her thoughts toward Waterloo bridge fE'
 "Ethei funks on being an old maid She knows that positively any girl can lasso a \ husband in New Zealand, ? her brother Bot remarked in challenging tone.
 But Ethel bore 1t with uninterestiny meek ness; perhaps. she told herself, she was a hus band hunter after all
 After dinner she put on her hat and stole out into the street. She had been indoors al E day and could bear 1t no longer. The June evening was still as light as day, and simple minded couples were lettering with franl affection in Regents park. She had not gone R~sm MfxA u lov fov Go,rr< bearing down in her direction.
 'sOh, how I hate him-I hate himl' shs thought again, while her heart beat witt maddening rapidity. ''If he has a spark ol kindness in him he will pretend not to see me.
 But Jack, for it was he. made no such pre- tense On the contrary, he not only raised his hat, but came up to her with outstretched hand. She put her cold fingers mechanic ally into his, aud scanned his face; there wa! neither mirth nor disgust in it, and tht thought flashed across her, chilling, while il relieved her, that he probably attached little importance to an incident to which she knowing her. own secret. had deemed but on, interpretation possible. And then, before she knew what had happened, Jack wa walking along by her side, pouring out . torrent of indignant reproaches as to her de sertion of him i1 favor of .Dicky Carshalton at the Warring tons party
 ''It is you, cried Ethel, with spirit for tn, unexpected turn of, affairs restored her cour age, ''it is you, Mir. Davenant, who were un kind, to stand by and let old friends be vic 7timized without striking . blow in their be :halfl Prayswhat did you expect me to do Was to have said, No, thank you, Mir Carshalton, prefer lto stay here with MT Is Davenantf 's-S, '-A a" 1e.'''- -s ~
 'sAnd. Hsy6u had said it. would it hay, been truefs sss sfsta 's'fE '
 She changed her tone suddenly
 "Dicky 6 sneh a sborei I think prefe any ones society to his"
 He ftopped short in tthe path. seizing botl her hands, and looking down at her witt stern and passionate eyes.
 When next they met MT. Carshalton, botl Jsck and Ethel were beyond the reach O his maneuver& Amy Levy in Temple Bar
 Ants Afai<e . Temperance Drink.
 "Did you know that ants would make lem onadef" said . Bridge street grocer to Tribune man the other day. "They will, fo have seen them do it several times Tn other day left slice of lemon on the coun ter,' and there happened to be some sugar DO far oR, and directly noticed the ants carry ing the sugar to the lemon juice. I though | IA %l,.