Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-23

ALSO oecnne 70 pay Etno. may say-wlthout
reference to our situation. of course-that II Is
a feminine role2 Your impotence of common
place talk betrays an instructive consciousness
Of that, for il means that people give YOU n
note to which you cannot reply-or rather you
seorn to reply: 1 hope 70 avoid that case.
all that person who talks commonplace at A
given moment is thinking commonplace. He
may well have discovered that the range of
ideas in which an ordinary mortal can give
he prudentiy keeps within them. For the
alternative is a brilliant monologue which
human nature will not stand
There. Have not given You topic at the
outset which you cannot only criticise, but
dilate upon? / fancy that the next epistle I
receive will be dashed off at a white heat of
indignation. What! / dare to suggest that
you will ever regard with patience the dull
talk of dull people? venture to predict that
you will, as your personal interests grow
! stronger. General conversation becomes more
or less OF perfunctory business when q man
or woman has something to think of. pause
for the reply.
'.Yes. am soldier, and have fulfilled my
WISH. Very shortly after that introduction,
which is bearing its fruits now, was ordered
to India, and have taken but one furlough
since. When we fall short of matter for con-
versation-if that could ever be-we will talk
OF India. But distrust myself upon that
theme. 1t tends to raving and incoherency.
If declared in public my views. there would
be danger of writ de tii,atico iaqurendo.'
must make an end of these quotations It
would be pleasure to transcribe the whole
correspondence, but no pleasure, suspect, for
the majority to read it. The samples are enough
to show how easily these young people mastered
the difficulties of their extraordinary situation.
The credit was due to the lady. of course. Hates
hrst letter struck keynote which summoned
loyalty to respond. Had he failed to do SO. the
u hnv audi fhnra and ktazr
On the contrary. his success complete. She
recognized a man worth talking to, and forth
with began TO chatter-brightly. humorously,
with familiar frankncss. for it must be borne
in mind that Kate did not regard her anony-
nous correspondent as stranger. The
familiarity. however, was intellectual. As her
interest grew she felt more and more disin-
ciined to encourage the hope of a personal
intercourse. That would destroy the charm.
Unconsciously she admitted that some time by
some abnormal means, they would be brought
face to face, but not with her sanction. And
loyalty was harmonious all through. He wrote
as gayly, brilliantly. and Familiarity as herself.
but gave 10 hint of q wish to meet. 1t is true
that one month only had elapsed when resume
the story. He had no need to hurry the action
yet.
Meantime Bulstrode Castle became rendez-
vous for young ladies such as the chatelaine
thought likely to fascinate Jack. None of them
had succeeded. apparently. In trute things
heard more than one remark that Capt.
Bulstrode was like a knight of chivalry. and an
lmpulslve young person declared him outright
a dear" He had that gentle and amable
| calm which specially becomes q distinguished
young soldier and is specially appreciated by
the eek. His air was thoughtful but nothing
funny escaped HIM. and his low, quiet laugh
showed keener enjoyment than the roar of
boisterous souls. Conspicuously handsome,
graceful in oil he said and did. heir to an an
lrsn mt r.aia no (or,A p1tlc 40
realized. In serious truth. the popular notion
of hero.
Kate admired him warmly as picture, and
liked very much what she saw of HMM the
| same sense. But this nroad of guests confined
her to the school-room. Though Mrs. Bulstrode
had dismissed her vague alarms after observing
jack she was too shrewd to tempt the Fates by
thrussinS lovely governess upon the notice Of
any young man. So 1t came to pass that Kate
only saw him at distance, and never spoke
She had ample leisure for the correspondence
III those long. solitary evenings. Even her lit
tie pupils we're less ignorant of the events pre-
pairing. She did not know that Captain Bull
strobe was the Admirals heir: much more,
that this array OF damsels was paraded for his
choice. The castle had been lively with Young
people. more or less, since she resided there.
1t was natural that larger gathering should
be made to celebrate the return of favorite
nephew. But one day. about month after the
date of those letters cited, enlightenment came
tie madcap. suddenly exclaimed:
'.Oh. Miss Shafro, they say that Cousin Jack
is going 10 marry Lady Norah. You don't be-
lieve it, do you? Say You don't if you do"
Il know nothing at all about it Mary. Who
says so?'
Il heard nurse"
II have told you several times. my dear, that
it is uniadylike to listen to the servants"
"Oh, yes, when they're gossiping--.hat's
what you said. Miss Shafto. But Cousin Jacks
marriage isn't gossip. It's landmark in his
tory
The childs droll emphasis and gesticulation
made Kate laugh. Before she could interpose,
the hint was given.
Nurse said to Wilkins the new housemaid,
that all papa's estate goes to Cousin Jack. /
know that's true. And papa and mamma have
been trying 20 persuade him to marry for
ycars-and he wouldn't until now--and mamma
got all these young ladies here to choose from,
and he's chosen from Lady Norah. Oh, wish
il had been any of the others, don't you? l
shall speak to Cousin Jack-it's an outrage"
'.You mustn't do anything OF the kind" That
was all Kate could say.
'.Oh. but excuse me, dear Miss Shafto: this
is family matter. l must act in the interests
OF the family" And she ran off.
Rates mind was very quick. 1t followed the
chain of reasoning at glance and estimated
the probabilities. Another soldier might be
found i'll this great country whose relations
had been urging him TO take a wife, another,
perhaps. cOulu NEitS llDSe cleEeT. CHAR MlNH
letters. But the condolences were too many to
be thus explained. Mr.. Loyalty was Captain
Bulstrode!
A painful sha.tering-not of hopes, most
assuredly, but of ideals. Kate felt so angry
that she paused in sudden CONSERVATION, to
ask herself what Loyalty had done 10 justify
this temper. Why. of course! He had vio-
lated solemn condtion-he had failed to
warn her OF his growing love for of the
beautiful girls around him. Forthwith Kate
ran to her desk and set herself to prepare the
indictment which was to be Miss Troths fare
we'll. 1t proved to be mighty difficult, as the
reader will understand if he reviews the cir
cumstances. Half an hour afterward Mary
found her still obstinately wrestling with q
task as desperate as composition well could
be.
..Oh, Miss Shafto." she cried from the door.
81 have questioned Cousin Jack seriously, and
he gives me his word of honor q gentleman
that there is not syllable of truth in it,
Kate accepted the assurance implicitly. and
her indignation vanished: but the letters must
cease. Reason endeavored to convince her
that il there was no harm in corresponding
with an anonymous gentleman the chance dis
covery Of his name and address could not
make it improper. Through her simple life
hitherto the instincts of wOmanhood had never
been opposed to the dictates OF common sense
and in one of her bright discussions with
Loyalty she had maintained with warmth that
they never could be. The logic of circum-
stances refuted her now. Reason might urge
arguments unanswerable, but instinct declined
to hear them. She wrote at once:
10 Dpa In I