Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-06-06
Mrs G. BoYDToS GREY.
Miss ECZEMA VAN CouRTIAyp.
Tuesday. 16 4 st.
Tuesday.

Searching in the recesses of nv memory for
past knowledge of the lady / could recall moth
ing. save thar she had lived in San Francisco
several years before, where she had entertained
royalty There had been four daughters-in-
snities-who had all married naval officers sta
toned at Mare Island / had been TO China
since and had thus lost sight of the family
Who % Mrs Boydton Grey?' asked Of Com
.nodore Sapper, who knows everybody worth
knowing and who can give you the antecedents
OF three generations of pretty women. He laid
down the morning paper, which had obscured
DIS round, red face and white whiskers, and
turned toward me with q smile of delight at
having found q voluntary victim
Bless my soul, - he said "a most charming
woman She is character. I've known her
for years. ever since she Louise Van Court
land-excellent knickerbocker family She was
handsome and clever and poor and a great
pehe- she married a rich pork packer out
west He died and now she has married her
daughters of and is back again this winter
with young relative, lovely girl they saw.
cisyerE Sir, that woman was the most bril-
liant and eccentric girl ever knew They told
some good stories on her She was engaged TO
an attaehe Of the French legation a handsome
fellow, but poOr-Count Something-and she
was preparing to become a Roman Catholic
Wen, sir. the story goes that be presented her
with Roman Catholic prayer book. one of
thOse handsome things with a velvet and
mOther-Of-PearI cover. When GREY came along
she threw the Johnny Crapaud over and mar
rled him. Well, sir. lady saw her once at 81
Johns Church with that identical PRAYER book
seemingly. She had had the Catholic insides
taken out and Protestant insides put in. Ha,
bat'
Here messenger boy witha note fortunately
diverted his train Of "reminiscences
lie next tuesday afternoon found me among
the stream of callers at Mrs. Boydton Crew.
She was standing 1t the door of the drawing
room as entered. looking very stately in some
sort Of purple gown
Why she said, with cordial smile. .stbis
Is KIND OF you 10 come so soon. Its such a re-
lief to see a really familiar face. Now. / want
you 70 stay long time oh, here are some
PeopIe | musk TAX To- Just sit down on that
SlVan anu walt until the crowd goes All
colonel, how pleased l am to see yoa-such a
pleasant time AZ your wife luncheon"
l sat down on the divan behind her. content
70 De screened and a locker on. The house and
appointments were handsome, the crowd xerv
swell and Mrs. Grey's manners were cav anj
gracious Feeling myself an honored guest i
settled myself Ike grand mogul among the
cushions, looking AZ the many pretty faces be.
foFe me, conIecturinS which could be Miss Van
CORTLAND.
No" Mrs Grey was saving. dear Fngar;a
Is not down this afternoon. She is slightly in
disposed want you to know her colonel.
just the kind Of girl You like. = beauty anu
witty" "-1
Then, moment afterward-
Al, baron, your singing was such a treat
Dear Eugenia will be so sorry To have missed in
Die Is an srtlste, a soul all music
After the callers had all left Mrs Grey de-
tained me for tete-a-tete or monologue
Il an glad you stayed, she said, sitting
down by NE. with cup OF hot chocolate on the
table near her; i have to go to q dinner at Z
Anu you VIII talk TO me until the carriage
comes. Do you know 1 have taken a great
fancy 10 you: lol are very differens from the
average young man; you care for music and
81
seven years.
1 began AZ Mare Island but before reached
Honolulu the mention OF name diverted her
thoughts to herself
Tracy Why, his brother had married nv
daughter Louise. nice fellow he is too.
very inherent from the husbands of the other
three girls. who married idiots perfec, uinnies
] often say that have thousand sous-in-law
one man and three ciphers. Now am left
alone in the world You know Fer1u. INV ~,
greyhound, died Yes, Mr. HiIlisrd i NAV
state With truth that some evil fate take,
every living creature on whom set nv atfec-
uo1A
II never loved q dear sazeus."
81 never had a maid who perfectly understood
arranging my hair who did not go OF to marry
some milkman or undertaken. am utterly
tired Of life and its stupidity. The beef to
tomorrow will succeed to the veal Of TODAY a.
tne veal OF today has succeeded to the mutton
Of yesterdsyp'
10 person Of your originality" began.
tentatively There is no scope in modern life
Tor Individuality" Mrs. Grey interrupted: Il
would IKE to be like Lady Hester Montague or
worthy stanhope-was it?-the English woman
Who joined q harem or rode camels. or some
thins-anythlng for change and excitement"
You might travel"
Bah! Steam and electricity have made the
world too small You can't get away from
your own seS Wherever You go you meet the
same stupid, ssereotyped people. There was
one woman whom l saw eyerywhere-New
York, Newport Paris. To get away from her
and her shoddy inery went to Egypt. There.
IN me darkest passage Of one Of the pyramids,
We met party Of tourists and by the torch
light saw that woman and her diamond ear
rings"
You have Miss Van CORTLAND to brighten
you life," I suggested.
"AA. yss? Mira Grey sighed and then her