The Forrest City times., 1891-03-13
THE TERTIUM QUID.

All three were unwise, but the Wife was the unwisest. Tho Man should have looked after his Wife. who should have avoided the Tertium Quil. who again should have married a wife Of his own, after clean and open flirta- tions. to which nobody can possibly object, round Jakko or Observatory hill. When you see young man with his pony in white lather and his hat on the back of his head. flying down. hill at fifteen miles an hour to meet a girl who will be properly surprised to meet him, you naturally approve of that young man, aud wish him staff appointments and take an interest ia his welfare. and us the proper time time comes give them sugar tongs or side-saddles, according to your means and generosity.
 The Tertium Quid flew down-hill ou but 1t WIS to meet the mans wife; and when he flew uphill it was for the same end. The man was in the plains earning money for his wife to spend on dresses and 400-rupee bracelets aud .inexpenslve luxuries of that kind. He worked very hard nnd sent her letter or postcard dai- ly. She also wrote to him daily and said that she was longing for him to come up to Simla. The Tertium Quid used to lean over her shoulders and laugh as she wrote the notes. Then the two would ride to tho post office together.
 Now, simla is a strange placo. and its customs are peculiar; nor is any man who has not spent at least ton seasons there qualified to pass judg- ment ou circumstautial evidence, Which is the most untrustworthy in the courts. For these reasons, and for others which need not appear. 1 decliae to state positively whether there was anything irretrievably wrong in the relations between tho Mans Wife and the Tertium Quid. If there was, and hereon you must form your own opinion, 1t was the Mans Wife's fault. She was kittenish in her manners. wearing generally an air of soft and fluffy innocence. But she was deadlily learned and evil instructed, and, now and again. when the mask dropped, men saw this. shuddered and almost drew back. Men arc occasionally particular and the least particular men are always the most exacting.
 Simla is eccentric in it's fashion of heating friendships. Certain attach nents which have set and cry ystalized through half dozen seasons acquire Nmost sanctity Of the marriage
 ,nd. are revered as such. Again,
 srtain attachments equally old, and, d all appearances. equally venerable. never seem to win any recognized official status. while chancc-s prung Il quaintanee. not two months old. steps into tho place which by right belongs to the senior. There is no law reducible 10 print which regulates these affairs
 Some people have gift which se- cures them infinite toleration and others have not. The Mans Wife had not. If she looked over the garden wall, for instance. women taxed her with stealing their husbands. She complained pathetically that she was not allowed 10 choose her own friends. When she put up her big white muff to her lips and sazed over 1t and under her eyebrows at you as she said this thing, you felt that she had been in- famously misjudged. and that all the other women's instincts were all wrong, which was absurd, She was not allowed to own the Tertium Quid in peace, and was so strangely con- structcd that she would not have en- joyed peace had she been so permit ted. She preferred some semblance Of intrigue to cloak even her most commonplace actions
 Alter two months Of riding. first round Jakko. then Elysium. then Sumner hill, then Observatory hill. then under Jutogh. and lastly up and down tho cart road as far Us tho Tara Deva gap in the dusk. she said to the Tert,um Quid; Frank. people say
 we are too much together. and people are so horrid.H
 The Tertium Quid pulled his mus
 tache ard replied that horrid people
 were unworthy the consideration of
 nice people.
 But they have done more than talk
 they have written written to my
 hubby I'm sure of it." said the Man
 Wife. and she pulled a letter from her
 hus sband out of her sadde- pocket nnd gave 1t to the Tertium Quid.
 1t was an honest letter. written by m honest man. then slowing in the plains on POO rupees month Qor he allowed his wife SJo), and in a silk
 tanian and cotton trousers. 1t Is said
 that perhaps sho had not thought of
 the uowisdom of allowing her name
 to be coupled with tho Tertium Quid' s; that she was too much of child to
 understand that sort of thing; that he. her husband. was the last man in the world to interfere jealousy with her little amusements and interests, but