Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-12-30
THE TINTED VENUS.
BY F. ANSTEY.
/.
"A FRROlRL ROMANCE.

The Pursuit of Pleasure.
Their hoped Hawkln.
Their daunsed Dawykn,
Their trumped Toml1yn
The Tournament of Tottenham.
In Southampton Row, Bloomsbury.
there is a small alley, or passage. lead
ing into Queen Square, and rendered
inaccessible to all but foot passengers
by some iron posts. The shops in this
passage are of subdued exterior, and
are overshadowed by dingy old editice
dedicated to ST George the Martyr,
which seems to have begun it's existence
rs Il rather handsome chapel, and to
have improved itself, by a sort of nat
ural selection, into singularly ugly
church.
Into this alley, one Saturday afternoon
late in October, came short, stout
young man, with sandy hair and per-
petual grin denotins anticipation rather
than enjoyment. Opposite the church
he stopped at a haildressers shop.
display in the window was chastely Sc
we're; the conventional half-lady revoly-
ing slowly in fatuOuS dissatisfaction,
and the gentleman bearing 4 piebald
beard with WaXen resignation were not
to be found in this shopfront, which ex-
hibited nothing but a small pile of toll
ct remedies and a few lengths of hair of
graduated tints. 1t was doubtful. per-
haps, whether such self-restraint on the
part of its proprietor was the result of
a distaste for empty show or convic-
ton that the neighborhood did not ex-
pect it.
Inside the shop there was nobody but
a small boy. corling and labelling bot
ties; but before he could answer any
question as to the Whereabouts of his
employer that artist made his appear
ance. Leander Tweddle was about
thirty, of middle height, with a 1uxuri-
ant head Of brown hair and carefully
trimmed whislers that curled round to-
wards his upper lip, where they spent
themselves in 4 faint mustache. His
eyes were rather small and his nose had
a decided upward tendency, but with
his pink and white complexion and
compact. well-made figure he was far
from Unlocking, though he thought him.
self even further.
Eve Jauncey," he said, after the
first greetings, $50 you haven't forgot
our appointments"
why no." explained his friend: "but
I never thought I should get away i'm
time to keep it. We've been in court all
the morning with motions and short
causes, and the old Vice sat on till past
3, and when we did get back to cham
bers Splitter kept me there discussing
an opinion of his I couldn't agree with,
and I was ever so long before I got him
to alter it my way"
For he was clerk to a ba1rister in
good practice. and it was Jauncey's
pride to discover an occasional verbal
Sip in some of his employers more
hastily written opinions on cases. and
suggest Improvements
well James" said the hair-dresser,
~ don't know that 7 could have got
away myself any earlier I've been so
absorbed in the laborrit'1y. what with
three reiuvenatorS and an elixir all on
the simmer together. I almost gave way
under the strain of it: but they're set to
cool now, and Pm ready to 60 on rs
soon rs you please"
'Now," said Ja1ncey. briskly. as they
left the shop together, eff we're to get
up to ROsherwich Gardens tonight, we
mustn't dawdle"
: II just want to look in here a minute"
said Tweddle, stopping before the Win
dow of working jeweler, who sat
there in 4 narrow partition facing the
light, with q great horn lens protruding
from one Of his eyes like a monster
growth. 81 left something there to be
altered. and I may as well see if it's
done"
Apparently it was done. for he came
out almost Immediately. thrusting Il
small cardboard box into his pocket as
he reioined his friend.
''Now we'd better take Il cab up
to Fenchurch street" said Jauncey.
Cant keep those girls standing about
on the platform"
AS they drove along Tweddle OBJ
served:
Z, '1 didn't understand that our party
was to include the fair sect, James,"
Didn't you? I thought my letter said
so plain enough. I'm an engaged man
now. you know, Tweddle. 1t wouldn't
do if I went out to enjoy myself and
left my young lady at home"
NO" agreed Leander Tweddle with
a moral twinge; mo, James. I'd forgot
you We're engaged. What's the lady's
name. by the by?"
"Parkinson-Bella Parkinson" was
the answer
Leander had turned a deeper color
! did you say" he asked, looking out Of
the window on his side Of the hansom
that there was another lady going
DOWN.
"Only Bella's sister, Ada. She's a
regular jolly girl, Ada is, you'll-hullo"
j For Tweddle had suddenly thrust his
stick up the trap and stopped he cab
I'm very sorry, James," he said" pre-
pairing to get out, "but-but you'll have
, to excuse me being of your company"
do you mean that my Bella and her
sister are not good enough company for
you?" demanded Jauncey. you were
a shop assistant yourself, Tweddle, only
a short while agov'
! Il know that, James, know; and 1t
isn't that-far from it. I'm sure they