The Wichita daily eagle., 1891-10-20

rowing deeper and deeper into his pocket
and his shoulders rising higher and highe
to bis ears, feeling intensely guilty, an
yet not certain whether he should blam
himself for having said too much or TO
not having said enough.
just in front of him stood the table o.
which the phonograph, with wires, ba;
teries and all complete, stood ready for tn
guests whom it was to amuse. Slowly hi
his hands emerged from his pockets as hi
eye fell upon the apparatus, and with Ian
guild curiosity he completed the connection
and started the machine. A pompous
husky sound, as of a man clearing hi
throat, proceeded from the instrument
and then in high, piping tones, thin bu
distinct, the commencement of the cele
brated scientists lecture. "Of all the in
teresting problems" remarked the box
(which are offered to us by recent re
searches in the lower orders of marine hf
there is none to exceed the retrograde met
amorphosis which characterizes the com
mon barnacle. The differentiation of al
amorphous protoplasmic mass"- Her
Rupert Esdaile broke the connection again
and the funny little tinkling voice ceaset
as suddenly as it began.
4AO 1Ouuk Ludn SDOOu Sull1ln61 AOOhlAl
down at this garrulous piece Of wood ant
, metal, when suddenly the smile broadeneC
and a light of mischief danced up into hi
eyes. He slapped his thigh, and danced
round in the ecstasy of one who has STUN
bled on brand new brilliant idea. Yer!
carefully he drew forth the slips of meta
which recorded the learned professors re
marks. and laid them aside for future use
Into the slots he thrust virgin plates, al
ready TO receive an impression, and then
bearing the phonograph under his arm, h,
vanished into his own sanctum. Fiv'
minutes before the first guests had arrived
the machine was back upon the table, anc
all ready for use.
There could be no question of the suo
cess of Mrs. Esdaile's conversations. From
first to last everything went admirably
People stared through microscopes, and
linked hands for electric shocks, and mar
veled at the Galapagos turtle, the os
fronts of the Bos months and all the Other
curiosities which Mrs. Esdaile had taken
such pains to collect. Groups formed anG
chatted round the various cases. The
dean of Birchespool listened with a pro
testing lip while Professor Maunders held
forth upon a square of triassic rock, with
side tnrusts occasionally at the six days oi
orthodox creation; knot of specialists
disputed over a stuffed ornithorhynchus il
a corner; while Mrs. Esdaile swept from
group to group, introducing, congratulate
ing, laughing, with the ready, graceful
tact of a clever woman of the world. By
the window sat the heavily mustacheo
Captain Beesly, with the daughter of the
house, ard they discussed a problem oi
their own, as old as the triassic rock an0
perhaps as little understood.
But must really go and help my moth
er to entertain, Captain Beesly," said Rose.
at last. with a movement as if to rise.
Don't go, Rose And don't call m,
Captain Beesly; call me Charles"
well, then, Charles"
"How prettily it sounds from your lips,
No, now, don't go. l can't bear to be away
from you had heard of love, Rose; but
how strange it seems that |, after spend
ing my life amid all that is sparkling and
gay, should only find out now, in this little
provincial town, what love really isP'
"You say so, but it is only passing
fancy"
mo, indeed. I shall never leave you.
Rose never, unless you drive me away
from your side. And you would not be sc
cruel-you would not break my hearth"
He had very p|aintive blue eyes, ano
there was such a depth of sorrow in them
as he spoke that Rose could have wept fol
sympathy.
81 should be very sorry to cause you
grief in any way" she said, in faltering
tone.
''Then promise"-
"No, no; we cannot speak of it just now.
and they are collecting around the phono,
graph. Do come and listen to it. 1t is so
funny. Have you ever heard one?"
Never"
"It will amuse you immensely, and
am sure you would never guess what it is
going to talk about"
"What then?"
"Oh, won't tell you. You shall hear
Let US have these chairs by the open door;
it is so nice and COOL"
The company had formed an expectant
circle round the instrument. There was
subdued hush as Rupert Esdaile made the
connection, while his mother waved heI
white hand slowly from left to right tc
mark the cadence of the sonorous address
which was to break upon their ears.
''How about Lucy Araminta Penny
feather" cried a squeaky little voice
There was rustic and litter among the
audience. Rupert glanced across at Cap
tain Beesly He saw a dropping Jaw, two
protruding eyes and a face the color oi
cheese.
"How about little Martha Hovedean, o.
the Kensal Choir union?" cried the piping
voice.
Louder still rose the filters. Mrs. Es
dale stared about her in bewilderment
Rose burst out laughing, and the captain's
jaw dropped lower still, with a tinge oil
green upon the cheeselike face.
"Who was it who hid the ace in the ar
tiIlery cardroom at Peshawuri Who was
it who was broke in consequence Who
was it,
Good gracious" cried Mrs. Esdaile
'what nonsense is this?" The machine is
out of order. Stop it, Rupert. These arr
not the professors remarks. But, deaI
me, where is cur friend Captain Beesly
gomez"
al am afraid that he is not very we'll,
ma" said Rose. "He rushed out of the
room"
"There can't be much the matter"
quoth Rupert. There he goes, cutting
down the avenue as fast as his legs will
carry nlu- i 90 not IHlUks somehow, GDAt
we shall see the captain again. But must
really apologize. ! have put in the wrong
slips These, fancy, are those which be-
long to Professor Standerton's lecture"
Rose Esdaile has become Rose Stares
now, and her husband is one of the most
rising scientists in the provinces. No
doubt she is proud of his intellect and of
his growing fame, but there are times
when she still gives thought to the blue
eyed captain, and marvels at the strange
and sudden manner in which he deserted /
her-Strand Magazine.
Nearly Thousand Years Old.
Grand festivities, including a national |