Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-09-14

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1t was net my kind of thing at all,
but L CHANGED to be an old acquaintance
of the ambassador in question. There
was big crowd and dancing was in
full swing. Passing by the ballroom,
| stood for moment to watch the
dancers. The first thing 1 saw was
the lady of Pail Mall, gloriously array
ed. Waiting with a German.
Who is she?" l asked of man I
knew.
Which one? Oh. that divine SYM
phony of color there, Ell? That is Mrs.
Trenchard"
And who is Mrs. Trenchard?"
He shook his head. She's a widow:
that's all l know. She is in the swim:
wonder you haven't met her before.
[ have, half a dozen times; but | live
up TO my principles, of which the first
iS-ThOu shalt not do-anything in this
Widow-line"
l left him grinning; l could have
kicked him without any remorse From
another man | cleaned that Trenchard
had been in the Indian political service
and had died suddenly. In certain
lines men are doltS and women are
creatures of genius. 4 woman there,
a dear old dowager, told me in five
minutes all l wanted to know. Her
people were all dead, she was lady
by birth and breeding, she had none
too much money, she was very popular
and very correct, and-wonld | like
an introduction? Five minutes later
| made my first bow to the divine
symphony. She was gloriously gener-
Gus, gave herself to me for ten whole
minutes, and when / withdrew she
murmured, with a graciousness that
seemed regal, Perhaps we shall meet
again"
We did meet, again and again. Our
acquaintance ripened into friendship
and finally into very close intimacy. I
saw her at least once every week.
This went on for three or four years
Between me and Robethon she was a
forbidden subject. / knew it would
only pain him. For the same reason
| never once mentioned RobethOn'S
name to her.
1t was December. RObethOn and |,
as usual, were lunching at the same
table All at once he said, Il am mar
ried"
Married! God Forbid
Il have been married month
In that case it would be brutal not
to wish you joy"
'Thank you, | think | have found a
pearl of great price. | am now living
in Grosvenor Gardens. We are having
few friends in tOnight--a very few
You will come, won't you? / want you
to know my wife"
with all the pleasure in the world.
But it is like a dream"
He laughed like a man on the right
side of the hedge as he said: Yes, it
is like a dream-a beautiful dream.
Come as early as you can"
I think | felt a tritie hurt that such q
revolution in his domestic economy
should have occurred without him in
forming me of it, but [ was none the
less curious to see the woman VINO
made so notable a capture. In these
DAYS it is the men and not the women
who are captured. / was very pune
tual, the rest of the folk were, OF
course, late Robethon met me i'll the
courtroom. "BagOt," he said, this is
very good of you. I've been thinking
1 ought to have told YOU sooner; but
I'll tell you how it happened, and all
about it, at the club
Are you happy"
LAS a king
mo secret regrets, eng
Not the ghost of one. She is per-
feet Come, you must see her.
Arm in arm we entered the drawing
room. She was alone. | saw q vision
of ambre-colored silk and futtering
lace and heard him say: Lucille, this
is my friend, General Bagot."
Then, for the first time, l saw her
face. 1t was my own fair lady of Pail
Mall! What she felt | do not know
"GCod GOdr broke involuntarily from
my lips, and / had just sense enough
to turn to Robethon and tell him, in an
aside that sudden and awful twiRge~
of govt had seized me. Women, being
born intriguers, are nimble-witted by
nature and requirement. When our
eyes met a second time the lady was
perfectly self-pOssessed and instinct
with sympathy over my dreadful govt.
The attack was soon over.
The dinner, | believe, was good and
the company smart and lively people.
Ny anecdotes went off like champagne
corks, and | fancy / created for myself
& reputation for brilliancy, which, hap
PLY, [ do not feel it my duty to live
UP to. For myself l do not know
what / said, did, ate, drank or thought.
was in a maze. Later in the evening
saw her alone for five minutes.
BY ali that's wonderful, Lucille,
what does it mean?" l asked.
Just what you zee. / am Mrs
Robethon," she answered, fluttering
her fan.
''But-he is my friend. Not for
worlds would /"
mo, it would be awkward"
Awkward! Listen, Lucille. The cur
tain being down there are some plays
may never be revived
She looked steadily at me for some
moments. Then she said THAT is
true. If [ had thought only Of myself,
Dick, it would have been /, and not
you, who would have been the first to
say, There are some plays may never
,orv;Iyo5