Wichita eagle., 1890-01-15


"Don't, . he said; "don'ti 1t doesn't do for
q woman to taIk Like that!"
After dinner, Mrs. Philip, evidently duti-
full wife, asked me to 60 with them next day
to private view at the institute. 1 said yes
without hesitation; and at the end of the
evening Philip reminded me Of the engage
ment. He had risen to say good night to
me, and stood holding my hand, with no I'M
due pressure, certainly, but not without a
gentle reluctance to let it go.
1 told you once, Philip, that I loved you,
did not? Not in words, it is true, but with
perfect frankness, nevertheless. Perhaps to
put it very plainly, you think that love you
still.
But, indeed, you would be wrong.
Only. this thing know, that life can hold
no such moment in store for me as those
bygone moments when her hand thrilled to
yours; when our eyes flashed and fingered in
mysterious meeting; when the air about us
was tense with the unspoken and the unre-
vealed.
The Stands called for me at the appointed
time and drove with them to the institute,
where the usual private view crowd was as
senbled
As we were going in was attracted by the
sight Of two people ON bench overlooking
the staircase.
The long head and straight, tow colored
hair; the pale face, equine profile and earn
est manner were unmistakable; it did not
take me half second to recognize Sir Guy
Ormond. recognized his companion also, a
disconnected looking woman, eccenuically
t. al ho
Poor, poor Medora! having enacted for q
great many years, and entirely without sue
cess, the part of jeune file, she has lately
adopted that of esprit fort, and no doubt Sir
Guy Simple soulD affords her ready appre-
citation.
Heaven save me from the laurels of a third
rate female celebrity! Unless she happens
to be Patti or Lady Burdette-Coutts or
Queen Elizabeth there is only one way OF
success open to a woman-the way Of mar
riage.
Sir Guy, unless my vanity be mistaken,
looked as If he would very much like to join
our party, but Medora had no intention of
releasing him. No doubt she had schemes
of bearing him back to Bedford Park, there
to discuss bad cigarettes and questionable
philanthropy in the shaded light of an aes-
thetic ''den."
He did escape, however, a little later on,
and joined US in the big room, where L soon
found that he had quite as much to say about
art as about philanthropy.
Philips face began to display unmistak-
able signs of boredom and irritation, but, as
for me, I listened and looked, put intelligent
questions, and made brief but pertinent
answers, which seemed to annoy Philip even
more than the aesthetic discourse.
What, indeed, had become Of Philips mag
narimitys
He idgeted about me, changing from side
to side, trying to attract my attention by
various devices
Presently Sir Guy and strolled outside to-
watching the people swarm up and down the
great staircase.
Philip was soon at my elbow, wanting to
know if 1 had had enough of it, in tones that
admitted of but one reply. II am quite
ready to CO." said, and looked him full in
the face with a sudden thrill of triumph and
resolve.
Am to witness yet further developments
of that highly organized product, Mr.. Shandl
Having introduced me to my first expert
ence, is he about to initiate me into further
knowledge of life and character as seen I'M
der conditions of highly artificial civilization?
Highly artificial? The dog and the manger
is an old world story, adapted to quite a
simple state of society-but do myself too
much honori
Meanwhile, Sir Guy stood there pressing
an invitation on the whole party of us for an
a'at homen at Toynbee hall. Men of his type
and Philips are like oil and vinegar; the
invitation, and the acceptance with which,
after some demur, it was met, are, l think,
significant.
THAT prig!n said Philip in the carriage,
later on
Poor Sir GUY" laughed lightly. was
in good spirits 1t was no polite fiction when
/ told my hostess that I had thoroughly en-
joyed myself.
Sir GUY Ormond evidently adrnires ne-so
much so that a less experienced person might
be inclined to jump at conclusions on the
subject. But / know very well that man
does not go about the world with thirty
thousand year and q baronetcy without
having some idea of his own value; and with
all his high flown theories, the son of the
Darlington mill owner has his share OF
shrewdness and caution. He is whimsical,
too, and obstinate, like all men of his stamp;
and having, moreover, such passion for
female society generally, must often, in all
innocence, have reused unfounded hopes in
the female breast particularly. Not that,
accidental advantages apart. he Is the sort
of man that women naturally take TO. Per-
haps it is that he assumes toward them an
attitude 80 few are capable OF approaching;
he respects them
As for me- like him genuinely; he Is such
a good fellow: wish sometimes that he were
rather less so.
Ny room is full of blue books, pamphlets
and philosophical treatises Sesame and
Lilies and Cliffords Essays are ho5nob-
bling on the table; the Bitter Cry Of Ouscast
London and a report of the Democratic Fed
Grafton stand together on the shelf This Is
an age of Independence and side saddles. but
bow often is q woman doomed 70 ride pllion
on mans hobbyh horse
Philip stands by and notices everything
with his quick eyes. And lis it at the cost
Of dignity that permit myself SO much in
timacy with Philip.
But Philip amusas me more than any one
know, and suppose that / anuse Philip
am sure of it, IL factor he would have
turned MS back onane ages ago. But while
think Of it, is it possible that IN her niid,
inarticnlate fashion, Mrs. Philip IS beginning
to hate mel This uanst be seen 20 at once. /
have no intention OF playing losing game
a second time with Philip. Indeed, ! an ac-
curing such skill with games generally that
Philip begins TO respect me as he never re-
spected me before Sometimes think be Is
9 little afraid Of me. and goes 50 far IS 20
doubt If he mas doce the best for himself,
after all.
We should have been a well matched pair;
haze r.,nrai he xxn-li