The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1890-06-12

voted himself 10 the ladies generally. |
and only appeared at her elbow al the
end of the evening.
Then he would wrap her iii her prct |
ty cloaks, smile on her Lenignly, tell
her how lovely she looked and CON
vey her home with all due devotion
Il pleased him that lis white roScb ID
should set herself apart for him, should
choose to blush unseen when he did
not look upon her. At first Estellc
was content. less, however, as time
passed on, and her blissfu! l.ttle cir
castles melted one by one, and at the
ball the first protest came.
Arthur was good dancer. He had
RETAINED from Waiting simply be
cause he hated to dance on the carpet
III Il crowded drawing room. But
here in this elegant ball room, where
all the youth and beauty Of the city
were assembled, his old delight III
dancing returned He had secured a
partner for every dance of the even
ing. He was proud to point out that
exquisitely lovely woman IN the
graceful and modest costume as his
wife; he thought how unpleasant it
would be 10 Be the husband of the
married flirt Mrs, A, and that the
fellow who married Miss Merle would
be very wretched. But, as you see,
he devoted his evenings to them and
others like them, looked into their
eyes, clasped their waists a little closer
than need be, was loverliko and senti-
mental with one, whispered merry
words that might mean more than lay
OH the surface to another, and relcgat
ed his wife to the company of tina. SUI
periOr but somnolent old lady, Mr,
Jackson.
Shall l have a scener be asked
himself as he went in search Of Els
telle, after his last daBUo with a de-
butante, who could not be prevailed
upon by her chaperon TO go home ''un-
til it was all over" bat, 10 his sur
prise, his wife Yves merely little chill
ly He did not like the chilliness,
but was too y,tse to reproach her with
it. At breakfast she was little dis
trait, but by no means cross. Arthur
was delighted. After all, he was 10 be
let OF very easily, and when in bid
ding him adieu his wife handed him
letter which she desired him to post
he WAS quite gallant in promising to
execute the little duty. He glanced at
tho envelope rs he walked along. The
name upon, it was quite new to him
Mr.. Louis Romaine, - Hotel"
He had never heard his wife men
| ton any Romaines, but the thought
was only passing one.
For a day Or two business kept him
out great deal, bat he found Estelle
In good spirits on his return.
One day he opened the door to hear
the hum Of voices, the chink of spoons,
and to find his wife presiding over
quite all elegant little afternoon tea.
Three or four very fashionable ma
irons and one heavy old gentleman oc-
cupied the foreground, but behind Es-
telle's chair stood veritable modern
Adonis-one Of those men who some
how seem better dressed than other
men III the same clothes
An impromptu affair, certainly, Ar
thur thought, for Estellc had always
impressed upon him the fact that
what made the assembly shine was
Robin Adair;" III other words, that
she did not care to have company if
he were not present. Still, his wife's
elaborate dress, the hot house flowers
that adorned the room, spoke of prep
aration
He said something about IAN unex
pected pleasure" shook hands with
those he knew, and waited
The exquisite who sat SO close to Es
I telle had arisen, and looked politely
from one to the other
For a space Estelle did not seem to
heed this, then she said, as if reInem-
bering worry unimportant duty
''Oh, my husband, Mr.. Ronlnine; l
forgot you had not met. What guam
tity Of cold air you do bring into the
room, Arthur"
Sorry" said Arthur, barely nod
ding in return to Romainc's elegant
bow, and shortly took himself out Of
the room.
The fiat did not give him much spac q
to pace about in, it is true, but he took
advantage of what little there was,
and walking into the passage that led
to the kitchen he heard the waitress
say to the cook:
''Oh, amt that Mr. Romano Just
lovely! | never see nobody SO stylish
before"
On this Arthur wandered back to
his bedroom and looked into the mir
loi. lAc ISlICGtlOll IlS SttN lilSIc eEcIiLCO
to him to be that of a rather common
place young man. Certainly he had
not the six feet of height, the broad
shoulders aud the splendid chin of
that man behind his wife's chair Ro-
maine! Who on earth was he2
Where had he heard that name be
forel All! lie remembered. It was
upon the envelope directed to the --
hotel, which be had posted Who
was re: What "as tie! Why had
hi wife never spoken of him be-
foir.t What hypocrites women were
tie could have sworn that he knew
the name of every mortal his
wife had ever met She had had
a bog lover, but his name was
Johnny Craft and he was rolly poly
and yellow haired. \ rolly poly, vel
low haired boy could never have be
come this startlingly large and snowy
: exquisite. As he thought of this point
! Arthur felt a curious tingling Of The
blood that he had never before expe
| rienced.
He seized his hat draged on hi
oyercoat, stallied to the elevator, and
being lowered to the hall by the man
ager thereof, who stared curiously int
his wrathful face the while, took hi
way to a restaurant, where he dined.
After this he spent his evening q
the club, and returned to find his wifi
not sitting up for him, as was he
c wont, but quietly asleep in bed.
She opened her eyes, however, as Ia
, turned up the gas.