New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-14
A SLIP OF THE PEN.

" Sa,r nof aware OF the extent of the dis
eonIfort he produced in more sensitive people a
freoprntcr u parties OF every oesciplio ne lS
fond Of NaTvIu- the mohoto"3 o. Ie socl"4
.o,tinc ht var ou~ hftlo practices or these ms
fayoritc not alas peculiar TO himself Is commonly
known a. speilu- sport whenever DlcAy sees
q rrsir of people Who appear 10 take particular
Get~Lt in ono anothcrs society, showing a ten
denry Ia seek unto Ia MaclNcs ieifei Is, ne II heNN4
esots+ed unt.l bv some bold stroke or cunning
s,r,t.l gem he has succeeded IN separating uieui ;
or at least, III ut>OteJ Ibo 'nV'' O"!"1 'ANii A' w.
rest of one evening. ,..., ,,,lr n
self-confdcuce and the most bfazen lmpudchce-
the obiec,> of his a. tack moreover PclAS from luo
nature of their position, comparatively defcnceIeH9-
II i needless TO add that though Dicky mas
his failure, on record they are great " outSFiPp'u
I'm numbers by his successes. 30 there is hOJllhs
wonderful in the TACT tlat Diclly was al the bottom
Of thar IN fortunate affair with Jack ana Ethel
Matters had long been IN delicate ana critical
state between those young people. Jack had toIu
bimself over and over again that Ethel was
hrt and that he, Tor one. mad no intention QI
adding himself 20 the list OF her victims Whi't
Ethel had relieved her feelings by repeatedly as
suring herself that Jack was a cross fellow, VINO
cared for nothing but his books, and was qlIue
imperv l0us 10 the charms of womanAOod
But that night at the W6rrlngt0n5 thng> IeAip
did seem 10 be taking q turn for The Det'er.
Ethel had boldly turned her back on hall dozen
other admirers, and Jack looking down INTO her
honest eyes. was rapidly forgetting the uouDts
and fears which had tormentcd Inn during the
past months. 100
There is no knowing. what might
P Bssn for Dcy ~BBS6 eae up 9 to them at this
hopeful stage OF affairs, his shoulders III MS e"iH
his hair brushed 10 nicely, and with the most
unInistaicible look Of mischief IN his prominent
" Good evening Miss Mariner he said. talong
Ethels hand IN hs and squeezing u with en-
pressement and then the two poor things SUD
denly awakened from their dream, stool there
chill and helpless while Dicky nred OFT ms ac-
custOned volley Of chn, and Ethel. with feminine
presence OF mind, ventured on ole or Two niue
pop-gUnS on her own account
Miss Mariner De said al hSt with,a satisfied
glance az Jack sulen face, have you been lnio
the conservatory They've put LOT OF PINK lamps.
and there's the most ScruMpioNS ttttt-tttt cIi'iiI
you can uaHnc.
Poor Ethel looked mp at Jack, who stood BY
furious ana sulky.
hasn't tho ordinary knine~- 70 reScue me from THIS
bore. and I have been So horribly aLliable %
him." SHE thought N despair.
- II she hikes that poplnlay, let her 60 win nm
and in an fhe- minute Ethel found herself actually
seated in the tete-l-teie chair with DlcN, whose
large eyes were rolling trumQhaDtly IN the Igif
She did not succeed in making her es ape tall it
was time e g home Jack was nowhere 70 De
seen. and she drove back in the chill gray morning
with the heaviest heart she had known for many
days.
Ethel said her mother at breakfast The
next morning, did you have pleasant time at
u" Oh YES mamma said Ethel dreariy She
was pale and heavy-eyed l think she Lad not
And who were there 27 went on Mrs Mariner,
helping herself to tttered eggs With chcery brisk
ness.
Ethel enumerated various people. And Dcl,y
CsrShalton.7 she conc uaed, and Jack Davouant.
The last name shipped out with exaggerated
carelessncss, and yet u was whlTlne about IN the
poor girls head. and had been doing SO for the
last five or six hours, ike an imprisoned blue
bottle IN a glass.
~Jack-Jack Davenant.~ WAS She never
10 have another definite thought again?
By-the-by7 sad Mrs. Mariner. as She rose
from table will you send note Florence
Byrne? ] want heT 70 lunch here 10 morrow al
ha lf-past Onc-the SingictOns are coming"
Ethel moved To the writing t''bie. blushine
faigrtly She remembered that Mrs. Byiuc was
Jack Davenants cousin.
Hahpast one recollect,7 criec her mother. as
she Fustied from the room.
Ethel listlcssy took up her pen, and pulled d
sheet Of paper towards her j. was not stamped
with The address, but She faied to notice tins, and
began n once
Ny dear Mrs Byrne7
Then she stOppad short and the buzzing.in her
BRAN went on worse than ever
THE note got written AZ last. all hut TN" sigma
ture, and then she began 70 wonder dre8mlE 4
she should sign herself " Yours very sincerely
or "' Yours afectiOD8tolv7
Ethel Erhel'- cried her mother. putting her
head in AT the door. going out civ" me
the mote for Florence , can take TO me post
wIOte hastily. but ID o bold hand
Yours very sIqceT,ely,
Mrs Bvue neither came 10 lunch nor answered
the Mariners imitation. Mrs. Marlner expressed
surprise al this want of courtesS and apolo4llad
TO She SiuQletons for having no one 10 meet them
Are you sure. Ethel you tod her the right
day Florence = "a town, Know, ana IL Il 50
e ] think il was all right. mamma Ethel
Piled vaguely, and never gave another thought
10 the matter.
But on tho r,o~rirl, Of tho uext 6av se she
was prbcJlslng Ler singing IN the great hoilahd-
sbrouded Grawn2-rOom. the door was flung open
10 admit benign and cOmely lady, who advanced
Mr.. Byrne.7 cried E,hel in some surprise,
eettlng OH the mu, stool.
MIs. Byrne estasy .shed herself comfortably in q
deep arm-c nan, then peckoucd the young girl
mystefiousl{ With d weA-glo'ed hnger' Come
Ethel drew a stool 10 the others side and SIT
down, smiling but mystihcd
Mrs Byrne played htte with the clasp Of the
siver,mOunSd hsod-bag which she carrl,d
from which, haviil- al last succeeded ia opaning
it. she prod uced "a stamped envelope addressed
DO YOU know that handwritina o- sbc said
GourishinR u beforc ktleps astonIshed ewes
IL IS my own ! wrote 70 ask you 10 lunch"
poor Etbs. answered simply; while the thought
flashed across her mind that Mrs. Byrne had prob
Read H. thenr cried that lady. with An air
Of suppressed amusement which leat color "a the
NOTION.
Luicl upfolded it quickly. then sat transfxed
ike one who receives sudden and fatal injury.
For before Der hsFror-stsIc<en eyes glared these
words, u her owu handwriting, Yours very sin
oeIeIy, Jack Davnamt'
What does IL mean SHE cried al lsst in a
hoaTse voice, for il seemed thai SEINE headsh
mage had been az work.
THAT'S what 1 want 10 know, Alrs. Byrne
answered more gcnoiy. fScelV we'd Tins note
the dag before yesterday. There was no ad-
dsss, and the band writing WAS certainly
n0t Jocks. Nor is my cousin ~ the least
likely 10 invite me 20 lunch at bis chambers So
wrote on 70 him at once and told I'm TO drop
IN y dinner II he had anything 10 SAY 10 me
Ethel had risen 30 her feet, AID WAS standing
with httle frozen smile on her taeej bat at this
point she broke in hurriedly:
Did you show him--Mr. DaVenaut, the letter.
MIb. Byne nodded She was not person OF
delicate perceptions and had come here benz