Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-09-03
THREE BIRDS
ON A STILE.
TIE BLIGHT ON ARTHUR GOOCHS HONEYMOON AND HOW IT VA
REMOVED.
Bv 3. L. FARJEON.

Gooch, had several sisters, two BROTH
ers and the usual number Of parents.
With all these around her, popping in
and out, asking questions, making re-
marks, laughing, crying, teasing and
kissing, and trying on things, you may
imagine the state she was in. Arthur
had put in an appearance, but he had
gone away early, he had so much to do
to complete his arrangements Tor TO-
morrow. There was, Of course, tender
leave-taking in the passage. Nhen ne
left Adelaide, Arthur jumped into a
hanson, and was driven to his cham
bers, where he expected to find letter
OF pressing importance. He was not a
man Of fortune; he had good prospects,
which were almost certain OF reallza-
ton, and he had little investment or
two which paid him fair interest,
and which could not, without
loss, be turned Immediately into cash.
Now, the expenses Of the COM
ing wedding, and the furnishing and
decoration OF house he had taken on
lease, had made more serious inroads on
his bank balance than he expected.
Calculating the expenses OF the honey
moon trip on the continent, he found
that he would run short or money, ana
in this dilemma he applied TO friend,
Jack Stevens by name, for loan OF
SIS, which, with e75 OF his own, which
he had by him, would carry him and his
pretty bride comfortably through.
Running uD to his rooms he FOUND
IN latter
and among them one from his friend.
Jack Stevens would have been his oest
man had 1t not been that his presence
was imperatively demanded In anotner
part of the country on the day OF the
wedding. 1t was provoking, out III
could not be helped.
"Dear Arthur" said Jack Stevens IN
his letter, certainly you can have the
money, and more II you want II. AS
time is so short, do not care risking IL
through the post, and crossed cheque
might not suit you. have to catch an
early train in the morning for Manches-
ter. aS>you know, but l shall be at Lady
Weston Whites AT Home between IL
and 10 o'clock tonight. 1 saw a card
for the crush stuck In your looking
glass. Look me up there, and L VIII
hand you the notes. am awfully sorry
10 give you the trouble, but l can't
come to you, and am anxious to be
certain that you are properly furnished
before you and your bride start for
Paradise. Always yours, dear boy,
Jack"
Lady Weston White was not one OF
Arthur's intimate friends, but he was
on her list, and he generally received
cards from her three or four times in
the course of a year. He had not In
tended to go 70 her house in Grosvenor
street on this occasion, but Jacks let
ter settled it, and he got out his swal-
lowtail. The money he must have, and
there was no other way OF getting it.
There were letters to write, and lot Of
things TO be attended TO which he cal
culaJed would keep him up till o'clock
i'm the morning. Well, he would have
TO stop up another hour or so, that was
all. At half-past IL he was In Grosve-
nor street. engulfed in one OF those
London crowds Of ladies and gentlemen
which contribute TO the success OF
London season. The beautiful house
was literally packed; TO ascend star
case was the work OF several minutes
and to find his friend Jack in such a
vast assemblage a matter OF consider
able difficulty. 1t was notable gather
ing; the elite Of society were present,
distinguished men and fair women, and
Arthur, as be squeezed his way along,
thought he had never seen such won
derful profusiOn Of diamonds and lovely
dresses. The ladies seemed to vie with
each other in the display OF jewels.
They glittered In the hair. round the
neckS, Ia the ears, on the arms and
bosoms, on shoes, and fans, and ravish-
ing gowns: and Arthur observed that q
new fashion was coming into vogue,
diamond buttons on ladies' gloves. III
any of the light-fngered fraternity were
here" thought Arthur, "they could
gather a fine harvest"
Lady Weston White was woman OF
great penetration, and, as became a So
clety leader, of perfect self-possession.
She never forgot a face or clrcum-
stance, and, busy as she was at present
in the performance OF her arduous du-
ties, she remembered that Arthur Gooch
was 10 be married within few hours;
she remembered, also, that she had re-
ceived a line from him regretting he
could not accept her kind Invitation.
She said nothing, however, but gave
him rather q questioning look as he
passed on TO allow other guests behind
him TO pay their respects to
their hostess. The look puzzled
him somewhat; it seemed to ask:
''What brings you here?" He had
quite forgotten that he had declined
her invitation. At length, after much
polite squeezing and hustling, after
dropping his handkerchief and picking
il up again, TO the annoyance OF some
neighbors who had become fixtures and
could scarcely move in the crush, he
saw Jack Stevens in the distance.
They were both tall men, and communi-
cation being established between them
they made simultaneous efforts TO get
st each other. This accomplished,
Arthur hooked Jacks arm, and said:
LET US get out Of this as quick as
we can"
1t happened that Lady Weston White
was close enough to hear the words, OF
which fact Arthur was oblivious, but
as they moved on he turned In her d.
rectiOn and caught another strange
look from her. "What on earth does
she look ST me in that manner for?" he
thought. lone might suppose l came
without an invitation" He and Jack
got their hats and coats, and going
from the house stopped at the corner
OF a street few yards off.
81 haven't a moment 70 spare,
Arthur" said Jack, 'nOr have you,
should imagine. had almost given you
M: IL is a mercy we met each other In
that crowd" He took out his pocket
hook. ST would walk home with you,
old fellow, il had time; you must take
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