Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-16

| welcome
I'm 50 glad you've come to heb s.ssrnin
! cur young people" said Tesssa But Niss
James thin lips merely smiled O Duss Gym-
pathy.
The young people" came from rhs Ear
zen, stalwart lads and graceful mazda. en-
wrapped In a haze OF careless laughter;
they Acknowledged my acquaintancs VII
cool mods and demure bows, and thea 60
tinued their merrfment But my Ethd wa
among them. and I went boldly 70 her s3fe
Yes. she was glad to see me: but Why dat
uneasy expression on her dear fzce: WIG
that glance Of confusion toward her COM
panions?
humming. Then here's 70 "a drh4k -
down., when Of q Sudden tho awful saentA-
canoe OF the words overwhelmed ne n
seemed not SO long since l had sung Here's
TO II" and yet. Oh Lord. it must have been
over twenty years aeo. How thsa. had I
regarded the graduates Of 's0I A haek
| numbers, as relics OF ancient history Il
myself,
I ceased my humming and sulleaiy maAs
my toilet The fAh-nght over the door D.
the next room was open. and throsxh n
came curls of cigarette smoke Evidently
some OF these precious young men were my
neighbors. Evidently. for out from the TUT.
moil OF most vulgar laughter I hard thb
, dialogue:
who's the old stin with the monocle snd
side bars. Freddy asked one
Some 'has-been' chum OF father's.- re-
pned freddy. whom ] spprehenoed to Be-
lsl2. hey? Well I hope he'll hang him
sen up on hook. or do die or something
eonssiderate. or the frst thing you know
he'll be piping 'Cpidee' or The bulldog On
the Bank. or some othe- Chestnut /, a
cracked voice"
descended TO the garden and strolled m
In n. sy thourht through the shrubbcry.
IL formed curious maze with here ana
there rustic seats and summer houses 4
was resting. like Marius on the rufus Of
carthage. when frOm one Of these erbors
came soft. sweet voices 1 could MOI helm
but hear. 10Y
Horrors. Ethel" said one. You wouldn't
think OF dancing with him He would cut
aii manner % plgeon-winss' Why. he's as
| tones.
I'm sure I don't know to whom thes.
! times dreadful suspicion will come 70 one
without reason: ] DO know that my spirits
were ve-y much depressed and that when,
me. she hesitated and made some frivolous
excuse. few moments later I thought
that L saw her disappear within the gioon
OF the conservatory stung BY the petty
annoyanees OF the day, followed her. re-
solved. like Montrose. 10 put my fate 20 the
| test. And my fate did lead me through
the dusk until my arms inclosed a yielding
form.
Darling" I entreated- don't YOU love me
| any more? You seem cold. so changed"
| Changed" lfspei a voice twanged with
a certain awful dental artinciahty. why
Alfred. have loved you faithfully all thess
| years.
Then I comprehended the truth; then I
| appreciated my middle-aged doom. IL was
| Miss Jane that I held In my arms: II was
Miss Jane that chung to my breast and
from that embrace and that clutch ! real
lied i could never withdraw or escape
yielded: I am glad to say with all OF q
victor's pride. As we emerged into the
| light Miss Jane coyly called my attentioa
| TO couple little In advance. IL vas
Ethel and my graeeless godson-
They have been following our example."
she simpered-
I yielded. and all OF our old friends crtsd:
| How appropriate" I yielded. and I have
never since regretted my unchosen choice
! Romance Is all very well for an unhsdgsd
STRIPPING. but q fully matured man nrut Of
all requires comfort Old MARKHAM g.
pecially is pleased with my conduct for I
have set my house IN order ! stroll along
the sunny side. and do "desipere IN boco."
As for Ethel. when she and young Maxi
ham. according to my wifet predsctioa.
| followed our example. I also cried: How
appropriate" And IL IN with complete
eQuanimity that ] am now the grand gods
father of her child. the most wonderfv
baby. by she way. IN the world