The morning call., 1892-03-08
JUST AS Old AS SHE LOOKS.

and was called Every charitable" Rich
people do not, as a rule, find ii hard TO earn
a good reputation; bnt Mrs. Blessiugton's
''charity" was undeniable. 1t consisted IN
givjng-money, rarely, and as rule 10 inl-
postors-food and raiment occasionally and
with more discrimination, since they were
distributed by other hands than her own
advice, reproof, exh0rtations, admonti0ns
generally and generously. in season and out
If season, by word Of mouth, by letter, by
Leaflets" by hints given to others, by sug-
gestions made TO her pet curate, by any and
every means known to or imagined by char
table persons. In short, she might have
received mission to reform her genera
ton, so completely had she thrown her
whole soul into the good work. Mrs. Bles-
sington possessed small but luxurious fat
ia London and q large, weli-appOinted
house in the country, but she had fancies,
as rich people being able to afford them
generally have Her particular fancy was
Folkestone, and al FOlkestOue she was more
often 10 lie found than IN either OF her other
two homes. She had permanent ROOMS III
hotel there, and became Folkestone insti-
tuition. Every one who knew FOlkeStone
knew Mrs. Marmaduke Blessington.
She as seated one morning at her own
particular table by her own particular win
. UOM Vi TIE CUuEt-lbOul. ND6lC. III HlCIGI-
ence 10 her private SlItln9 groom, she chose
always TO have her meals, because, TO use
her own expression, 1T gave her so many
opportunities" An open letter lay on tie
table beside her. She was reading il with
evident interest, CHANGING now and again
she did 20 across the room TO where, II an
other table, a yOung-loOking and very
pretty woman and q lac, apparently about
Is or is years of age, were also breakfast
ing and chatting merrily together Mrs.
Blessmgt0n eTead paragraph Of the let
ter:
How strangely things turn ont in this
world!' it tritely remarked. Il hear that
Mis-. PTCtheToe has just come home from
the Cape, and IS now staying at FOlkeStone
10 be near her son. Ii was she who was SO
very good 10 our dear Charlie when lie was
Ill at Cape Town. If you come across her.
as you are certain TO do sooner or later, do
make her acquaintance. aud show her any
ciYillty you can. l am sure she must be
charming from what Charlie says of her,
ana we owe her debt Of gratitude we can
never repay, for 1t was entirely her care ana
good nursing, the doctors said, which
pulled dear Charlie through. She has been
abroad TOT some years, and l dare say has
lost touch OF many Of her English iIieBdS
and might be glad TO meet sUme one who
knows everybody at tOlkeStope as you do.
/ shall be writing TO her IN Il day or so aud
Will mention your NAME" Mrs. Blessing
ton folded the letter, and then, again LOOK
ing across the room, mutttred: Il can
hardly believe it; yet they certainly said
she was Mrs. ProtberOe. That boy can
never be her sonl Well" signing. "it may
be an opportunity" With that she rose,
and taking the letter in her hand, walked
over to the other table.
10 explain the last phrase in Mrs. Bles-
SIM tons sOillOQuy, Ii may be mentioned
that for the past week she had been much
troubled 10 spirit on the score of her pretty
III AZ L.
but nothing more about her. Mrs. Profile
roe had no maid with her, so that one
fruitful source Of Mrs. Blessinst0n's knOwl-
edge OF her teilow-sO lourners at the hotel
was closed. But in her own mind she had
drawn very satisfactory sketch OF charac-
ter, which, strange TO say for one so char
liable, as hardly hatterlDg TO the pretty
little woman IL was meant TO represent.
"a grass widow, of course. Pretty-yes,
one must admit that; they generally are.
Extravagant-very, l should say. Judging
from her dress a fiirt-dccidedly. Away 5
going about with that young officer from
Dover. Seems TO have no other friends or
acquaintance" Such would have been the
outline Of Mrs. Bessington's portrait had
she put her thoughts into words. There
fore, Mrs. Pr0theroe became IAN 0pportu-
Dity"-n other words, Oh object upon which
to bestow unlimited charity. So, as stated
above. Mrs. BlessingtOn crossed the room
with the letter in her hand.
Mrs. Protheroe, l believer" Mrs. Pro-
theroe looked up aud smiled as she as
scented. Il have just heard from a dear
friend. Mrs. Burchill of Ariston Grange.
who has heard that you are here. and asked
me to make your acquaintance" The little
woman's face frightened; she introduced
her son aud they conVersed pleasantly
enough while tile lad was finishing his
breakfast. Then Mrs. B!essington rose.
saying, as she did so: Perhaps You would
like drive this afternoon? should be
most happy If you would accompany ME.
l generally 60 out about 8 o'clock" Mrs.
Protheroe was very grateful but she and
Johnnie were going to Dover that after
neon. Then Tomorrow. Would she come
to-m0rrOwY Mrs. Protheroe feared that
also impossible, as johnnie was returning
to school Tomorrow afternoon, and she
wanted TO be with him every hour of his
leave. She had not seen him till now for
four years. Indeed" Well, then, the
next day, when she would be all alone,
would she come thenw Yes, she would be
very pleased to do so +; and they parted, with
EaDv civil speeches on both sides
Between this first Interview and the time
they were seated side by side in Mrs.
Blessington's barouehe they had not added
much to their mutual knowledge of one
another. Mrs. PrOtheroe, it is true, had
made no effort to do so, having only mep-
toned Mrs. BlesSington's name casually to
a friend at Dover, who summed her up as
AN old woman who means to be good
natured, but who is the greatest busy body,
gossip and mlschief-maker within seven
counties" This, however. was quite
enough to put Mrs. Protheroe on her guard.
Mrs. BlesSlngton. on the other hand had
done her utmost by watching and question
Ing TO ind out more about Mrs. Protheroe
But excepting that she and her son had re-
turned from Dover after dinner, and tina,
another gentleman had come with them anC
had had whisky and soda In the coffee
room which Mrs. Protheroe had ordered Il
be put down in her account, and that this
same gentleman had called for them and
accompanied them to the railway station
the next day, and then returned to thu
hotel and stayed some time with Mrs Pro
theroe, she learned nothing. THAT youup
officer again." thought Mrs. Blessington
Il 90 wish they could find out his name
III be bound he's the-what was it heard
they called him in India ?-lap dog. was in
Iforget-the whatever it was of the gras.
widow. Well, | must see what / can do ,
With this virtuous resolve she set forth On
her drive.
The result, so far as Mrs. Protheroe was
concerned. may be best told by quoting from
the next letter she wrote TO her husband
II went for my promised drive with Mrs
Marmaduke lessington-(whateve you d O.
don't forget the Marmaduke)l she ia !
good-natured old soul, but one of the sus
picious, narrow-mIndcd sort. who / yerily
pelieve cause more wickedness to be done
IN the world, through their suggestions O.
evil where no evil exists, than ali the reall,
bad people puttogether Colonel G. had tolc
me that she was usybody and gossip. 81
put large orange label with caution il
big black letters on my Intercourse with her
and had world of fun out of Ii, and intenC
70 nave still more, perhaps even give he
lesson In return! She is evidently muci
exercised about Dick, and thinks that he i
mucn more with me than is quite proper,
She tried hard to find out whether h,
II relation. etc.; but, thanks to Uncl
Uiiver. I've been able to mystify her com
Pieieiy. And now / really believe sh,
looks upon me as brand to be pIucket
from the burning, for she seems Of Opinion