Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1895-07-11


had lounged there with his pipe, care
less and happy, as she nestled at his
side, often in silence, sometimes whis-
rering sweet condolences.
BY one whirl of the wheel of life II
was in the past, but still unburied.
Sinking into his chair he rested his
head upon his hands. 1t was very,
very dark So swift and sudden had
the trouble come upon him that it still
seemed like the haunting memories of
a terrible dream. But few months
ago he was happy in the sweet COM
panionship of his wife; now he was
alone.
Happiness in this world depends
largely upon ability to forget. 1t was
not without feeling of pleasure that
he had accepted De Vaux's invitation
to rejoin him in Grays Inn. The
rooms seemed more comfortable than
before, and the freedom was delight
full. AS the band upon his hat became
narrower, the restraint, prompted by
sympathy, with which men regarded
him, died away. He drifted back TO
the old life with feeling of pleasant
expectancy, but to find the world had
changed. 1t surprised him to discover
how selfish De Vaux he'd become, while
the manners of their "set" panied him.
Their brilliancy seemed to have given
place to flash .gaseousness, originality
to carping contentiousness; wit was
now insolent abuse, and humor posi-
tive vulgarity. Yet they were the
same actors without SHOP" authors
without publisher, and less extraor-
binary imbeciles without an object
in life. With indolent interest he used
to expect great things from some of
them, but they were still squatting in
the mire. The Junior Gatherium had
been refurnished, and the cooking was
excellent, but the same decline was
noticeable among the members. The
tales old Badboy narrated in his cor
ner of the smoking-room were, to say
the least, unfit for publication, yet the
old fellow was his most cherished ac-
quaintance in the bygone days. The
place abounded in loud-voiced boys Of
new and, to him, NEST Objectionable
species. The past belongs to the past;
man cannot live his life again.
Poor old fellow, don't care to say
disagreeable things about him, but,
really, he had become most selfish
beggar," said De Vaux, leaning against
the mantel-piece.
Marriage spoils man utterly"
said his friend as he knocked the ashes
from his pipe on to the carpet. "You
ought to get married again, he's no
good for anything else"
He used to be such a jolly, easy-go-
ing fellow, now he growls at every
thing. The way he DULLES our un-
fortunate laundres is shocking. When
he wakes up, he'll make you sweep
those ashes from the floor"
1.-THE side the man puts on, his as
sumption of virtue, and the way he
sneers at us really annoys me. He is
a skeleton at every feast, looks as
shocked as a curate if man tells a
racy tale, and actually called old
Soalser a cad because he could not
walk downstairs. remember bring
ing him home in cab two OF three
years ago, and he yelled comic songs
all the way"
"It's awful" said De Vaux, with a
laugh; ''last Sunday he came in while
4 ] was having afternoon tea with some
ladies, and simply turned upon his
heel, and slammed the door as he went
out"
.'Well, I'm afraid you can't poison
him and put him out of his misery
"He is not our OLD Selfton, theaters
bore him, the halls are disgusting. He
won't dance, does not drink enough to
enliyen a healthy child, smokes in q
corner and growls. At the club no one
can understand him. He has tried the
river, CALF, the Solent, the card room,
and Paris, all in vain. l don't know
what to do with him. You remember
our last little supper party here.
Well, he got it up, and was perfectly
disguised with everything and every
body, yet all the boys were OLD
friends"
"Yes, I'm afraid he is incurable-"
eyes, l am" cried Selfton, springine
from the sofa upon which he had beer
sleeping. "I'm nuisance to myself
and all of you. can't forget the two
happy years of my life, and can nevel
live them again. I'll go into some cor
ner and wait patiently for the future
since cannot go back to the past"
isn't he lazy dadda, snoring lik'
big bow-wow when baby wants to Sc,
him?"
"Why, Kitty" he said dreamily
awaking with a start, lis it really you?
Really me, silly boy. Whom els
did you expect, sir?" she asked, wavinI
the baby before him.
Come tome, sonnie," he cried, laugh
ing gayly. ''See how eager the littl
chappie is, Kate"
Then, as Philly nestled on his shout
der, clutching vainly at his mustache
ne drew her down onto his knee, an,
said. softly: by Jove, darling, how
have missed you"
Poor boy, 1t Is too bad OF me t
run home to my mother so often
isn't it? But I've such news for you
Father is going to launch out awfully
He is actually going to buy yacht"
"a yacht?'
; Eyes; the boys are becoming S
horsey. You know how he detests tina
, sort of thing. So this is to cure then
J You are to be captain, and he is CON
ing over after dinner to consult yor
Isn't it eharming?"
Rather; we won't go to Herne ba
for our vacation, ell, little girl?"
"Herne bay, indeedl What ever mad
: you think of such O place?'-Blac
and White.
Crucial Test.
Mrs. Winthrop-Do you think JAG
: Desmond is really in love with Mabel
| Mr. Winthrou-(,raat poodnessi--ve