The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-31
PETRUcHIo IN PlcCADILLY.



were likely 70 prove Not that there was
any harm in her. you understand, but
as a girl she. had been frOlicsome, and
daring 10 an alarming degree, and the
increase Of liberty obtained by marriage
was not likely TO improve her in this
respect. Whereupon society pitied Lord
Vanlees at O'Clock teas, and little wag-
ers were booked in the precincts Of Pail
Mall. and the Countess OF Grundy watched
like a grim and elderly edition Of the
cherub in the nursery rhyme, not over the
life Of poor Jack. but for baekslidings on
the part of Lady Vanlees.
For the first few weeks OF marriage
the beautiful Blanche was propriety it.
self-a tractable angel in a Bond street
gown. But when the honeymoon was over
and they were back in town. her interest
in mundane affairs revived. and she found
that the stained glass window attitude
palled upon her and that halo was
heavy. Whereupon she doffed them to
play on the borders of Tom Tiddler's
ground in her old irresponsible fashion,
and YANKEES began to drop in pretty fire.
quently to the club.
Was he satisfied? He was such very
impassive young man that it was impos-
sible for outsiders to tell. II sometimes he
ventured upon a private remonstrance,
II never degenerated into scene, and
nobody, not even the servants, was any
the wiser
The average woman would have been
grateful for this serenity Of temperament
not so Lady Vanlees. She was not to
be measured by the ordinary standard OF
inconsistency. Had he opposed her es-
capades violently she would have re-
taliated by additional recllessness, and
posed as a martyr into the bargain, but
this fact did not weigh with her in the
least.
IF only he would loose his temper some
timesT she Geplored, on eliminating
day Great heavens! to live with man
who Is too tame to answer one! On, ne
bores mel Everything bores me! What DO
/ live for?" and she flung down the novel
which she had not the patience to read
and yawned aggressively.
She was not at all tired of her life, l
may say, but she thought the sentiment
sounded nice and blase and Ouidaish
And, besides, she was a little out Of sorts
this afternoon. A new costume had
proved frightfully disappointing; her pug
had been unwell at luncheon, and Van
lees had insinuated, in quite heartless
way, that the little beast" had been
overeating itself as usual, and then de-
clined TO quarrel; and she was expecting
her mother-in-law to tea.
She gave vent to her utter WEAKNESS Of
spirit in a little moan, and began 10
sweep restlessly about the ROOM
In the course of her perambulations she
stepped upon a folded pink journal. Per-
haps it had been dropped there by the
gentleman who is repUted always to
find mischief for idle hands to do; per
haps II was the property of one of the
maids. She stopped for it, and there re-
vealed itself beneath her smoothing hand
a tasteful first sheet, with scalloped edges
and the title within border or hearts
and arts THE Torch of Hymen: the only
genuine medium for the promotion OF
matrimony among the nobility and gen.
try of Great Britain and Ireland
Lady Vanlees looked amused. She
glanced down the columns and her interest
deepened. A pensive far-away express
sion came into her beautiful eyes, the
outcome of a pleasant fancy
And why not?" she asked herself. 1T
would be an experience, and. of course, l
should have my letters addressed to a
library"
She was stamping an evelope at little
rosewood escritoire when her mother-in-
law arrived Blanche showed herself
throughout the interview the essence of
meekness and amiability. The dowager
was quite charmed. They parted the best
of friends.
Through the post in masculine hand
writing:
would Hero whose advertisement
appeared in yesterdays Torch of Hy-
men, care to communicate with the I'M
dersigned He is tall, fair, of independ-
emit means, and thinks he may safely lay
claim to the other requirements (the loving
heart, blue eyes, etc.) mentioned by her
He therefore incloss a recent photograph
as desired, and hopes that If 'Heros'
reply be favorable to his hopes she will
appoint an early rendezvous; and, mean
while begs to inscribe himself with re-
spectful compliments, hers faithfully,
Leander'
"P. S.-Please address care of the ed
itor, Office of the Torch
Through the post in feminine writing
'Leander's' portrait and letter rep
resent him so favorably to Hero that she
will be charmed to make his personal ac-
auaintance at 9 a. m. on Tuesday (wea-
Their permitting on the south side of the
Round Pom, Kensington Gardens.
{" Leander' may know Hero by the
This was how 1t came to pass that
Lady Vanlees left her home one morn.
ing at an hour when she was usually sip.
ping her chocolate in bed, to take q
walk" and why, after visiting a florists
in Picadilly, she took hanson instead
The desolation of Salisbury Plain on a
wet day reigned over the precincts of the
Round Pond as she crossed the turf tt
the encircling gravel path. 1t wanted
five minutes to the hour of her appoint.
ment; but she did not have to wait A.
she paused and glanced at her watch g
man rose from a chair beside a tret
trunk and strobe toward her. A littlt
additional pink tinged her cheeks, her
heart beats quickened with that delicious
thrill of fear familiar to every schoolboy
out of bounds, and her gloved hand dal
lied with the blossoms at her breasi
Their eyes met; they smiled in concert.
" Is it Hero?' he asked.
Doubt was dispelled. "Leander' stood be
fore her
Lady Vanlees was more than little sur
prised. She had expected to meet a bash
full, respectable young fellow of a certain
class, probably from the country, whC
would afford her an hours amusement anC
be shaken off without trouble. Instead sh,
found herself bound to a tete-a-tete with 2
smart, rather military looking man. in an
pearance the reverse of unsophisticated
But she felt herself equal to the occasion
Shall we sit down on this seat?" he said