Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-11-04
HOW HE GOT OUT OF IT.
"By Joye. Stairs a lucky chapIn

"No-by all that's luclly-ho has got out
Of it."
Such was the prologue. This was the
piece.
He had drifted into it, She was very
pretty, and undeniably well dressed, danced
to perfection, and possessed that perfect ease
and grace Of movement which marks the
highest London fashion and gives Il the stamp
peculiarly its own.
So they met, night after night. dancing
valse after valse together They sat in fow-
cry alcoves and on twilit staircases, and
talked in manner BETTING the occasion;
soft murmurs, half sentences, whispers very
close 10 the she'll like ear All this was no
doubt very pleasant. So the season went on,
and this reprehensible young man had got no
further; nay, was beginning to ask himself,
had sho a heart TO be stirred at alli Had he
himself, and if so, why did her charming
company never cause il one single extra pull
sationi Yet he found undoubted pleasure in
her society; the dances she gave him made
the whole evening 10 him.
He was never weary Of contemplating the
sway OF her graceful figure, the poise of her
pretty head, with its clustering curls so ar
tistically arranged; and her voice was So
sweet, though it was true that her converse
monplaces Of society talk Yet she dis
coursed on these ia a manner which was Sc
auction itself. Beyond taking her at the end
Of dances TO her mother. he had made no par
ticulsr acquaintance with Lady vi las her
friends called her-a mode which We Will also
adopt. But one evening she said, "Will You
take my mother down 10 supper tonight
Her usual cavalier has deserted early and
gone homen
OF course he offered his arm directly with
the utmost courtesy, though 1t must be said
his mind rather misgave him, and indeed,
the end of half an hours study OF this lady's
destinations left him a much wiser if rather
a sadder man.
But we must introduce her ladyshlp with
due honors, as, indeed, she deserves. Lady
Vi was, in the order of events, somewhat
older than her daughter. But if this was in
evitably SO. as we fear Il was she was not
the one to admit so damaging a confession
The one invariable compliment she expected
was: Two sisters surely! Impossible! This
young lady your daughterf ! must be al
lowed 10 contradict YOU
In truth she was surprisingly Young look
ing for a lady certainly twenty wears older
At little distance You might cOnceivably
mistake one for the other, especially against
the light. The art OF dress was employed
with that perfection which concaals itself
Lady Vi was no doubt fully aware of all the
resources OF modern civilization. and she
made skillful use Of them all. Her manner
was even softer than her daughters: her
voice had penetration which impressed the
coolest listener Beneath that delightful and
artistic exterior a keen and subtle intellect
was constantly at work. Nor was she wont
20 waste It's refinement on trashy books or
the like. Her studies were the world in
which she lived. The men, the women, who
inhabit our sphere supplied her with those
objects Of scientific investigation and interest
which other people are said to find in the
follles OF the microscope and other TOYS
II Is also well known that, whatever sub
ject keen intellect chooses for its special
study, the greatest proficiency NAV DO looked
for in even a short time, and this lady had
not studied for nothing; she ought indeed to
have graduated in honors.
So be found himself as Il we're. INHALED
beneath lens Of searching aud pitiIess
strength. His writings and contorlons
and awkward attempts at eNtricatiun only
amused his professor and served no purpose
whatever. To turn him inside out was his
tormentors evident intention; and the vic
tim, driven TO extremity, was forced to sum
mon oil his resources in self defense. and this
is what he did
He piled her on that evening with every at-
tentiOn he could devise. After supper was
over he never left her side or danced again
be attended her to her carriage. shawled her
with the utmost sohcitude. paid no heed 10
Mabels reproachful looks nor found word
TO say to her. In short, he transferred him
self bodily to Lady Vi, aud became from that
evening her devoted and AFFECT slave.
At Nottingham, at Sandown, at FenIev.
at balls, fetes, regattas and garden parties,
he was her constant attendant, insomuch that
people began first % litter and then To whis-
per. And those agreeable and good uatured
were freely exchanged which such
little games Of skill are apt 70 provoke LADY
vi accepted ms and indeed any mans atten-
ton, a. matter Of right and Of course She
accepted, we may say without specially en-
couraging them, asserting that 1t was all on
Mabel's behalf that men, and young men,
ran after her So Mabel had SO many ador-
srs, and they all paid attention 10 mamma
Is simple matter Of duty This sounded
7ery well, and was said very often, and was
lot believed by anybody
Now Lady Vi had a husbandl
A husband is fact which cannot be wholly
gnored or entirely left out OF tine calculation |
~ the female portion Of mankind. And facts |
ire stubborn things, and Sir Hercules was
more than u commonly stubborn thing Our I
ZERO had always behaved as if be were en-
irely unaware Of this particular fact. 1t il |
rue he had never seen Sir Hercules in out |
ward and visible shape, for that warrior did
not In general accompany his daughter and
wife, spending his time chiefly at his club in
more congenial society. He might DO seen
looking out Of the bow window in St james
any day between l2 and 2, attired in a blue
frock, very stiff cravat and a buff waist
coat Sir Hercules had served in his time
with distinction, but it was a good many
years ago. He succeeded too. In maintaining
: strict military discipline in his household,
70 which the two ladies were fam. however
lnwillingly, % render submissive Obedience
Lady Vi really wished the match for her
laughter. There was no fault 10 find with
his misguided young man. He would do
'or son-in-law better than many, and she
would be glad to have Mabel fairy settled in
lie, and be able, as she said, 70 devote her
elf TO Sir Hercules, who could do without
ler less and less, as she was III the constant
habit Of affirming. And yet there we're peo-
Die NJ natured enough to declare that bis
wife turned the key upon her EQUITY and |
Engagement Of the night But then, as we |
VI know TO our cost, some peoples tongues |
re capable OF any atrociOus invention, 70 /
Fhich virtuous ear should never incline.
70 Lady Vi firmly resolved TO bring the
Dung man 20 book, while he, unconscious Of
is doom, continued TO frisk and play Like a
lmb In the meadow while the butcher is adj
ancing unawares.
IL fell out in this way.
he was 70 call for the Indies one afternoon
J order 20 escort them 10 the park. But he
'as shown ominously into the shaded and
hnrming room which belonged to Lady vi.
18th its screens and draperies its palms and
OTIS and fantastic ornaments Mabel was
OF there, however, and her ladyship pres
1tly entered alone. He must excuse Mabel,
le said, who had a headache and could not
o; could not, In fact, leave her room; 30 she
'ould give him tea, and they would have a
tile quiet chat. He begun to feel nervous.
nd his heart, under his white waistcoat.
ave a sudden jump. They slipped their tea
Lady Vi slowly, as he thought, and with
ruel delberation- Presently the enemy
ould, as he well knew, open fire His cour-
90 began TO rise as a brave mans will, with
IL