Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1889-05-25
BEAUTIFUL jim.
By JOHN STRANGE WINTER

solutely and without any circumlocution
whatever refused to go with her.
"But. Polly. we have been so intimate, 4"
she expostulated; land what will it look
ikef What will people think"
II don't care what people think,
mother" Polly replied; lit can be no
body's business but ours whether we
choose to go or not. ANY way. l am not
going"
but, Polly. dear Mrs Antrobus
began. when Polly interrupted;
Il will not go. mother Pray say no
more about it.
"But it will look so odd." Mrs. Antro-
bus persisted I'VE were SO intimate.
well. mother. don't wish to prevent
you and my father from calling on Lady
Charterhouse if you wish, only don't ask
me to go could not do it. 1t would be
most painful to me.
"You shouldn't have refused him then,
my dear, remarked Mrs. hntrobus. airily.
for with her it was constant habit always
to make the best of things, always to wear
mask If she wore one at all and Ia this in
stance, as in many another, she spoke Of
Lord Charterhouse to Polly just as she
insinuated certain things concerning him
to the world
1t is wise and brave habit. though to
be sure it is neither lovable nor true. and
Polly turned her soft and pretty eyes
upon her with such an agony Of reproach
in their blue depths that her mothers
mind went straightway back to a day,
many months before. when Mrs. Trafford
had told her of Lord Charterhouse's en-
gagement to his cousin. when she, believ
ing that he was in love with Polly, and
AI.t D.n. l., -. @A.a nod
kept the knowledge to herself. and had
left Polly in the firm belief that his at
tentions to her pointed to but one end
the end which would take her to the altar
in all the simmer of satin and pearls,
and make her my Lady" forever.
Mrs. Antrobus was possessed of that
very useful and convenient kind of Eeart
which takes a good deal of touching, but
that one reproachful look of Polly's went
straight to it and pierced it through; for
she remembered that if she had been open
and honest with her favorite daughter,
she would probably have been spared all
the pain and humiliation which the affair
with Lord Charterhouse had caused her.
Il wish you would not say that | re
fused him. mother" she said. with some
dignity; and then she very softly went
out of the room and walked upstairs to
her bed cham Der, where Mrs. Antrobus
did not just then dare TO follow her.
So Mrs. Antrobus was in measure
obliged to let the matter of calling or not
calling upon Lady Charterhouse fall to the
ground. She did not wish to go in such a
way as to give her any other impression
than that Polly had at some time or other
refused her husband; she did not like to
go without Polly. for that would have
been pointed and moreover, the name of
Miss Mary Antrobus" had its place upon
her visiting card Immediately below her
own.
So, though she thought it over and over
looked at it from this point and that,
studied it in every light. and twisted and
twined the circumstances of the case in
every possible direction, Mrs. Antrobus
finally came to the conclusion that she
had better leave the call unmade and take
her cue from the way in which Lord Char
terhouse should see fit to behave when
they happened to meet. which, in SO linn
tied circle as Blankhampton society,
they were sooner or later sure to do.
However. before meeting came about,
the good people of Blankhampton were
almost struck dumb with astonishment
by the announcement of Polly Antrobus'
engagement and approaching marriage tc
Mr.. Mandarin, of Thelston house, Liver
pool, and of Shanghai.