The herald., 1895-01-23
A DASH OF MAUVE.

had been very pleasant to the Ill lie woman
and had asked her If she might call ana the
little woman had said ''yes" she came one
night when we were all gathered IN
the little fourth floor fat-the old man. the
artist. Molly Brown scoopum, Miss Lariat
Young Adult and the rest of us-all, in tao,
exc. ut the soubrette, who was on the western
circuit and the consul, who had returned W
his post The major was there, too. IL was
his first visit and he had made gooo iln-
| preston. Young Adult had brought him.
"There's man that I'd like to bring
around" young Adult had said to the niue
woman "He's an official in my department;
a dear old fellow who doesn't know Soui III
town. and who is rapidly acquiring melah-
J cholia through sheer loneliness"
| AS Young Adult had s4id I'VE found him to be
! a dear old fe low" thorough southern gem
| tleman, with quaint ante-bellum mannerisms
| and the most perfect gallantry toward women
| H. wore out-of-date clawhammer, Whlle
| his collar was compromise between the KIM
| formerly worn with stock and the present.
| day affair. The major said such pleasant
| things to the little woman that we liked MIN
| Immediately.
| 1t was late when the duchess arrived. we
! had not expected her. She walked into the
cozy room where we were gathered, attired in
gown that fitted her superbly-but ell her
gowns did that--one OF those affairs that hit
| you squarely between the eyes" as Rudyard
Kipl ng ssys-and apologized in charming
manner for being SO unconventional
"But really could not help it," she ex-
| planned. 4 felt dreadfully lonely, and won
| dercd h rw would ever get through the whole
| length of the miserable evening-and then 1
thought of you," with gurgling emphasis on
the "you" and a ravlshing smi at the little
| woman.
! The major was taken Immediately. "a most
superb woman sab" he had confided to young
| Adult. "Plainly ady of refinement and cul-
chah She calls to mind Miss Van Alstyne, a
famous New York beauty who visited Savannah
in the sos. So q her there and had the honah
of a quadrille with her, sab. We have her
| counterpart h YAH sab in this lady with whom
have had the privilege of being made ac-
| quainted."
1t was obvious that the duchess had found
a rara avis in the major She did not know
how to take him at first. His grandiloquent
speeches were plainly strange in her hea ring,
but she speedily became usee to his high flown
remarks, and the two were quite friendly De-
fore the evening was over.
/ The old man and Scoopum were somewhat
| constrained after the entrance of the duchess.
| but she soon set them at ease. The old mans
| favorts briar was lying where he had hastily
| left when the caller was announced, on shelf
|
spied it.
| "Ah this shows that comfort holds first place
| here" she said, picking it up. sit does me
| good to man smoking pipe Why, it is
warm yet. 1 hope'-to the little woman-"I
hope that my coming has not interferred with
the endowment OF anyone. Pray do not mind
me; am very unconventional"
eve are not conventional here" said the
little woman. "This is Liberty hall. where
| t1,air nj md lOt,r,
| in comfort
| "Charming," said the duchess. Yours?
May 1 ell it for your" And she handed the
| pipe and match to the old man. Scoopum
| drew out his well-seasoned comic tor, and the
artist was not slow to follow. Ahe major and
| young Adult lit fresh cigars.
"As 1 said before,' remarked the little
woman, as she brought out the chatting dish,
1--WE are very unconventional here, ana trust
you won't think that beer and rabbit are pie
| beian."
"And as I intended to say" laughed the
duchess, ~ am tired of canventionality. and
! Just dote on beer and rabbit. And If anyone
has cigarette to give, think I'd try one if
| you dom mind"
'Not in the least" was the little woman
answer; 'I'll try one myself"
| We were in the midst OF little game of
| domino whist cent ante-when the duchess
| came again She wanted to raise the stakes.
| but the little woman objected, and she also in
| terposed when the duchess suggested poker.
| Then the duchess, with charming semblance
| of embarrassment, borrowed n couple OF dol
| lars from the major-she had forgotten her
| purse, you know-dreadful memory and all
that sort of thing. That night the duchess
| talked a great deal about "this lovely Bo-
hemia," and we didn't like it at all. Praise OF
country is not component part of patriotic
sentime mt in Bohemia. In fact true and tried
| Bohemians express their patriotism by never
me utioning the land of their allegiance which
is something of paradox. The duchess made
mention of her experience in other parts Of
Bohemia, and some things she confided to the
little woman about gay doings in Paris did not
have the pleasing effect intended With all
her tact the duchess did not understand some
things as we'll as she might The very next
day the little woman went to see the lady at
whose house she had met the fair stranger, but
could learn nothing there "She was brought
here by somebody" said the lady, "but who
that somebody is Ican't remember" From
remarks dropped by the duchess one supposed
she was q widow--at least she had "Mrs." or
her cards-and that she was posses sed of indie
pendent me ms and there our knowledge
ended.
The major and the duchess soon became very
good frie IDS. We them at the theater on
several occasions, and one night the majo
gave swell supper in her honor-priva:e din
ing room, champagne terrapin. and all that
we thought he should have given it to tn,
little woman in tead-but no matter.
About this time we were looking askance a
the duchess, or, to be exact, the little woman
was, and the rest of us excepting the major
/ were beg inning to do so. She continued Il
drop in on our little gatherings in the fourth
floor fat des pite the fact that the little woman