Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1893-09-19
MY FRIENDS WIFE.


After all am going to marry Lucille.
1t is more than a year since poor Rob
ethon died, and-perhaps am donkey
to do it at my time of life, but she is un-
questionably q charming woman. She
made him happy, and-I am afraid I am
a fool. 1 feel, however, as though /
owed it almost to his memory, and some
thing to her too. Yes, there is no doubt
l owe her something in that line-and
yet, good heavens, am not doing it ON
that account. 1 love her desperately,
down to the ground.
Dick, she said tome yesterday, look
ing straight at me with her wonderful
blue eyes-"Dick, why do you ask mo
now2"
"Better late than never" I answered.
She began, "Five, six years ago yoU"
and stopped.
81 know. was a fool, Lucille. I
never once thought of it though. You
see, the idea was foreign to me. never
intended to marry"
"And now?'
"with your kind assistance do in
tend to-"
"WhyI'
Her question almost bowled me over.
1 gazed at the carpet, wondering how 1
could best put it to her. Presently
looked up, and as our eyes met blurted
out, Because love you, of course"
did not mean to say that just then.
The truth is that the idea of ''repara-
ton" had got sole possession of my brain,
and how to express it graveled me.
Lucille laughed lightly. "That, Dick,
is second thought, and not a bad one
for q man who is Offering himself as q
husband. Still, want your first"
al was thinking that, love apart, you
have moral claim upon me-"
A great wavo of color rose and fell,
leaving her beautiful face pale as mar
BILE. ga claim-really? A moral claim?
Why moral7 Why not material? When
turn huckster, Dick, will traffic only
for gold"
saw what she meant. Loves gifts,
being no Impeachment of love, entail
no indebtedness upon the recipient Love
is paid for its gift in the giving. This,
thought, was a counsel of perfection
and better suited to angels and angelic
loves than to men and women in an
earthly, highly conventional and British
society.
''And that is why you wish to marry
meT' she added.
1 felt that 1 was on thin ice. mo,
darling, 1t is not. love you. There's
no harm in that, hope%'
"No, not bit. 1t Is very good rea-
son. Genuine, Dick?"
"Quite, on my honor"
'The honor of an English general
more, of an English gentleman-more
ufiI1 cF 4-taJ -, r.ro,l
enough for me. Here's my hand on it,
Dick"
That was only yesterday. 1t seems 90
years ago. Poor RObethon-he knew
little. 1 do not think was to blame.
acted Loyalty enough by him. 1t was
like this, you see. Robethon and were
pretty close friends. spent much OF
my time at my clubs, and at one or other
of them was always coming across
Robethon. Tho taste for chess was mu-
tual and was the ground of our first ac-
quaintance. We were about the same
age-heading fast for 90. He was short
and stout; was long and lean.
had been all over the world, while he
had never been outside of England.
Sometimes fancied he had never been
outside of London. If he had, he was
careful to conceal the fact. We were
both bachelors. His chambers were close
to st. James street, mine to Piccadilly.
We never visited each other though. He
was partner in we'll known firm oi
bankers, but had not entered their place
of business for 20 years. He had read q
world beyond me and was gentle, sym
pathetic, clean souled gentleman.
wish could say as much truthfully
of myself; no false modesty should keeI
me from writing it down. Still Ro
bethon cared for me, and am deuced
sure 1 cared for him. His reticence was
characteristic of the man; it was like g
suit of steel armor covering him from
head to foot. Sometimes 1 think it was
fundamentally, shyness-not of the ordi
nary kind, of which there was not tract
about him, but deep spiritual shyness
| On the other hand, it might have beer
due to an austere selectness OF spirit,
sensitive, delicate pride of sOul. Thr
clubnen held him in great esteem, In
manner were proud of him. considered
him an authority ON disputed points o
honor and the like and accepted hi
| judgment with docility and reverence.
One day met lady on Pail Mall
| tall, fair, straight as q dart and with
| face that fell on me like o vision.
turned and watched her, and while s,
doing she suddenly halted, turned AROUND
ard came toward me. stood still. Il
passing she gave me momentary glance
Ha, she was very lovelyi
A month or six weeks later there wa
reception at certain foreign embassy
and 1 happened to be present. It wa
| not my kind of thing at all, but chances
to be an old acquaintance OF the embas
sador in question There was bit
crowd, and dancing was in fall swing
] Passing by the ballroom, stood for