Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-08-23

-as was 10 talate1 arlsrocr4tlc pa
reLl1Ee 1ai .ies.r1. 4Ei l..d rle entree
e. tae l.os- exclusive alaeiu- goouls ln
1lavfar. Had 81 ever troubled TO tliuk
ahout 20 a.l be- vogd probably have
experienced some Eii.IFll-s 49, % tlle
legitimacy ~ tle al4aance ~ wLicn he
w. the result. IT. CERTAINLY was aware
OF the Suspicion ich esifaDly man
ifatet itseH ia BIS presence, whenever
b. happened % be tlrown outside II the
circle in which bis peculiar ldlosyncra-
cies wers overlooked and his social at
tributes duiy appreciated
She belonged % the upper crust q so
elerg ana. imbued with ali the instincts
and traditions n her class. delighted ia
her life If ease aud obscurlty tie also
appeared t0 Ia innocent II any eKactiug
occupation. Hs was generally 10 Do
seen hangin, about 40 tho street corners
or az Tia doors of raverns. bur nrverthe-
lees be had acquired m certain quar-
tars. = reputation as a man ~ action and
dslsrmlnlation- a word A. . char
acrer"
Her name was Poppet. She was
known by no other. and was fauhharly
calls,l - by princes and poteutate- in
the grandest salons in London. Great
authors philosophers, artists, musicians
and statesmen ruteavored % propitIate
her Even dowa-er duchesses, generally
very self contained beings. treated Der
with consideration and OCCASIONALLY used
AT sorts ~ rEdearments toward her.
still her pretty. curly head was not
turned The reason Why the reader VIII
presently discover.
He va known as jim Lukens among
rs associates. But he vas fellow Of
infinite fancy. aud possessed a happy
kns1ck IT christening himself every now
amt again a. he considered the eXgen-
ciess OK the moment Appeared 70 demand
II Thus. VIXEN enjoying the hospitality
of her majesty at one pension prlyee
be VA one person. and IN another he
was a different person sether-nom-
inally. az least. He did not find that
continual rebaptisms mitigated the
severity exercised in the official circles
IN which be frequently found himself,
but be did not think II expedient TO be-
come too well acquainted by name TO
the lights Of the bench Except IN his
one love affair, he had a deplorable lack
Of ambition.
Poppet lived with Lady Dollydacks in
Park lane. Hyde park She was not her
ladyship's daughter, rs Lord Dollvdacks
died without issue; neither was she her
niece. Lady Dollydacks cultivated a
comfortable hatred Of all her kith and
. 81
for woman Of her quality % do, and it
saved her from annoying intrusion. Be
fore her marriage % the late lamented
governor general of Coromandel, Lady
DoIlydacks had been the widow of a
wealthy sugar planter, and there her
past history ended. She had no recol-
lection Of what she was previous % her
West Indian matrimonial venture. No,
poor P0ppet was merely her ladyship's
little pr0tege and can hardly be said To
have bad any expectations beyond the
immediate comfort Of her surroundings.
PoPpet was admitted by men and wo-
men Of the most critical, discrimiuative
TIVE. and # the highest rank, 20 b. sim
ply perfect in form and beauty jim
was described ia more than one "ofIi-
cla-" cyclopedia Of biography AS repul-
svely ugly Ia a dim sort of a fashion
be was conscious of his physical de
fciencies. bat It did not check his pas
son for her,
Their first meeting. If it can be so
cailed. happened M this way:
10 was one beautiful summer morning.
He Wa kanin- over the ratings Of the
"duye~ in Hyde park looking az the
brilliant equipages and their fair occu-
pants As they passed him. There was q
ttnge II sulieu. iuqmrag cynicism on
has irregular but expressive features
He vas rejecting I'm bis own crude way
upon the -tr.tls-ue of the disreusatiOus
of Providence. lie was homeless. IT.
reclar1sole pariah, these vivid crowds
seelresi veri-able gods and goddesses.
an at once the discomfort vanished
cat ~ bis face and Is became irraGated
with An appreciatise Intelligence. An
open carrla-e. embiazoBed REGARDLESS OF
expsu-e. AMI drawn by q couple Of leaa-
tif.l black horses. Was arrested bv the
opposing stream ~ traffic Immediately
IN front NJ 1tuI Two servants iu gor-
gsous hverv -.t uron fhe box The foot
snnus calves. lnclsed Ina flesh colored
hose. wogl3 have made the so3saus
first gentlemen of Europe. then lately
Decreased. green with jealousy could he
have seem Them Tae man was e model
Of deportufent. creature after Mr.
Turoy ir,r's own heart Hc wa Iro-
tionFs=. silent and pamrous. ant his
f1ce wore faaf peculiar Ilfs ~ superior