New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-07
MRS. KS DINNER.

and Mrs KS is undoubtedly my faVorte.
When | think of the evenings ! have spent there'
J experience sensation as nearly resempiihg siat-
itudc as any Londoner can hope to attain TO-
Their small dinners always the best, OF course ::
but even the Others have been invariably more
than endurabe and where in th t cree iGat p pr
awarded? Chief. perhaps, among the merits OF
the entertainment is the absence of that feeling OF
oppressiveness. Of that sense OF the utter lmPos-
bility of ever rivaling the gOreeousness and per
lection of the whole thing which so often
sends one away in state OF palncd res
Walking home by the Park side, in the
congcnial company of the midnight cigar. from one
Of Mr.. and Mrs. Ms little dinners, ! nave
sometimes said TO mysclf pom my "ora, INN; ,n,mk
tied want of pluck has always restrained me from
The attempt to give effect to this rasn resoiutloh
moreover calmer reflection has since assured me
that in these entertainments there is some sup,Ie
and delicate art which places them stu 1aIther
beyond my reach than even the more pretsH'lous
TO which have alluded
The evening of which am about to speak. now
ever was or came near 10 being. an exception.
How the misfortune arose | have never Known
70 find. when | reached the house. that me alair
was on the larger scale was DISAPPOINTMENT 70
discover. al a glance that was acquainted WIN
:cwer members of the company than usual. was
another: and when | saw in Mrs. Us eyes
ms she greeted me. what had never seen before.
an indication of her being ever little Ill al ease
my spirits sank sensby One OF the great at
vi .. n
her remarkable aptitude for diVining ones
preference in respect TO the lady VINO should
have the psTsr a 0i making KIM % Soe hours %
or more TO be spent at the dinner-table. How
little do hostesses as rnle. reflect on the awful
nature Of these temporary unions, ineXorabe, NOT
to be severed They resemble an unmentionable
and somewhat probematic place IN the iact thaV
out of them there is no redemption. What ire
hours-to Dc centred in one small, weak, possibly
silly woman, But Mrs Y rose TO fine
OF her responsibilities. and rarely gave one
even slight cause TO complain. And when, on this
OCCASION I found myself in the most unusual
Of being ill-companioned, my spirits. already
little dashed went down TO zero; 1t appeared
10 me TO be an OF dire disaster; even my
appetite seemed To flee. and my mind was hlled
with the dim presage Of some unknown calamity.
One, ray of consolation, albeit melancholy memo
apparently not expected certainly not en-
couraged, 10 make myself particularly entertain
ing or agreeable. Ny chain. though it CALLED,
was at least u light one; ! could drag II about,
and TO that extent, was free With mental
ejaculation of thankfulness 10 my captor for this
small mercy, ! proceeded 10 make full use Of my
modified liberty went III search OF That
crumpled rose leaf. the existence of which was
to me u matter Of absolute certainty FIRST.
explored the many known faces at the 1aole
There they were old and tried comrades. brothers
and sisters in arms many knife and fork had
we brandished side b. side and in none Of their
faces could | now read the danger signal. Il
himself seemed the same az ever; bui III NJ,
wife's face. and through her smiles, ! could still
see the same watchful anxious expression thai
had surprised Inc entering. With sigh. as
! thought vi the hopeless nature vi the quest
set ont for the strange regions.
e shall be away time, thought let
me make one farewell remark 10 the lady who
for the present has dominion over my being.
The harmless courlesle> were exchanged. ana
stared rhe new faces stood out like uG 9ir
waters. One rapid survey first, the only result
Of which that ! had counted them. Eight
in all; five women. including MY Iiege lady. and
men. ordinary, to all appearance: one elderly;
military: typical. safe. Can it be LADY," !
thought: 80 then indeed my chances Of making u
discovery are slender | know that charming
sex we'll enough 10 have abandoned the idea that
can make ii good frst-sight diagnosis OF any
after the other, in manner quite ainess ana
futile. After the. expenditure of full three
minutes. | was still unenlightened Back came
10 my duty, dropped conversational pearl. re-
ceived another in exchange and was of again.
Like the children. both Of a smaller and larger
first. | will exhaust the possibilities of the Tae
unknowns Here at least | in field OF
research for which Providence has not altogether
denied me the capabilities.
The next remark made to me- by my fair
neghbor received the quite Irrelevant answer
Yes. I have found him My apology was
received with perfect calmness and good lumOr
the little incident helped, in tact, to break down
the barrier that had stood between us. We con-
vcrsed somewhat more freely; but hardly for
moment did | remove my eyes from the object
of intense interest they had discovered. young
man. OF not more than thirty, almost opposite TO
me- was conversing in low voice and rapidly
with a girl also one Of the unkn0wns. lie would
have been handsome, but for q certain expression
in his face that made one say, In The first place,
Weakness" On looking again and again, and
more and more keenly. mentally ADDED. DIS,
sipatiop" The contrast between the upper aud
lower portions of his face was very marked, the
mouth and chin expressing lrresoiution ana SELF
INDULGENCE with fatal clearness. while the fore
heal and eyes maintained calm, almost naughty,
nobility. IL was though one saw the nigh
water mark of the muddy waves of lie ON what
must have been at one tame an unsulied ana al
most perfect face; and the question, when,
where and how did he begin 10 cease 70 be gen
tlernan ?" irresistbly assailed my mind tAt when
ba laughed his whole face seemed to share what
the 'a lower part; and he laughed fire.
quenty. More and more iT,rguenoy; rsnnfke a;
whatever nature il might be, seemed 10 interest,
amus. and even excite his companion oi her
could not bring myself 10 iornulaG any more ore
word Frivolous" True, she was young, very
young: but one somehow felt that the frivohty
sible to plead the excuse OF youth: AS wa,chca
them, | seemed. sometimes does. without
hearing word To gather vaguely the import OF
apparently. being half-shyy, half-malciously' TO
encourage him 10 further salles. a gradual. but
20 me at least fearfuly distinct, crescendo all at
once began to Get in and now caught a word or
two a phrase or two. here and there. glanced
IT my hostess. The shade Of anxiety on her face
visa-vis and a horrible thought came, over mr.
Certainly while had observed him. he had drunk
wine in the ordinary way but had not thought
that he did freely and yet, undoubtedly ne
was just little intoxicated Hastily l looked
round the table to whether any one else APP
feared to notice il: the conversation had become
brisker and more general my companion was talk
ing TO her neighber At this time dessert
about 70 begin I'VE shall get through"
thought: "besides. rhave been over observant OF
him: exaggerate I have worked myself up to
an undue pitch Of sepsitveness. Again the
crescendo, and this time it seemed that he must
attract attention. No! not yet! began 10 catch