Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-11-09
TURN ABOUT Is FAIR.

Know there's a draft on that side / did
intend at one time TO have it cured in some
way, but 1t does not much matter now,
I'll have screen put round your corner to
morrow Mine is comfortable enough"
ms was said to me one winter evening
by my cousin, John Elder, as we sat on
each side of the fire in his particularly coy
ginning room, where the table with its
lamp, flowers and dessert, had been drawn
up to an easy distance from our hands.
John was slipping port and was cracking
nuts, for which in spite of my years have
an abiding affection, and behind my chair
was the door from which might, but did
not, come the draft John was speaking Of
John is an elderly gentleman, a bachelor,
Very well off, very comfortable and very
popular, but still rather mysteriously a
bachelor, because he has always liked and
been liked by women. ! am an elderly
lady, widow, and John and have been
warm friends all our lives. The reason why
Twas sitting beside Johns dining room fire
WAS that / had come to pay him a visit,
and as there were no other guests in the
house it was much more sensible for me to
stay and talk with him while he enjoyed
his after dinner ease than to go away by
myself into the drawing room.
There is no draft" / said; none at
present, am sure. But there may be when
the wind is north, and screen would make
all safe"
Yes" he answered musingly, as he
looked at the wine he had just poured out,
"a screen would do, but did think once of
altering the door, making really good
job of it. Iplanned that with other altera-
tons"
and the plans were never carried outY'
j asked, after had waited a moment to
see If he would say more well, sup
pose / know when they were made, but l
never did quite understand why they came
to nothing
NO" he answered IL don't think any
body knew but ourselves. 1t was nv fault
certainly, It was all my fault"
He stopped, but l thought he was not
aisinclined to 20 on, and l was curious
Indeed there had been an episode in Johns
life about which we had all been curious,
and though it was good while past |
Still felt l should like to know. SO said,
Il fancied it had been Miss Woodroffe's
doingS"
Il said it was my fault" he answered.
Il did not say it was my doing"
"OhP' / answered rather blankly, and
there was q silence
Then John gave little laugh, half ridi-
Guile OF himself, | thought, and half rueful-
ness for the story that was in his mind
Il may as well tell you all about it," he
said. You are not likely to tell It to any
of the young ones, and it certainly was an
odd way of losing ones promised wife
Youth see that she was not to blame"
saw now that / was in for the story,
whatever it might be, the catastrophe Of
which had left John a bachelor, so / set
tied myself in my chair, put my feet more
comfortably on my footstool and laid down
the nutcrackers.
WELL" he said, 81 dare say you remem-
Der that have always been much fonder
Of seeing my friends in my own house than
Of going elsewhere for society. l don't
suppose I've dined out ten times in the
last ten years; and ten years ago / disliked
doing it almost as much as / do now.
Only wasn't quite such an old fogy, and
believe / had some vague idea of marry
ing. The difficulty was that had never
seen exactly the right woman, and very
naturally / wasn't nearly so keen about
finding her as had been twenty years be-
fore that. 1t is just ten years now since
met Miss Woodroffe"
Yes" said, IL remember IL is about
ten years since l heard of her."
1.-THE only house where | ever cared to
dine in those days was Joddrells', and 1
used to go there about once for every four
times they asked me. One evening in Sep
TENDER went there much against my will
Joddrell had promised me that should
meet some old friends, but when arrived
there was not one present but strangers,
and nearly all the party were young people.
Fancy asking me to meet a room full Of
young peoplel II wasn't till dinner was
announced that / saw the lady was to
take in; then Joddrell led me into corner
of the drawing room and introduced me TO
Miss Woodroffe friend of his wife"
John stopped little here, and fancied
he was trying to find words in which TO
describe Miss Woodroffe. II that were 80
he did not succeed After a minute he
went on again, without attempting to give
me any portraiture Of the heroine Of his
story.
upon my word, Mary l can't tell how
IL happened. All | know is that she was
the most charming woman / ever saw In
my life. We talked a great deal during
dinner and we talked a great deal after
dinner, and the more she talked and the
more / looked at her the more thought
with disgust Of my solitary existence.
Somehow or other before / got up next
morning l had made up my mind that
would try TO persuade her to become my
wife All this Of course is very common
place. Plenty of men, / suppose-even
some men Of fifty-fve-must have had the
same sort Of experience. Now comes the
part Of the story which think must be-
long to me alone DO you remember how,
d.. years ago, persuaded you to let me send
some Of your handwriting TO lady who
professed to know all about the people
whose writing she was allowed to exam
inef / sent yours and some others. Do
you rememberf"
"Yes," / answered, II remember very
well, and we thought the characters sent
back were wonderfully true"
1--WE did," said John enphatically. "and
that was the mischief Of 1t. Some time
after that / had a housekeeper whom
suspected Of cheating me, and sent note
Of hers to Miss Harris by way Of clearing
ind. 49, ar Harria tryr0ff