Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1894-07-06
TJTRN ABOUT IS FAIR.

l AUST draw your chair round a little |
know there's a draft on that side. did
attend at one time to have it cured in some
Tay but it does not much matter now
mi have a screen put round your corner to-
,orrow. Mine is comfortable enough"
Thi, was said to me one winter evening
Nv nv cousin, John Elder as we sat on
zach side of the fire in his particularly coy
dining room, where the table with its
lamp flowers and dessert, had been drawn
/ m to an easy distance from our hands.
1 John was slipping port and was cracking
nuts for which in spite OF my years have
1 an abiding affection, and behind my chair
was the door from which might, but did
not come the draft John was speak ing of.
John is an elderly gentleman, n bachelor,
very well off, very comfortable and very
/ popular, hut still rather mysteriously a
bachelor, because he has always liked and
been liked by women. am an elderly
lady, widow and John and | have been
warm friends all our lives. The reason why
was sitting beside Johns dining room fire
was that | had come to pay him a visit,
and as there were no other guests in the
house it was much more sensible for me to
stay and talk with him while he enjoyed
his after dinner ease than to go away by
myself into the drawing room.
"There is 40 draft" | said; none at
present, am sure But there may he when
the wind is north, and a screen would make
all safe"
Ayes" he answered musingly, as he
looked ut the wine he had just poured out.
asscreen would do, but did think once of
altering the door, making really good
1 I'll. 81. L..
tons y
"And the plans were never carried outsn
asked after had waited moment to
zee if he would say more. well, | sup
nose know when they were made, but
never did quite understand why they came
onothing."
No. he answered. Il don't think any
body knew but ourselves. 1t was my fault
certainly, it was all my fault"
He stopped, but | thought he was not
Eanclined to go on, and | was curious
Indeed there had been an episode in Johns
Mabout which we had all been curious,
and though it was IA good while past !
stin felt should like to know. So / said
q fancied it had been Miss Woodroffe's
dongY
u said it was my fault" he answered
Il did not say it was my doing"
"Ohl" | answered rather blankly, and
there was a silence.
Then John gave little laugh half ridi-
cule of himself, thought, and half rueful-
ness for the story that was in his mind.
Il may as well tell you all about it," he
said. You are not likely to tell it to any
Of the young ones, and it certainly was an
odd way of losing ones promised wife,
You'll see that she was not to blame"
/ saw now that | was in for the story,
whatever it might be, the catastrophe of
which had left John a bachelor, so | set
tied myself in my chair put my feet more
comfortably Oh my footstOol and laid down
the nutcrackers
Well he said, 81 dare say you remem-
Der that have always been much fonder
Oh seeing my friends in my own house than
OF going elsewhere for society. don't
suppose I've dined out ten times in the
last ten years; and ten years ago disliked
DONG 1t almost as much as | do now.
only wasn't quite such an old fogy, and
believe had some vague idea of marry
ing. The difficulty was that | had never
seen exactly the right woman, and very
naturally wasn't nearly so keen about
1nding her as had been twenty years be-
fore that, 1t is just ten years now since l
met Miss Woodroffe"
Yes" | sud, Il remember it is about
ten years since heard of her"
The only house where | ever cared to
Zine IN those days was .Joddrells', and /
used to go tnere about once for every four
uhes they %Sked me. One evening in Sep
CemDer | W. 1t there much against my will
Joddrell had promised me that | should
meet some old friends, but when | arrived
mere was not ore present but strangers
and nearlyn the party were young people
pancy asking me to meet a room full of
young peopIei 1t wasn't till dinner was
announced chat | saw the lady was to
take In; then Joddrell led me into a corner
OF the drawing room and introduced me to
MISS Woodroffe, a friend of his wife"
John stopped little here, and fancied
ne was trying to find words in which to
describe Miss Woodroffe. If that were SO
ne did moi succeed. After a minute he
went on again, without attempting to give
me any porJraiture of the heroine of his
story
Upon my word, Mary, can't tell how
IL happened. All know is that she was
Tue most charming woman | ever saw in
my life. We talked a great deal during
dinner, and we talked a great deal after
dinner, and the more she talked and the
more | looked at her the more thought
with disgust of my solitary existence
somehow or other before | got up next
morning | had made up my mind that
would try to persuade her to become my
VIE. All this of course is very common
place. Plenty of men, | suppose-even
some men of fifty-five-must have had the
same sort of experience. Now comes the
part of the story which think must be-
long to me alone. Do you remember how,
years ago, persuaded you to let me send
some of YOUR handwriting to a lady who