Woodville Republican., 1894-11-03

NNIHIM a 4 M NiiiIlll lNf al Au1lauh "
JllYf fore he hal
AlJ written 'finis
to an articl
%ZA with dash o
~ the pen acros
the last sheet. ard now the MS. Ia,
ready for the post among the debris o
printers proofs. new novels awaiting
review, etc, with which the writing
table was strewn
One OF the best known litterateur
In London, and a brilliant converse
tionalist--his tongue could be al
scathing as his pen, and IL was said o
him, with regard to the latter weapor
Of warfare, that in half a dozen pol
ished sentences he could do more to
ward damning book than any two 0.
his compeers. A big, loosely-mads
man, Mr.. Everdene. with shrewd gray
eyes and the pessinism of a modern
Studying his face as he lounged by
the window, his hands in his pockets
of his smoking jacket, one could see
that he had lively sense Of humoi
combined with his other characteris'
tics, and understood the interest his
personality aroused.
Presently servant brought him a
visiting card ON salver
The lady would be obliged If you
would grant her an interview, SIR"
Lady Iilyard. 2 muttered Everdene,
reading the inscription. X cant re,
call tho nNmc. lsotl1er the woman.
what docs she want? However ask
her to come up. Blake
When she entered, a fair, elegant
woman Of perhaps fiye-and-twenty in
nm irTeproachable Partisan toilet, he
was still more convinced that he Ead
not the privilege Of her acquaintance.
tMr. Aubrey Everdene?'' she querisd
Mr. Eyerdenc bowed.
Pray take a seat, madam"
NO" she said ~ have come to
quarrel with you, and don't sit down
in the houses Of my enemies.
ITO quarrel with mer' His eye
brows went up. The thought came to
him that his visitor was not in her
right mind.
Yes. Perhaps had better explain
myself at once. | am the author of
Fashion and Footlightsrn
Mr. Everdene, standing perforce be-
cause she would, pulled his mustache,
while the fair stranger tapped her No.
8 shoe on the carpet with impatience
and looked pitchforks and daggsrs.
"'Fashion and Footlights,'' he re-
fiected aloud. Fashion and Foot
lights Ha!'
Comprehension stole over his face,
and with it a slight amusement. He
fished among a pile of volumes and
brought out three bound with an ele-
gance destined to win the hearts of
suburban circulating libraries
Here it is. reviewed it in the Cen.
turion, didn't I?'
NO." she said, ''you hanged and
quartered itr'
Il am sorry May l ask how you
found out that was the culprit?'
"oh, by accident It's long story,
and unimportant, since you don't deny
the imputation Now, Mr. Everdene.
know it is very impudent of me,
stranger, to come to your private ad-
dress and worry you. ] am doing
very unusual thing, am afraid, and
Mrs. Grundy would be Mortified. But
fools rush in you know, and widows
are Privileged You must have little
patience with me because for the
first time her lips relaxed and she
smiled smile that was sweetness it
self-"we1l, just because I'm woman
and you're gentleman Acknowl-
edge the truth, now, on your honor.
Don't you think you were unneces-
sarily harsh to my poor little literary
effort?"
No." he said, bluntly. II always
give my true opinion of things, and |
consider your books had many faults. ("
If she had been a man he would |
have said: II thought 1t was exces-
sively bad with the brusqueness Of
conviction, and probably declined to
discuss the matter. But to lady it |
was impossible to be rude. He re-
garaed her nbsurdly unconventional !
presence with a tolerant lindiiness.
''0f course. admit that there are
faults. but upon one or two points in
your criticism cannot agree with
yon. should very much like to dis
russ them with you. May II"
certainly His mouth was twitch-
ing under his mustache- "But don't
you think, pending the verdict. that
ron had better sit down2 You will be
If you'll permit me to wheel
his arm chair nearer the fire for you
SOP
Having carefully arranged 1t so that
she should face the light. he seated
himself opposite to her-the A B c of
she did not appear to
notice IT, She was drawing arabesques
,u the carpet with the point of her
vcry-haudled umbrella.
Il should very much like to know"
he said. what you think Of me for
,oming heref'
+ think you are plucky-yes. and
unconventional"
Candid. at any ratei And ike
hat She looked up. Now for the
irst Indictment on the list. Mr.. Ever
lenei fou accuse me Of improbability.
deny it,
His manner bordered upon preoccu-
patton. In truth be was thinking
What wonderful lashes she bad. and
io~ bsosninF fuzh OF excitsment
'ould Be 70 clear. pale skin.
You assert she continued, warm
:. .'that is ridieulous to suppose that
man and woman of the world could
ALI in love At frst sight. as make my
Zero and heroine do. and that snch pro-
eedines are limited to boys and girls I
b iheir teens and the pages Of penny
'eton- J ahould hsTs thouzht thst