The morning call., 1894-07-08
MR.. BORTON'S LADY.
A Wife's Groundless Jealousy Causes Uncomp-
mentary Comments.

f, Mrs. Borton, but yet the statement was
customary under the circumstances
John Borton. NJ. P, was entitled that day
| to two places in the ladies' gallery. and
the lady claimed one of them. The police
man. after referring to his book. directed
| her to pass on. Something about her
made him look after the lady. 1t may
have been the blush which had accompa-
MED her words. or her youth and uncertain
manner, or perhaps her undoubtedly good
! looks. AT any rate, a peculiar expression
| fitted across the officially discreet counte-
nance while he watched her disappearing
within the building. The opportunities of
| his position had made him a connoisseur
Of female beauty, with professional quick
ness IN seizing the impression OF it, No
doubt it seemed to him that Mr.. Borton's
'lady" of that day was happily chosen.
and that there were privileges and mitiga-
tions in the arduous calling of member
of Parliament which that of poll ceman
did not possess. Or 1t may even nave
been that he was struck by sense OF the
contrast between the lady and Mrs. BOr-
ton.
The latter was we'll known as constant
freuuenter of the ladies' gallery. She was
no only homely in looks. but had the mis-
fortune to have a Jealous nature. During
the three years of his married lie John
Borton had never given her moments
cause for jealousy; nevertheless, after the
fashion of her kind, she kept store of It
ready to burst forth at the least imagined
provocatinn. At the root OF the mischief
lay the fact that where she failed in beauty
BOrton did not. he being undenlabiy hand
some. Mrs. Borton's taste Tor politics was
weakly. but she had pronounced one Tor
keeping her husband under observation.
She loved to see him surrounded by Iegls-
lators of his own sex on the benches OF the
House of Commons, with all feminine In
fluence strictly shut out behind the iron
bars of the grille" From her seat in the
gallery she happily watched him through
these formidable barriers, rejoicing In their
very formida bleness,
On this particular day Mrs. BortOn had
risen with headache. Her husband, hab-
itually sympathetic in her ailments. had
persuaded her to give up the idea of going
to the House of Commons. be had been
more than usually urgent and s0lctons.
81 will not hear of your going TO the
ladies' gallery" he finally said. ut is too
hot and stuffy. You must be careful when
you are not we'll; there is so much sickness
about"
And Mabel Smith? You know. dear.
she was to come with me. don't like to
disappoint her,"
81 shall call at the Smiths as pass-itis
not 10 o'clock-and tell her to go without
you. 1t will be all right"
And perhaps if / get better | may go
and loin her late in the afternoon or
EVENING""
But BOrton would not hear of this.
mo. no, darling; stay in your room. |
implore you. [ must insist on your giving
up the House to-day-for my sake. if for
nothing else"
OF course, Mrs. Borton had given way.
When her husband was gone she lay back
on her sofa with the happy feeling that
| headache is no untempered evil II 1t brings
out so strongly husbands devotion and
care.
The curative properties of content are
admitted facts. Lying among her pillows
| with a contented heart, Mrs. BoTt0n's head
soon began to mend. Before the evening
! she was quite well.
The desire to go to the House, as she had
| originally intended. grew stronger within
| her in proportion with the growth of her
| physical strength. Mr. Borton would not
return, at least, until midnight. The pros
| pect of the long solitary hours before her
was too dreary. Before long she had de-
| cided not to face it. Her promise to Mr..
Borton she looked on as annuled by the
| fact of her being quite herself again. Ac-
| cordingly late in the afternoon her car
riage set her down at Westminster.
| On entering the ladies' gallery Mrs. Bor-
ton at once sought out Mabel Smith. She
| was nowhere to be seen-nether in the
| from roW of ladies pressed forward against
the grille" nor in the back rows. In the
prevailing dimness the search occupied
| some time. When nearly ten minutes in
specton had failed to discover her friend,
| Mrs Borton appealed to MIR. Wilkins, the
| custodian of the gallery.
"Where is Miss Mabel Smith? Can you
| tell me?"
''She is not here to-day. Mrs. Borton."
"But she has been hers?" There was
surprise in the inquiry.
mo, not to-day" repeated Wilkins.
Surely the policeman at the door told
me that a lady had gone in on Mr.. Bor-
| toms admission ?"
son, yes. The lady there in front is Mr..
| Borton's lady"
| Mrs. Bortop, when looking for Mabel
Smith, had remarked the lady pointed out.
| She now inspected her with closer and
| deeper attention, when Wilkins had dis
| creetly withdrawn A slight graceful fig
ure in the front row. with conspicuous
! abundance of golden hair beneath large
| picturesque hat. Of the face, turned close
| ly to he grating, only tie outlines showed
! of a soft cheek and shapely chin. They
undoubtedly suggested youth and beauty,
! and, just as undoubtedly, no friend or ac-
| quaintance of Mrs. Borton's. With eager
! impatiencs she watched for the lady to
| turn round. When at last the latter did
| so, a swift change passed over Mrs Bor-
| toms face. AS she had expected, she was
! looking at stranger, at young and un-
deniably pretty one, too. Mr. Borton's
! lady? Who was she? How did he come
| to know her? Why did he know her?
| What business had he to. know that
golden-haired girl, if she, Mrs. Borton. did
not also know her? These and whole
| train of similar questions darted through
Mrs. Borton's mind. Mr.. Borton's lady,
| indeed!
The torrent of her growing indignation
was checked for a moment. Could Will
| klns have made mistake?
The urbane official had just reappeared
! in the gallery; she was about to address
! him when a soft voice called him to the
| front row.
will you please let me know at once as
soon as Mr.. Borton comes here?"
The words fell clearly, without any DOS
| sibility of mistake, on Mrs. BOrton's ear.
and the reply.
"Certainly. You shall know imme-
diately when Mr.. Borton comes up. He
is in the House at present"
The golden-haired girl turned again to
the grating. another speech had begun in
the House. Mrs. Borton. with a suppressed
gasp, sank back in her chair.
Silence reigned in the gallery, wherein
the clear, incisive tones of the leader of
the opposition resoun1ed distinctly. coming
the ear of Mrs. Borton's understanding :;
her eyes we're IN tently fixed on he owner
of the golden hair. So Borton had ar
ranged to meet lady here to-day, had
given her q place in the gallery There
| yvos M misIaka That unknown girl with