Birmingham age-herald., 1894-12-02

Jc1loUSy on the part of MISS MarioWe, who, indeed. did not know Mrs Lead ! am when she saw her, but from the fact that Lady Marlowe, who, in spite | of her short-sight and her distrait smanners, knew everything and every body, chose to ignore the lady's ex- istence. YetyMrs. Lcadam had deter /, mined to go to the ball, first because she was aware of Dicks infatuation for the young daughter of the house, and secondly because it mortified her to be s1ghted before the eyes of the whole garrison. And so it came about that Dick was destined to undergo a bad quarter of an hour on this especial aft ernoon.
 Presently he turned from the win dow, inventing some lame excuse to get away. With few languishing chords Mrs. Leadam was finishing her song:
 "And ooh, the might my darling
 Is si-igh-ing, sigh-ing for-or you-u for you.'
 Then she rose from the stool, crept up behind him, and, putting her two hands on his shoulders, shook him play fully.
 ''Naughty," said Mrs. Leadam, Their eyes met. The mans were dogged, the womans reproachful. There was an odious pause.
 In those few seconds they each be- came aware that the end of it all had come. The woman pulled herself to- gether first; she was too much versed in the art of managing recalcitrant admirers to show any annoyance. The one fact she had learned in her mar red life-a life spent in naval and military stations-was that men can endure most things, but not scene. But the smile was not at all pretty with which she begged Dody not to be tiresome, but to sit down like dear boy and let her give him some tea. Was he going, perhaps, to the Mar loves ball next week at Tangiers? Of course he was, how stupid of her to forye.., fTfiy,-aa was such a favorite of that delightful old Lady Marlowe, who really flirted with her Dody in the most shocking manner. We'll, as he was such favorite (Dody was not to take two Jumps of sugar, it would make her beautiful boy fat), couldn't he get her little card of invitation? Of course, if her husband ; had been here 1t would have come as matter of course, but people always forget poor, lonely women, with no one to escort them out! Now, as Mrs. Leadam usually appeared at evening entertainments with a small body guard of officers, this statement seemed to Capt. Eardley little far fetched. And as he knew well enough that nothing would extract from Lady Marlowe the desired invitation he was tolerably unhappy in the little draw ing-room on the road to Europa Point. Dick had been at Abu Klea with bullet through his shoulder, but he was frightened, absolutely frightened, of Rose Leadam and her forced smile. What was he to do? What was he to say?
 '1-l-Tm very sorry, but l don't think 1 can ask very well. l don't know that you'd better try" he blurted out at last. He did not look at her, as he sat there, his unfinished cup of tea in his hand.
 And why not, pray?" she said, ey- ing him narrowly through half-closed lids, "It is," she went on, with rising temper, that you don't wish me to see you with that girl? Oh, know all about it! Do you think people haven't told me-that haven't been tortured enough already?"
 Be sensible woman, Rose. Be" IA sensible woman!" she burst out, in blaze of anger. "Yes, am to be sensible woman.' I am to stand by and see you marry another girl. IT, who have---I am to be thrown away now, tossed aside, like a last years . glove. am to make way for Missy for Missy who will pretend to know nothing about me, because you are young and good looking, and rich, be- cause you are the sort of man that every girl wants to marry"
 sI assure you," said Dick, quietly, "that Miss Marlowe does not want to marry me. I have no sort of reason for supposing she does"
 u-"Oh, you have proposed to her al- readyi"@ she retorted, with loud un- pleasant laugh. ''That is an interest ing piece of news. And you wish to give her the opportunity of refusing you again, and this touching scene is to take place at the masked ball-!"
 ''Rose, for Gods sake don't make it Ill more painful than it is" he said, with wistful eyes. Relieve me, wished to spare you. And-and she doesn't care for me!' he cried, with break in his voice.
 There was pause, during which Dick felt that he would rather not look at Mrs. Leadam. It was his emotion which maddened her.
 "Leave my housel" she screamed, trembling from head to food. Her face was crimson, her voice raucous, her gesture vulgar. As Dick took up his hat, bowed end passed, for good and all, out of her drawing-room, he was conscious that he had, intermixed with his disgust at the whole sordid scene, feeling of intense exultation- of exultation that he was at last free.
 1.-The house." said Betty, giving