The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-07-20
WHICH WINS 2
[ooNrrNUED FROM FIRST pAGE.l


constantly, and sometimes wondered how 1t
was that whereas before he had seen so
little of her as not to connect her with her
name, he now met her two or three times
week at dance, concert, reception or lit
erary reunion. He also found that he was
receiving invitations from people who were
not quite in his own pet set; and as he had
not written anything just lately, and had
done nothing very glorious, he found this
sudden influx of cards mysterious. But
he concluded that talent was becoming
more popular, and accepted his invitations
When he could 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 eompre-
hension of Madame de Villermay. But
when he did talk to the Countess he found
it always impossible to get her 10 talk of
the things he cared for. And his final
stroke of i'll fortune in this direction was
given by himself by the unlucky remark
which he made one day at picnic
81 believe you hate me to talk of your
book
aYou are quite right" she said, Il do,
and laughed, the loud, gay laugh that al
ways echoed through his thoughts of her.
He 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 deepened in him
that they considered him unworthy Of con-
fdence on the great subject of the condi-
ton of the people. And yet the Countess
did not seem to think him unworthy Of
attention and kindness Indeed, Hamp-
stead, after its manner, soon "began to
talk, and to foretell--the good natured a
match, and the ill-natured an esclandre.
One evening in July he had been asked
TO one of the well known Hampstead
Drawing Room Meetings held to consider
Socialism" Unkind Philistines have said
that at these meetings there is more firta-
ton than Socialism; but DObbs, at any
rate, went single heartedly, and with that
consciousness Of extreme virtue which is
one of the compensatiOns of those who at
tend discussions on political economy.
He was there early, and when the arrival
of the next guests drew his hostess from
his side he stood leaning against the
mantelpiece, watching the door and amusing
himself with speculations and criticisms on
those who entered There were only three
or four accredited Socialists and there was
about most of the others an air Of premed-
itated good humOr-the kind of expires
sion which guests wear at dessert when the
children are brought in.
He rather started to find himself look
ing up with increased interest when Miss
Emden came into the room, and he was
still more astonished to find that disap-
pointment was not quite the feeling with
which he noticed that the Countess was
not with her.
He went forward to greet her, and sat
BY her dur:ng the meeting. IL was in
teresting to him TO see every point made
by the Socialist lecturer met by fash Of
approval from her dark eyes. She looked
very handsome, be thought, when her face
lit up like this. The greater part Of the
audience listened with the tolerance which
one shows to n schoolboy exhibiting his
stamp album or his collection Of birds
eggs.
When Socialism had been considered
for a couple Of hours the meeting broke up,
and Dobbs found himself walking along
beside Miss Emden under the pale July
stars.
She walked along quickly, only replying
by rather snappish monOsyllables to his
conventional commonplace about the meet
ing.
am afraid something's yexed YOU he
said presently.
She turned her eyes on him quickly.
aHave been disagreeable 2 didn't
mean to be. But this sort Of thing does
annoy me fearfully-mOre than | can
say"
@This sort of thing ?"
aYes-I mean-Oh, its too much to
hear these snug, Sinking people, in their
comfortable drawing rooms talking about
the poverty they are causing, and profting
by-just as they would discuss Chelsea
china or the last new novel. "
i.You see they don't realize it.
aThen they should hold their silly
tongues. When one knows what poverty
means one can hardly sit still and hear
them talk. One wants to jump up and
knock their empty heads together"
II didn't know You felt so strongly about
this. Have you ever looked into the con-
dition of the poor2"
She kicked a pebble along the pave
ment,
aThere that's another of the phrases
that drive me nearly crazy looked into?
I've been in the condition
@0h--I beg your pardon and he
stopped short, confused
'Oh, there's no reason why you should |
beg my pardon. | am not in the least
thin skinned, thank God I! about having
been poor. And since we are on this sub
ject. | was penniless when the
Countess took me to live with her. l owe
everything to her-everything- very |
life"
The yehemence of this astonished Dobbs
still more. He badly knew what to say.
Il suppose then it was from you that
the Countess got her knowledge of-of
that sort of thiug2'
aYes.H
aWhat remarkable woman she is =