The Somerset reporter., 1893-05-11
HER COMPLEXION.

HEX COMPLEAlON.
Mrs. Redmayne was decidedly pretty.
She dressed well and was very careful
In wearing only the colors that suited
her. She was fragile, delicate looking
little woman and affected half lights,
like rare fern; the strong sunlight with
It's fierce glare did not suit her. Her
little drawing room-"my little nest,
ms she used to call twas shaded by
heavy lace curtains; stained glass, Jap
nnese screens and II thousand and one
pretty things, each interesting and beau
iiful III its way, were crammed IN it;
but not one of the pretty trihes was half
80 interesting and beautiful as pretty
little Mrs. Redmayne herself.
She was a pathetic creature, too. dou-
bly fascinating, doubly dangerous. when
narrating the troubles and trials she had
experienced during her married life, and
with her troubles and trials she was ac-
custoned to entertain her numerous
ndorers in the drawing room of her little
bijou residence in Blank street, Mayfair.
There was something almost intoxicat-
ing in the heavy odor of sandalwood
and potpourri mixed which peryaded
the apartment
Mrs. Redmayne herself like most elni-
nent consulting physicians, never re
ceived more than one patient at a time
Her visitors were all men-not that there
was anything shady about Mrs. Red
mayne, but she did not encourage lady
callers. She invited a few female i'll
Inmates to dinner, but she took very
good care that those ladies whom she
distinguished by her friendship should be
good takers and at all events plain
enough to act as foils.
The real fact is that Mrs. Redmayno
had married the justice because he was
reputed to be Il very wealthy man, and
Cissy Redmayne herself, as a girl, had
known all the real bitterness of poverty,
being poor curate's daughter. Justice
Redmayne's income was very large when
he married the pauper curate's only child.
Though he was 60, and an experienced
man of the world, it was purely Il love
match on his side. Till she was II Miss
Cissy had dreamed of pretty frocks and
a pretty house, of good living, of an end
less succession of balls and entertain
ments and of the public recognition Of
her own beauty.
In marrying Justice Redmayne she
secured all these things and escaped
from cold mutton and perjury. But the
Justice, though he fondly loved his peck
ct Venus of a wife, loved old port wine
still better, and after 10 years of hap
piness the justice fell a victim to his
favorite poison and left Cissy $4,000 in
hard cash and the freehold of the little
house in Mayfair. And then Mrs Red
mayne made the following simple calcu-
lation, II can live at the rate of $4,000
a year for three years, somebody worth
having will marry me i'll that time, and
if | fail to find the somebody | must
throw up the game and go back to papa
and cold mutton"
From this it will be seen that pretty
Mrs. Redmayne was practical minded
little woman. She had been quite right.
Several somebodies and good many mo-
bodies had paid her great deal of at
tention, but not one of the somebodics
got half so much encouragement as
Lieutenant and Captain Strongithearm
of her majestys Carpet Warriors. To he
a Carpet Warrior nowadays needs Il con
siderable deal of money. blood or inter
est; Jack Strongithearln had money and
interest too.
He was a fool, but the mere fact of his
being fool by no means disqualified
him for the Carpet Warriors. They have
their own special club, where they drink
magnums of costly dark and peculiarly
dry champagne for lunch; they play
whist there ON an afternoon and bac-
carat, nap and marmora until the small
hours of the morning and a good deal of
money changes hands. AS a rule. save
for the wealthy, three years as Carpet
Warrior is seldom exceeded man
either marries, exchanges into cheaper
regiment or bursts up. 1t is short life
Ind merry one, and it is very great
privilege indeed to be Carpet Warrior
at all.
/ Now, Lieutenant and Captain Strongi-
hearm, being wealthy, was quite a vet
tran among the Warriors; he had been 10
years in the regiment and he was de
servedly looked up to by his brother OF
Ulcers as connoisseur and judge Of
beauty. He was very critical and terri
bly, hard to please. He it was who had
blasted the chances of Lady Dorothy
Fitz-Urse when he gave her the nick
name of dolly the Dairymahi' and
likened her lovely pink and white com
plexion to Strawberries and cream
Many had been the nets laid by willy
nothrs for that too wary bird, Captain
Strongithearm, but no one, till he met
Mrs. Redmayne, had succeeded i'll pat
ting salt upon his tail. But Strongithc
arm was very far gone indeed upon the
widow.
Twice during the Justices lifetime had
he soleinnly entreated her to fly with
him. On the first occasion she had sim.
ply replied, IF You were not SO terribly
tall, Id box your ears" The second time