Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-11

If you've fancied there was anything in hel
+, department the last time you met her, can
| you"
fStop there" said AlonEo. He had risen
| too. and though he preserved much com
| posure, an abruDt wave of the hand bespoke
excitement. "I-I deny that Kathleen Ken
naird ever engaged herselfto me because, as
You put it, had lots of money"
Then you're wrong" said Lexington, gaz
| ing down at his we'll vanished boots
"You're''-with another twirl of the nous
] tache-"dead wrong assure you"
Alonzo gnawed his lips. Phil, he cr1eo
'what are you sayingH"
"Only the truthr'
"The truthr'
| "Hes-yes."
"But You must be mad to state that Kath
| leen-Oh, no, no, no, Phil"
| Alonzo had caught his friend by either
| shoulder and was plunging penetrant look
| into his eyes. The latter, with coldness
| unexpected, yet distinct, answered, while
! Alonzo withdrew from him.
IT'S SO: you ought to know life. You're
| old enough"
"Phiiip: Philip:" broke from Alonzo. "I'm
so sorry asked you to go to her. But you're
my friend still? 1T isn't my lost money that
you're thinking OF No, no, Phil, not you
not YOU"
Don't be tiresome."
Lexington might have said volumes and
yet not have expressed more pungent lit
tie series of words than those three.
"Ill try not to be tiresome," came Alon-
! : H.
quite clear to me, Philip, that my request
b0res you."
ssWeil, returned Philip. doggedly' after a
.dls wouldn't have done SO Q short time
ason
81 don't understand"
"Don'tyou? do"
you seem angry at me-" muttered Philip,
"and for no reason"
For no reason"
None that can see. A short while aso7
You mean, them"
'Oh, mean what mean, Philip. There's
hardly any favor that you'd have refused
! me short while ago. Now, you md me OF
no Importance. I've lost my money, and
I'm not worth cultivating."
Lexington flushed hotly, and then tossed
head. Isn't that rather uncivil OF you" he
frowned.
Eyes, if you choose But the incivility of
raw truth has sometimes a certain refresh
ing refinement"
ID don% grasp your parado1es- You
always e1celled in them, however,
Alonzo had grown very pale Let it all
rest there, then, Philip" he said. you've
disappointed me, horribly. Good by" And
he turned on his heel with dismissal at
once quiet and imperious.
Lexington walked to a door and seized Its
knoll, "Oh, just as you please" he said sui
lenly. You keep up your pride, but I'm
afraid it won't serve you as well as you
think. With regard to the money l owe
you. since we've both been mentioning
money 500 broadly, I'll do my best"
But here Alonzo shot out these ringing
words:
Il don't want a dime from You, and I'll
only be too glad if you'll consider that debt
cancelled, so to speak, by the cessation OF
our acquaintance"
Across another threshold Alonzo swiftly
quilted the room. No sooner was he alone,
however, than he reproached himself for
undue severity. And yet he did not regret
having broken with this man. 1t was mer,
cilessly patent to him that Iexing on had
been the most tme-serving of friends. A
kind of clairvoyance had told him this, by
flashes at once intuitive and acute. Hun
dreds of other men placed like himself,
might have meant as much as he and said a
great deal less. But AlOnzo had rarely dealt
in self restraints. Those who liked him best
liked him because of such candors; those
who liked HIM least did so because his free
speech, his wearing the heart on the sleeve,
repelled them from the point of view of
taste, if from none other. And these latter
critics would have been just the ones to de-
nounc. his openness with Lexington as vul-
gar, however much they disapproved the
conduct OF Lexington himself. They were
already supplied with many instances OF his
previous harum-scarum department They
would have told you that he lacked gentil-
ity to almost the verge of grossness, and
that "his being such good fellow at heart"
was merely the shallow excuse made for
him by a spirit of faithful indulgence.
But perhaps if Lhey could have seen him
seated in solitude long after Lexington had
left him forever, and have marked the
glistened in his honest eyes, the occasional
clinching of his hands or nervous tapping of
his feet against the floor, they might have
been touched by form of human sorrow
which ranks with the most piteous we are
ever called upon to undergo. For AlonZo
had meant generously kindly, even nobly
toward his world, and was now being con-
fronted with its hollowness and hardness.
But Yesterday people had smiled on him
who to-day scarcely chose to veil their in
difference. He. had referred with cynical
IL. for- iNa
But he had never really believed his own
bitter allusions, for his nature was too re-
plete with warm goodwill toward his fell
iows. And now this fine and wholesome
loving kindness in him was being taught the
sterne-t of disillusioning lessons. Il may
have doubted many of themi" he told HIM
self, "but at least firmly trusted Phil.
Well, well, what asked him to do was per
maps better left undone. At least can do it
more capably than he. need no emissary.
I'll 90 to her myself and face the worst"
He went that same evening. He did not
ask for Mrs. Kennaird, but that lady chose
to receive him. He instantly saw that her
demeanor was formal, and even trife aus
tere.
lam so sorry that poor Kathleen has
a horrid headache this evening"" she
soon said, "and is lying down. Pray accept
me, will You not as her substitute?" Alonzo
was quietly desperate. He looked the
speaker straight IN the eyes as he answered,
feeling that the air bristled with coming dis
cord: "Niy dear Mrs. Kennaird you are the
most charming of persons, if You will permit
me to frame such a common place. But 1.
must be frank and in form you that for Kath-
lecn there can be, to my thinking, no posi-
bic substitute"
He watched her eyelids quiver little, and
her large form slightly stiffen. But you
will show mercy to my poor child's head
ache" "You will be good enough, on that
account, am sure, to make the best OF me
under the circumstances"
Alonzo gave his head short negative
shake "I can't. 1 want Kathleen, headache
and all"
"Oh, but you're presumptuous."
That's just what you force me to be-
come"
Not at all.''
"Then allow kathleen to appear"
'She is too much indisposed-as I told
you"
Il would like to learn that, If you please,
from her own lip"
''Bless me- said Mrs. Kennaird lifting her
shoulders for moment and putting up her
glasses. You're ruder than l thought you
knew how to be-"
"Say more decided. And I'm compelled
to add this: IfKathleen is forbidden me 1
neither can nor shall accept you as her
proxy"
NO. replied his hostess, with hardening
face. "But suppose my daughter desires
just that arrangement"
''She does not desire it."
you speak with delightful confidence,
really"
"0h, madam, let MS end thisr' cried
AIonZo, feeling himself grow pale. "1f you
attemDt to keen Kathleen from seeing me