Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-01-09

was ineligible. Not even illness can spoil
her beauty
The sort of headache she has got to-
night?' Mr.. Romsey satirically suggested.
Don't be ill-natured. dear. Mrs. OrmOnd
is here by the advice of one of the first physi-
Clans in London; She has suffered under Sc
rious troubles, poor thing"
Mr.. RomSey persisted in being satirical.
connected with her husband?' he asked.
Lady Myre entered protest She was
widow; and it was notorious among her
friends that the death of her husband had
been the happiest event in her married life.
But she understood her duty to herself as
respectable woman. Il think. Mr. Romsey,
you might have spared that cruel allusiOn."
she said with dignity
Mr.. Romscy apologzed. lie had his rea-
SONS for wishing to know something more
about Mrs. Ormond; he proposed to with
draw his last remark, and to put his inquiries
under another form. Might he ask his wife
if anybody had seen Mr.. Ormond?
NO"
''Or heard of him?'
Mrs. RomSey answered in the negative
once more. and added a question on her own
account. What did all this mean?
1T means" Lady Myrie interposed, what
we poor women are all exposed to-seandal."
She had not yet forgiven Mr.. Romsey's al
fusion. and she looked at him pointedly as
she spoke. There are some impenetrable
men on whom looks produce no impression.
Mr.. Romsey was one of them. He turned to
his wife and said, quietly: What | mean
is, that l know more of Mrs. Ormond than
you do. have heard of her-never mind
how or where. She is a lady who has been
celebrated in the newspapers. Don't be
alarmed. She is no less person than the
divorced Mrs. Linley."
The two ladies' looked at each other in
blank dismay. Restrained by a sense of con-
jugal duty, Mrs. RomSey only INDUCED in an
exclamation. Lady Myrie, independent of
restraint, expressed her opinion, and said:
Quite impossibe!"
THE Mrs. OrmOnd whom l mean," Mr..
ROmsey went on, ''has, as l have been told,
mother living. The old lady has been
twice married. Her name Is Mrs. Presty."
This settled the question. Mrs. Presty was
established, in her own proper person, with
her daughter and grandchild at the hotel.
Lady Myrie yielded to the force of evidence;
she lifted her hands in horror: This is too
dreadfulr'
Mrs. R0msey took a more compassionate
view of the disclosure. perhaps the poor
lady is to be pitied," she gently suggested.
Lady Myrie looked at her friend in aston
ishment. MY dear, you must have forgot
ten what the Judge said about her. Surely
you read the report of the case in the news
papers?"
mo: heard of the trial, and that's all.
What did the judge say"'
''Say?' Lady Myrie repeated. "What did
he not say! His lordship declared that he
had great mind not TO grant the divorce at
all. He spoke of this dreadful woman who
has deceived us in the severest terms; he
said she had behaved in most improper
manner. She had encouraged the abomin-
able gOvernesS and, if her husband had yield
ed to temptation, it was her fault. And more
besides that don't remember"
Mr.. ROmsey's wife appealed to him in de-
spair. What am to do?" she asked, help
lessly.
do nothing" was the wise reply. Didn't
you say she was going away Tomorrow
THAT'S the worst of itr' Mrs. Romsey de-
clared. ''Her little girl Kitty gives fare
well dinner tomorrow to our children, and
I've promised to take them to say good-by."
Lady Myrie pronounced sentence without
hesitation, "Of course your girls mustn't
go. Daughters! Think of their reputation
when they grow up!'
Are you in the same scrape with my
wifeT' Mr.. ROmsey asked.
Lady Myrie corrected his language II
have been deceived in the same way" she
said. Though my children are boys (Which
perhaps makes dlfference) feel it my
duty as mother not to let them get into bad
company. do nothing myself in an under
hand way. No excuses! shall send note
and tell Mrs. OrmOnd why she doesn't see
my boys tomorrow"
''Surely that's little hard on herr' said
merciful Mrs. Romsey.
Mr.. ROmsey agreed with his wife, on
grounds of expediency. 'Never make q
row il you can help IT," was tine peaceable
principle to which this gentleman commit
ted himself. '-5end word that the children
have caught colds, and get over 1t in that
way"
Mrs. Romsey looked gratefully at her ad-
mirable husband. Just the thingp she
said, with an air Of relief.
Lady Myrie's contempt expressed itself
with the strictest adherence to the laws Of
courtesy. She rose, smiled, and said Good
night"
Almost at the moment innocent little Kitty
astonshed her mother and her grandmother
by appearing before them in her nightgown
after she had been put to bed nearly two
hours since
What will this child do nextw Mrs.
Presty exclaimed.
Kitty told the truth. II can't 90 to sleep,
grandma"
why not, my darlingT' her mother asked.
I'm so excited, mammal
about what Kittyr'
About my dinner party tomorrow. Oh"
said the child, clasping her hands earnestly
a. She thought of her playfellows, Il do so
hone it will 90 off wellr'
ITO be Continued.