Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-10-09

lady, sweetly; and then there was a lit
tie pause, during which the young man
smiled and hesitated, as if he were
about to say more. Mrs. Mostyn, feel
ing that she had unwittingly touched
on personal matters, adroitly turned the
talk into another channel. The Amer
ican was charmed with her neighbor.
He was not only young, handsome and
amusing, but he seemed (no slight vir-
tue in the eyes Of Mrs. Mostyn) to be
connected with various smart and I'M
posinp English families With the en-
terprise of her sex and nation, she de-
termined to annex Algie. what
charming young man, she thought to
take to the play, to squire ono in the
mark. and to hand cups of tea on ones
.at-home' dayr' He had such perfect
taste and such an eye for color, for
wnen the talk, as 1t sometimes Will,
turned on chifons, Mrs Mostyn was
astonished to hear her neighbor give an
almost subtly feminine opinion on some
point in dispute.
''Why, believe you know more about
# than do" declared the lady, laugh
ing.
"Well, ought to, suppose"
Mrs. Mostyn was so mystifed that,
for perceptible instant, she found alb
solutely nothing to say. He evidently
imagined that she knew all about him.
With tho tact of her sex, Mrs. Mostyn
promptly turned the talk into generali-
ties again, determining to ask her host
foe nc
as soon as the ladies reached the draw
ing-room.
But the Fates were against her.
LADY Kendall was monopolized by an
elderly matron, who never let 60 her
hostess till the men appeared from the
dining-room, and when they did so it
was Algie Upham who slipped into the
vacant chair by Mrs. Mostyn's side.
This was maneuver that is not in the
nature OF woman to Withstand.
Como and dine with me on Friday
night" she said, when she at last rose
to go; 100 Lowndes square, eight
o'clock. Don't say you can't; one or two
nice people are coming"
81 shall be more than charmed" re-
piled the young man, bending, In mis-
pretty half-foreign way, over the lady's
hand; ''but you'll come to my place one
day, went you? Lady Kendall is COM
ing tomorrow"
'Why, yes; think could GO to-mor-
row." said IRIS. Mostyn, and SO this
thing was settled.
On the following day Mrs. Washing
ton Mostyn, who had put on her most
gorgeous attire-not having been long
enough in London to know that here
women do not bedeck themselves in the
acknowledged down to her little
coupe and directed the man to drive to
Lady Kendal's, thoroughly pleased with
herself and the world in general She
was going to SEQ the charming young
man of tho night before, and the charm
ing young man was going to dine with
her on Friday Moreover, she had on
her most becoming bonnet
The two ladies chatted costly as the
carriage bowled along.
Pm so glad you could come" said
Lady Kendall; ''i'm sure you'll think
his taste perfect He has such lovely
things"
Lovely thingsP" inquired Mrs. Mos
tyn, with rising enthusiasm. She was
ono of those women who like their
heroes of the moment to be set, as it
were, in framework of luxury.
Eyes: -brocades such as you can't get
for love or money. He has them special
Iy manufactured from his own designs"
"IIe must be very rich," said the
American. That's the sort of thing our
,,,ilIiooairnS do at home
''Wcll, Algie must make three or four
thousand year, should think" re-
Joined Lady Kendall, thoughtfnlly,
You see, he's SO well connected. All
the smartest women in London 60 to
Algie."
If Mrs, Mostyn wondered for an in
slant how the society of smart women
justified such reckless extravaganza,
she said nothing, having a horror of APP
pearing ignorant of London or the ways
of London.
"You got on capitally," continued
Lady Kendall; "Algie is so fond of
Americans. You see, they don't mind
what they spend"
mop" said Mrs Mostyn, who was
now thoroughly mystified; and just
then the carriage drew up at 2 smart
looking house in Mayfair street-a
house all painted white, with yellow
silk curtains and blinds, and daisies
and spiraea in tho window-boxes.
The door was opened By man
servant in livery, and the ladies WeFe
shown upstairs into large room like
studio The walls were Of golden
leather, with draperies and curtains of
dull gold silk, and here and there
touch of turquoise-blue or faint pink in
wrought with gold added another note
to the harmonious picture, in which the
white wood mantel-piece, the soft Per
sian carpet and the exquisite old mezzo-
tints on the walls each played their
part One or two Chippendale cabinets
displayed specimens of rare Nankin,
the easy-chairs and lounges invited you
to chat and on every table and in every
nook stood flowers and palms.
His master was engaged for the mo-
ment the man announced, but would
be with the ladies in few minutes.
What perfectly charming studior"
cried Mrs. Mostyn, peering round in
her pretty, short-sighted way: ''only 1
deB't see any canvases or the usual
artistic mess
'Canvases-why should there be, my
dear?"
"Well, but isn't Mr.. Upham an art
ist?"
Artist" cried Lady Kendall, ''what an
idea! Why, don't you know?-1 thought
everybody knew-Mr. Upham is the
fashionable dress=maker. His profess
sional name is Eugene but we all call
him Algie. Why, Pm going to try on
NJ nan Cent l,odinn d;.oa41-- A..