Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-05-17
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her discretion and discrimination. In
deed, a report had been circulated that
it was only in Mrs. Langdon Wings
parlors, among all the parlors withip
the sacred pale of society, that one
might meet really brainy people. who,
at the same time, possessed unexcep-
tional manners, and wore good clothes.
The source of this report had been un-
o lritably suspected to be not far from
ner own "boudoir"-but Mrs Langdon
Wings was truly very nice house,
and so thought young DIR. George
Dover, as he stood there one evening,
under the softly-glowing piano-lamp-
without any odor Mrs. Langdon
Wings lamps were said to be the only
ones in town which never put them
selves in evidence through more than
two of the five senses.
Mrs. Wing was immensely flattered
to see DR.. Dover, whom she had been
coaxing and inviting for a long time
His researches in microscopy had
brought him to the front in wonder
full way, for SO young a man-for he
was said to be very young, though the
gray hairs in his beard and a certain
severe aspect which his face wore in re-
pose would indicate that he was nearer
forty than thirty. He wrote articles in
the learned reviews, and his brother
physicians spoke of him with awe. He
was undeniably distinguished in ap-
pearance, with his tall. well-made fig
ure, and his pointed, close-clipped
blond beard. In spite of the almost for
bidding expression of his features, and
especially his eyes, which were of
deep, almost sombre, blue, he was
handsome, and he gave an impression
of exclusiveness by a general GOODNESS
of manner which he allowed to melt
into cordiality only under the most ex-
treme provocation. Therefore his
smiles were much priced, and Mrs.
Langdon Wing, having evoked several
of these marks of appreciation, fattered
herself that she was one of the favored
few whom this difficult" gentleman
liked.
She had devoted herself to her distin,
guished guest this evening even longer
than she felt was strictly permissible in
hostess who had at least twenty
others to entertain, and she had intro
duced him to five or six people, all of
whom, though undeniably brilliant in
certain special lines, failed evidently to
impress this lofty young doctor His
ennui was so apparent that Mrs. Wing,
who was closely watching him from "a
divan not far away, was in despair.
why is it," she queried discompos.
edly of an intimate friend with whom
she was stealing a few moments of ''off
guard conversation, that great people
do not hesitate to show when they are
bored?"
My dear" replied the friend didac.
tically, ''you are now probing the ages
In old times, the great, who were then
usually sultans and satraps and all that
sort of thing, not only showed that
they were bored, but chopped off the
heads of those individuals who had the
temerity to bore them. Nowadays the
heads are only fguratively chopped of
but their majesties the great are no
fonder of being bored fancy, than
they We're forty centuries or so ago."
Historical information, my dear
returned the hostess, may be very inter
esting, but it is not philosophy, and il
does not explain things"
"Oh, if You wish me to go into the
human nature of the situation, and
why men are cross and women whim-
sical-and people whom you and l
think"
Goodness" interrupted Mrs. Wing
in whisper, what have | done
That exquisite Mrs. Perry = the
widow of that rich old General Perry,
who died three or four years ago at
Cannes-you were there, don't you
know?-went out into the conservatory
half an hour ago with my Amy-anG
the nurse has been sent to take Amy of
to bed, and | have not set eyes on Mrs,
Perry since. What if she should have
been left out there all alone-and she is
the most refined-and the most brilliant
creature! | was just counting on her
for my receptions next month-she is
musical, you know, and poetical, and
all that-and now she will hate me.