New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-27
MRS. KEATS BRADFORD.
VII.
A VISITING SISTER.

as a society man." And he did have a genuine
wish to make good impression Rowena's
sister, besides being pleased with the girl for
her own sake No man secs a young, pretty
and unsullied face without sense of pleasure.
Yes" she responded "Aint that what they
do at receptions? Besides lot of talk?"
"Yes, somebody does sing, and somebody does
play, sometimes But it's mostly a lot OF talk"
Il should think it must be real tiresome if they
talk about their babies having the Group, N
all that, same as George Townsend does out TO
that baby"
:" Did she?" said Bradford. well it's just
possible to get awful tired at reception here in
Boston. though, of course, you mustn't ever be-
tray that said So"
why not2' asked the girl with large, ques-
toning eyes.
The gentleman smiled at her. She had an
uneasy sense that it was possible he was not
quite in earnest. He made no other reply than
that smile.
lie asked about her mother and her brothers.
and what wac more, he listened to her replies
Every time she began a sentence she very
careful to speak correctly but by the time she
finished her eagerness to say what she wished was
the cause of frequent lapses in grammar and
pronunciation.
confiding TO her companion her resolve TO talk
grammar since she had come TO Boston. She said
she knew she now in the best society.
Here Bradford rose with Marmaduke in his
arms and made his best how to the girl She
stared an instant, and then laughed shrilly.
Il DECLARE" she said, Il did give you COM
piment then, didn't i P"
And don't spoil it by saying you didn't mean
to do it,, he responded.
mo, wont. But I'm in earnest now. s'pose
there amt anybody higher N the Bradfords here, is
there?"
No one higher" answered the gentleman
solemnly, but truth compels to add that
there are some high
Sarah Kimball looked at her companion intently
She was not thinking of him much as of the
very great marriage her sister had made She
had never quite realized it before. She thought
she realized it now. She wondered if, now she
had come 10 Boston, she might be as lucky. This
thought made her blush deeply.
Bradford had not resumed his scat. He
ssuntered about the room looking at the pictures
which Were mostly frames, which formed part
of the furnishing The clock struck eleven. He
could not wait for Rowena, her return was so
uncertain. He was telling Sarah Kimball this
and that he would, perhaps, call the next day.
when the door opened again, the portiere was
pulled aside and the two turned to see Rowena
with her cloak ready to fall, and half revealing
that costume which had so excited the admiration
of Sarah Kimball. This girl now had an impulse
which made her retreat to her room.
Rowena stood an instant in her surprise Then
she flung the cloak on chair near her and adj
vanced toward her husband. Bradford's face was
colorless but he was composed. The terrier was
now on the floor, careering round the two
The man and woman clasped hands and gazcd
1T each other. Though they stood quietly
there was something in the air about them. 1t
was charged.
OF course il was the woman who spoke first
You are looking thin. Keats, she said, and
her voice was made uneven by her quick breaths.
He did not answer. 1t almost seemed if he
did not think it incumbent upon him to speak, as
long as be might look at her.
From being very white from the surprise
Rowena became red from her neck to her brow.
"Let Us sit down." she said Bradford led her
TO seat and then stood before her She leaned
back and met his eyes again.
"Oh, Keats" she said. brokenly, have you
been so unhappy"
The man put great restraint upon himself
His tone was almost light as he answered;
you did not leave me that might be happy
did you?"
Then in a moment he added: But we will
not discuss that question. You know it was l who
suggested your coming home Let us talk OF
your plans. / am glad that you have your sister
with you. She is very practical She hasn't
raw of ideality But she knows what she is
about And she is very pretty. Yes, I'm GLAD
YOU thought TO have her with you"
Bradford added sentence TO sentence, somewhat
as il he were machine. But he did not have
the face of machine.
He turned and sat down opposite the table, as he
had sat with Sarah Kimball. Only it was not
Sarah Kimball who was with him now.
As for Rowena, she did not try to respond to
this somewhat voluble talk about her sister.
She began slowly TO pull off her gloves her
ewes fixed on her hands as she did so. She could
not tell why she had such guilty feeling running
through her other emotion. She hated
70 feel guilty. She did not think
she had done anything TO deserve that sensation
And this conviction made her still more rcbelllous
Did YOU meet many you knew at Mrs
Sears's?"
Bradford felt that the inquiry was inane, but
it was the machine which put it, not himself
uYou forget that don't know any one in
Boston," said Rowena. Il used TO know some
sales-ladies and medium. didn't meet them
Yes. / forgot But you used TO know my
cousin Vanessa."
ayes; but she was not there. Mrs Sears told
me she was flirting with Protestant Sisterhood."
Ali That accounts for the severity of her
costume when / last saw her
"Yanessa is so much in earnest when she fiirts "
Rowcna smiled as she spoke thus, but she sighed
also.
She asked herself how long she and her hus-
band could 20 on talking like this. There was a
IN, ynyd haaau
~ the words. but because of what there was
behind them.
On the carpet Marmaduke was walking aim
lxp