Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1891-04-02
WOODBURY., n J, THURSDAY APRIL 2 1891


stance"
"Most women, you know, admire cour-
age and truth and straightforwardness
colonel"
s'And you mean that these are more
frequent in the arrny-that is, among
the-the officers Of the line-than in the
legal profession, suppose. Now, Miss
Marshall, a celebrated chief justice, from
whom you may be descended, as you
bear the same name, was the embodi-
ment Of all these traits"
s'And his mantle fell on the shoulders
of many, | doubt not, colonel; but-was
it big enough to go round?"
"Pm afraid you're satirical, Miss Mar
shall" said Lawler, with a superior
smile. "You young ladies not infre-
quently see only the glamour and froth
of army characteristics. We who have
spent many years in the endeavor to
keep the army straight cannot look upon
the officers quite as partially as you do.
We see both sides of the double lives led
by SO many of the youngsters in the
line
''Only by the line, colonel, and by the
young officers? Then who looks after
the staff and the elders?" And Miss
Marshall's face was bubbling over with
fun.
"They have stood the test Of years,
Miss Marshall, and need no guardian,
as do these young fellows who so capti-
vate school girls" answered Lawler,
shifting uneasily in his chair. '.Now,
Mrs. Brodie has mature conception of
their merits and defects. She was speak
ing of this very case of Mr.. Hearn a
moment ago. You seem to have known
him quite a while, Mrs Brodie. Were
you ever stationed together?'
"Myl no, Col. Lawler; only one can
not help hearing things answered Mrs.
Brodie, totally unaware Of the facial con-
tortions of her better half, who was help
lessly, hopelessly striving to catch her
eye and restrain her tongue. Every
body in town seems to think he was such
popular young fellow; only, don't you
know, so careless"
Col. Morris and everybody at Mrs.
Lanes end of the table happened to be
deep in general chat at the moment, and
neither saw nor heard anything of this
sudden introduction Of personal affairs
at social occasion. But Mrs. Morris
lost no time. She saw Brodies glover
ering eyes across the board; she noted
Lawler's keen, shrewd gaze, and the
troubled look that flashed over Lanes
kindly face, and had just time to whis-
per to him: ''How can you ever forgive
us for bringing the man? The colonel
was in misery at the idea. He said he
knew he would be talking shop before
dinner was half over. can check Mrs.
Brodie, at any rate" Then, aloud, Par
: don me, Col LAWYER" and now her face
was wreathed in sweetest smiles, "Tm
not going to let Mrs. Brodie prejudice
you against one Of my prime favorites.
''Obs indeed, Mrs. Morris" protested
Mrs. Brodie, II wouldn't think Of such
a thing. was just going to point out
to the colonel the very great difference
between what he might have been then
and what he has been ever since he joined
the Eleventh.
s'But the point at issue seems to be
what he was then, as Mrs. Brodie puts
it,. said Lawler.
ssBut / wouldn't for the world have
you suppose 1 thought Mr. Hearn had
done anything that was ungentlemanly.
Tn only saying what rumor was" burst
in Mrs. Brodie again, who had at last
caught the signals on her husbands face,
and now only sought to excuse her own
impetuosity, even though in SO doing
she more deeply involved the younggen-
tleman himself. II can't bear to hear
such things said Of him without any one
to defend him; but what can one dor
This was getting simply unbearable.
While all at the other end of the table
were having a merry, laughing chat,
here was this professional investigator
an accidental and by no means welcome
guest-talxing advantage Of the circum-
stances and of the well known volubili-
ty Of Mrs. Brodie to start her on the sub
ject which called him TO the post, and
striving at a social party to '-pick up
points"
by Jove!" muttered Capt. Cross,
"he's as bad as Mr.. Abrams himself.
What can we do to stop him? Nothing
short Of divine providence will ever stop
Mrs. Brodie."
But the desired interposition came.
Footsteps were heard on the piazza be-
yond the hall. The Chinaman, answer
ing the summons to the door, came
back raising the portiere that hung
heavily over the entrance, and handed
his master a card. Lane took it, and
glanced quickly at Col Lawler.
''If you viii excuse me" said the lat
ter, rising at once, 'sthese are gentlemen
whom telegraphed to meet, and l viii
save time by seeing them here. | will
Just ask them into your parlor, Capt.
Lane. Ano outing rne room, ne
passed through the hallway and met his
untimely callers at the door. Sam came
shuffiing back an instant after, having
gona to turn up the parlor lights, and
Miss Marshall, glancing over her left
shoulder as the portiere was again raised,
saw that one of the men thus introduced
beneath the captains roof was the Ger
man Jew, Schonberg. Lane, busy in
striving to restore the tone of general
chat, did not see them at all.
1t was an hour later. The ladies had
risen and betaken themselves to the front
piazza; the men remained to smoke a
cigar with their host. The absence Of
the legal luminary oddly enough had
dispelled the atmosphere of gloom that
hung for few minutes about the lower
end of the table. He and his strange
visitors were still closeted, so to speak,
in the parlor, but now they came forth
In some mysterious way every woman
had by this time learned that Mr.. Schon-
berg was there, and at the sound of the
opening parlor door and of the mellifiu-
Gus accents of that gentleman's voice
they instinctively huddled to the other
end of the piazza Lawler walked with
the two men as far as the gate, and when
they finally disappeared in the direction
Of the store came sauntering back to join
the ladies.
'.As l don't smoke" he said, II will
take my enjoyment here. Where shall
l sit?'
'sTake this chair, Col Lawler," said
Miss Marshall, noting the aversion with
which all the others Of the party had be-
come inspired. MAY l send for coffee
for your
Miss Marshall, have no small vices.
l never drink anything stronger than
milk; never smoke, never chew, never
swear.v