The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-30
BEACH CONNECTED WI
FOLLY AND PASSION.
BY DAN O'CONNE ELL.

! IOunueu ny the Widest young men OF the
| Victoria Club, who delighted in that
pastime they called drawing the parson
out" and hearing him talk boastfully of
the days when he pulled the stroke-oars in
the Oxford crew.
While he was thus reaching that stage of
e1hlllratlon downstairs which is known
as ''gloriously full" his wife and Mr.. Per-
clyal were strolling through the grounds
OF the Government residence and enjoying
the beautiful autumn night. There was a
cloud on the brow of the fair English
woman, and she clenched her hands with
an angry gesture as she said:
"Iom, am getting fearfully tired of this
sort of thing. Did you hear what those
men We're saying in the hall as we passed
through?'
IT did, rejoined Percival, in a sympa-
thetic tone; "but what is the use of wor-
rying? That is an old story now"
Yes" said the woman bitterly, 81 know
1t is; but I am getting tired of it. | am
not going to endure it much longer, Tom
Percival, l can assure you"
81 don't see what you are going to do
about it," said Percival, coldly. "You
know how hard I've endeavored to effect a
change and what the results of my labor
have BEEN
81 know. I know" she said, fervently,
clasping the hand he extended to her, "but
l am getting desperate. Is there no way
| Out VI tulS, HO cSCdD0 ITOIn GnS continual
shame and worry of this life?"
''You might leave him and return to
your fathers house, suggested Percival.
'"That | will never do" said Mrs Garvel
firmly "the gossip of the English village
would be worse than that I endure here"
''Then there is another way if you will
but consent to it," and the arm of the
tempter stole around the waist of the wife
of his friend.
'Alice, you know that I love you de-
votedly and would do anything for your
| happiness. You know"
"Mrs. Gavel! Mrs. Gavell"
| The voice was that of the Governors
secretary, who was approaching them
| rapidly.
"Pray excuse me, madam" he con-
tinued as he perceived them, "but think
you had better come with me and see YOUR
husband. He is in the ballroom and he is
not in way-well, a very presentable con-
dition and he will not withdraw until he
sees you. / have endeavored to get him
away quietly, but he is quite obstinate and
protests that he will remain until you
come for him.
THANK you, Mr.. Seymore," said the
lady quietly. IT will follow you directly"
"Percival," she whispered, as the secre-
tary bowed and passed on, 81 =, forgive
you. Can you call on me tomorrow after
noon and we will talk over what is best
to be DONE"
Percival pressed her hand to his lips,
drew it through his arm and conducted her
to the ballroom. There in the center of
an amused group her wretched husband
was laughing and gesticulating, and al
though very much intoxicated, talking SO
brilliantly that he was positively inter
esting.
"Hello, Tom Hello, Alicer he cried.
"Where have you been, hey? What do
| you fellows think of this beautiful mate of
mine who will leave her lawful spouse to
go Numbering around the grounds with
my old college chum2 See how she
bushes. Never mind, Alice, am not a
bit jealous" and with shrek of drunken
mirth he staggered toward them.
| Concealing the horrible modification she
| felt, Mrs. Garvel spoke soothingly to him,
and induced him to accompany her to the
| carriage. AS Percival helped him in first,
and then assisted her, he whispered in her
ear.
Tomorrow afternoon
I Tomorrow afternoon" she repeated
softly. And then she slammed the car
riage door.
ON THE BEACH.
A year had passed since the ball at the
| Government house. The elopement of
Tom Percival and Alice Garvel had been
the sensation for a month in Victoria.
For three days after Percival had closed
that carriage door upon his friend and his
friends wife, Alice Garvel and he were on
the steamer bound for San Francisco. Those
who predicted that this would be the end
OF Jim Garvel and that he would drink
himself to death were mistaken. From the
morning that he woke up to find he had
no longer wife complete change took
| place in him. He ceased to frequent the
club and lived utterly, and to the astonish-
ment of all, soberly alone. He paid strict
attention to the duties of his parish and
made no inquiries after the guilty pair.
Every attempt at coincidence or the re-
newal of friendship he politely and firmly
! repulsed. His leisure hours were passed
in taking long and solitary walks or
contributing essays to the American
and English magazines. His rare lit
| erary talent won for him speedy
recognition, and the people in the col
ony grew proud of their literary parson.
What might be supposed the precipitation
into utter ruin and recklessness proved his
salvation. Under assumed names Perci-
val and his paramour took lodgings in
San Francisco. And then occurred one of
those incomprehensible transpositions
| every man. Tom Percival, who during
his college career and afterward had been
regarded the most abstemious and careful
of men. rapidly and without any apparent
reason fell into that vice which had lost
his former friend his wife. He had
found no difficulty in obtaining en-
ployment in lawyers office a
few days after his arrival. But he had not
been there week before he returned to
his lodgings in as deplorabie condition
as Alice had ever seen her husband. She
was terrified to such degree that she be.
came Ill from nervous prostration, but
feeling, perhaps, that this was one of the
mysterious punishments which follow
guilt, she uttered not a word of reproach
to Percival. He, himself, seemed dull and
unconscious of doing any wrong
He was kind to her in a Ger.
tain sort of way, but seemed
averse to being alone with her as well az
to any reference to their past. The re
fined and polished Oxonian became the as
sociate of vulgar and dissipated men. He
brought them home to dinner. and thei,
language and department shocked his
companion. Sometimes he would not be-
seen for days, and, sending her few dol
lars, would excuse himself on the plea O.
having to go to some country town to at
tend to the legal business of the firm
Those excuses she knew to be false, but ac
cepted the wretched conditions i'm which