Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-07-30
CHAPTER I.
Ms .lOCK-

CCLNCLCf, II - u NlOc SD
Eyes" said Mrs. Jock Aairlie-Mrs
Jock everyone called her-'I do g
down tomorrow by the twelve train"
"Why-but why?" asked a mans
voice, in accents Of the utmost dismay,
"WhyP That's what 1 want to know.
''Oh! well, because am tired OF Lon
don. / can't breathe, l can't sleep,
can't eat here. Pm tired of everything
and everybOdy-myself most of ALL"
"But you'll be yourself just the same
when you're In Essex" the man expos
tulated.
Not bit OF It, Mrs. jock replied
s'Mrs. Jock in o SILK frOck In London
fighting fiercely for lobster salad at Que
o'clock In the morning, and Mrs. JocA
at what an Old gentleman know called
my country seat are TWO different per
sons. Here I'm tired and bored and III
There I'm fresh and brisk and gay
Here I'm idle and haven't thought l.
my head-there my brain positivel,
teens with ideas and my work gets
done by a kind of magic. Why? Oh,
I can't tell you that-it'S the air, / sup
pose. Anyway, love it, and tomorrow
Pm of. Why, the very thought makes
me so gay l could dance like child"
"But Airle-what does he Say?"
s.Jock lust loves It. He has been
worrying TO go ever since the weather
changed" she replied. ooh, you
needn't waste any Of your pity over
Jock, I assure you"
''But where is this-thiS seat OF
yours?" another man asked.
heIr
the attest" Mrs. Jock laugbAd. "Oh!
it's on the Essex coast, just quaint old
farm house standing rather high, with
Quaint old doors and cupbOards every
where, and tall wooden chimney
shelves. There is nothing 10 do except
ing tennis aud driving about; it's just,
in fact, a picturesque shanty, but it's
quiet and fresh, and & rest, and we love
it,"
"And you take your youngsters"
"Why yes, Of courSe-we take every
one"
"And shut up your house here?"
"Practicallyl That IS, we have a
II see. And are there people down
there?'
'.Not TO speak of. Such as there are
did not trouble Us much last year"
"But are you not dull?'
"Never-I can safely say we never
spent dull moment in all our five
months there last year. Why, my dear
man. you can't be dull in the country. j"
'Ohl can't you? I didn't know, "
doubtfully.
sBesldes We're Nugent is going down
with US" Mrs. Joch went on.
''Vere-Miss Nugent," in intense sur
prise, ''but why?"
.Why? Well, perhaps because I
asked her" the lady retOrted.
s'Of cOurse-but-but you surprise
me, that is ALL"
She fell back from the group little,
and another voice took up the task OF
questioning tho lady.
But, my dear Mrs. Airlie," it said
and it VIZ q smooth, oily, feminine voice
-'syou cannot mean that you are going
away for more than a few days"
Eyes, until October or So"
"But the season." the other said,
Glow can you possibly go away in the
season.
Mrs. Jock laughed. sob, what has
the season to do with me, or with you
either? See here, dear lady, dip your
finger in bowl Of water and see the
sort of a hole you would leave when you
take it out. That's the kind Of hole
Won or I would leave in the London sea-
son. There" she added in an under
tone. GIVE vexed her, for she's gone.
Well I can't help it. I do hate such
humbug and pretensiOn-two afternoon
teas and a Sunday lunch party, and we
call il the season. it makes me angry. a"
"But we were not thinking Of after
noon teas or even OF Sunday lunch par
ties" put in man smiling; "we shall
all miss you dreadfully, Mrs. Jock"
eyes, know you will, and l like you
10 miss me. hope you'll love me the
more. when I come back again, for my
absence. But You would all be much
more dreadfullY sorry II pined away
I'm the mad gaities OF South kensingtOn,
and there was no Mrs. Jock to write
sweet little stories 20 make you cry and
think of the innocent days when you
still had ideals and tried to live up TO
them. No, it's no use saying pretty
things TO me, Mr.. Scott; tomorrow
take my flight, aud only something UerB
very choice will tempt me back even
for an hour"
For a little time the gay group talked
together, and Mrs. Jock Airlie remained
its centre; then she looked at the first
man who had spoken of her flight.
'sTake me down to set some supper,
George" she said in tone which be-
tokened much friendlneSS between
them.
"What is the matter?" she asked as
they went down the stairs, you seem
very dull tonight. What is it?"
II wish you weren't going away" he
said dolefully.
"Do you? But why9" she asked. She
was puzzled, distinctly puzzled. What
could this mean? Not that her dear old
friend George Lumley waS-oh, no, it
was prepoSterous. There had been men,
Dlepty OF them, who had been inclined
10 make fools of themselves over the
Dopular Mrs. Jock Airlie, whose grace
full little figure and brilliant coloring
were as fascinating as the charm OF her
brain and keen tongue. But George
T.umley she had known long and init
mately-far too intimately for any idea
of that kind. She had seen him through
many an affair, had been his cOnidante
for years, had called him George ever
since the first week she had known him,
think because she was so relieved TO
find that the great painter whose work
She had wOrshipped was so simple and
charming an individual. And this new
George Lumley-thiS George with q
stricken sort OF look in his blueiSh eyes,
with a downcaSt expression on his kind
". rugged features, this George who
was preOccupied and uninterested in
manner-well, this George was reve-
lation, and Mrs. jock was dismayed