The Washington times., 1894-12-23
SIDE SCENES IN z CITYS LIFK
Sk8kGh8S H8r0 and Th6r6. With Local Color
and Significance.

any but contented men. noted, too, that the
Colonel wore a white waistcoat, which proved
hIm person OF established social standing.
To wear a white waiscoat in the evening
without exciting adverse comment one must
have reached the topmast round of the social
iadGer
OF course some men who do not realize
their error appear in this badge Of superior
ity, but these are looked down on unless they
have reached the Colonel's status As for the
Coloners age he Is certainly forty. perh APPS
fifty, hardly sixty. He appeared to range in
years through these two decades sometimes
seeming at the minimum, sometimes nearly
at the maximum. 1t all depended Oh the din
ner. But whatever the metamorphosis. the
Colonel was always genial and he never lost
that contented look His hair was silvery
white and very thick. The girl that Itook in
asked me if didn't think it just the love!iest
color. She thought he would look better if
Re shaved of his mustache, but couldn't see
what difference that would make, as his upper
lip adornment was so closely trimmed that
you noticed it only in certain lights.
BY the time we had reached the Lalla
Rookh punch, the conversation at the table
had become general-that is, the Colonel did
most of the talking, while the rest of US lis
tened. He fitted from "reminiscences to rem
iniscence, occasionally, by question, draw
ing out a little anecdote from the admiral or
the diplomatic gentleman or some other of
the older people. And then mention was
made of a book called "Trilby.''
"a most remarkable book" he said. 81
see that Trilby has been pronounced impos-
sible. and while l am almost willing to agree
with that criticism, so far as it applies to the
wonderful results obtained from Trlby. s
voice through mesmeric influence, maintain
that she is character that can exist in our
everyday life.'
''You really don't believe, do you, Col.
Piedmonte that there are Trilbys in this
world?' asked Aunt Eunice.
Il really do, Mrs. Lucrum-Glow, the Colo
mel answered. 1--WE find them everywhere. and
not infrequently in the best society. Our
American principles of Independence and dis
regard for pedigree have been particularly
fruitful of just such persons as those of the
=
singers and other professional people into our
society, simply because of their natural gifts.
is, perhaps, a greater reason why Trilby should
not be considered an impossible person. You
will remember that when she was so Ill after her
last appearance on the stage, dukes and lords
and others of the nobility called with their
wives and left their cards. and sent flowers
,t,,t
tentions are OF common occurrence whenever
a stage celebrity is i'll"
But you really are not earnest in asserting
| that society has its Trlibys, Col. Piedmonte?'
/ interjected the young wife of a government
/ official. And then she blushed at the sound
of her voice.
Il was never more in earnest in my life, "
responded the Colonel. "If we admit the ex-
istence OF Second Mrs. Tanquerays. why not
1 that of Trilby's as well?''
II like hare-Treelbee-she Is sharmane,
came from the diplomatic gentleman.
"Doesn't he speak like Seven-golly?''
whispered my neighbor on the right.
''Yes. very much," smiled but 1 hadn't
the ghost of an idea who Seven-golly was.
/ linen l. IauSned, ana Sne asked:
AT what are you laughing?"
'fOh, er-just because he speaks SO much
like Seyen-goliy." This was untrue. II was
the fuhniness of the name that amused me.
Just then happened to glance across the
table at Mrs. De Meene and was struck by
the attention she was giving Col Piedmonte.
She was bending forward so that her eyes
were full on his face, and l noticed the
strange interest she displayed in his conversa-
tion. Mr.. De Meene had been described to
me as very beautiful woman. but thought
her tribe too pale. As she contin ued tc
keep her gaze on the Colonel, found myself
wondering if 1 had discovered a love affair.
Mrs. De Meene is widow.
"Yes. admiral. 1 have taken Trilby's moral
status into account in making my
assertions the Colonel was saying
in reply to a question, land despite the show,
ing in that particular, believe that had she
lived she would have been a great social sue
cess. There ale plenty of that type known a:
"a woman with past in society to-day
''But. SIR" quickly said the department of
flcial-he whose yourg wife had blushed sc
prettily-''the story represents that Little
Bilee and Taffy, and the Laird, all wanted
to marry her, although fully realizing what she
had been. Don't you think that little over
drawn?'
Perhaps. perhaps and the Colonel
seemed to be pondering. "Overdrawn it may
be, but not impossible. L have known o
such things, though L never heard OF three
men being anxious 10 marry one woman o.
that kind The Colonel stirred his coffee in
a manner at variance with his usual vivacity
'But would you marry person of the
Trilby sort?" persisted the official.
The Colonel looked up quickly and his eye
wandered down the table Had he looked {
moment quicker he would have caught Mrs
De Meene's intent gaze. But she was leaning
back in her chair.
"0h, come now," laughed the Colonel
''that's hard question to answer. Besides
you know I'm not a marrying man."
I'm sure you wouldn't said the OFF,
cial's young wife, ''No man would"
Just then Mrs. De Meene put her hand tc
her heat and grasped audIbly. The mer
sitting on each side of her chair hastily rose
and helped her to her feet. One ofthem helt
glass of water to her lips and she drank i
eagerly. The admiral and the diplomatic
gentleman exchanged glances as murmur o
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