The record-union., 1895-11-09

1T would be all the same, l expect if
you HAD seen him every day" the old
lady returned very quickly. Sydney is
very reticent about press matters,
though he's frankness itself in other
things. And l suppose he is quite right
to be discreet. He always says that the
anony nifty of writers for the daily or
weekly press ought to be most careful
ly maintained. We can never get him
to admit the authorship of single arti-
Gle. For a long time we didn't even
know what paper he was permanently
connected with
But you know now?,' / queried.
'"The Times" said the old lady i'm
pressively And now we've got so far
that we can tell which articles are his.
Sometimes there isn't anything by
him, and then, you know, l think the
paper is very dull" she added, with a
little laugh.
Mrs Carstairs then began to ques-
ton me about myself, but the fact that
l had been married only few months
before rolled the conversation back to
the faVorite topic.
wish Sydney would marry" she
said; but he always tells me that he
hasn't time and he doesn't like being
pressed on the subject
The return of the pair from outside
made the conversation general, and be-
fore very long Carstairs declared that
he was obliged to leave. We drove
back together in a hanson. Carstairs
was silent and depressed. He seemed
to be relapsing into the weary mood of
the underpaid drudge.
Did my mother say much about
me?" he queried timidly.
I told him the substance of the con-
versation. She thinks that you write
for the Times" l said.
He shook his head sadly. And
let her think so-in fact, I've encour-
aged the idea. Poor SOUL If she saw
me going about my work day after
day, waiting for hours in offices, hang
ing round doors, in the hope of getting
a word in with the big man as he
comes out, and not only with firms like
yours, but with small people-dirty,
greasy. illiterate tradespeOple, who, all
the same, look down on me and snub
me al times, and are extensively famil-
lar at others-if she saw this going on
when she thinks | am meditating on
deep affairs of state, | am afraid ii
would almost break her heart. l lead
dogs life, and my worst fear is that
my mother may come to know of it
You may think it is very wrong of me
to let her deceive herself so, but
can't help it,
know how things are2" / asked.
Il can't tell her the truth; I can't
tell her that I'm deep in the mud and
that I shall always stick there. It's
not my fault. The only pleasure
can give her is to let her think that ]
am prosperous and happy. And even
that is hard. I can't manage at times
to keep a decent coat to wear when
go down to see her.
10 tod hi 70 IN, hi dc
groaned audibly. I tried to cheer him
up by the hope of brighter days, but
he refused to be cOmfOrted. With an
attempt at popularity, I said:
You'll be lucky in time, perhaps. A
rich wife is being saved up for you
somewhere
He looked UP suddenly. Did my
mother say anything about that?"
shed like you to be married."
said.
He sighed profoundly. "She wants
me to marry Miss Hilton he replied
who will have some money by-and-by
not that she imagines ! need it,
Well" I said, why don't you? She
struck me as a charming lady, and evil
IDENTIFY fond of you
He was silent few minutes. and then
said. in a low voice:
The fact is | am married already,
anu / nave TWO SildlI CllllQItI " lIOhIGt
for. That's another secret I have to
keep. My wife is not a lady-she
doesn't even pretend to be-
My curiosity was excited, and ]
couldn't help showing it.
She was waitress" he said, "lt a
cheap restaurant in the city Steat
and kidney pudding for 7d.-that sor;
Of thing. She was very pretty and
quiet. and I was solitary. I had given
up any hopes of succeeding at anything
and I fell in love with the waitress.
couldn't help it. 1t is not good for a
man to be alone, l suppose. At any
rate, we are married; there are two
children to look after, and therell be
another before long. My mother-in-
law lives with US" he went on with an
air of stOlid resignation land looks
after things. She is a good manageress
but her temper gets the better of her
sometimes, and when I am unlucky
and can't bring any money in, she
well, she doesn't do much to console
me-"
Before we parted I asked him If ]
could help him financially a little
You know" ! said, there's a prof:
on pickles. and we don't sell our Jams
a. cost price. 7 can always spare d
little money. Won't you let me help
you now and them"
He thanked me heartily, but declined
the offer.
I'll bear it in mind as a last re-
source" he said; but l don't want r
| begin borrowing little sums I should
never be able to pay them back, anC
il might become a habit Leave me
what poor shreds of self-respect I have
got left"
I had thought of doing something
more than occasionally advancing
small sums, but l saw he had misunder-
stood me, and I did not press my Offer
| further. I determined to bear the mat
| ter in mind, and to see if ! could find
any better opening for my old school
! fellow. But nothing occurred for some
time; I had plenty to think Of and the
idea Of helping Carstairs receded more
and more. But got my wife tc
call at the cottage at Kew She Liked
! Mrs. Carstairs very much, and TOOK
her and Miss Hilton sometimes
| for a drive through Richmond Park
They were invited, too. to some
| OF the milder functions at our house
| Mrs. Carstairs conversation was
| always full Of her sons sup
| posed contribution to the Times. She
showed us some Of these. and claimed
our admiration. One afternoon. after .
O'Clock tea, she consulted me, in a care
| fully cGntrived tete-a-tete. as to the
probable remuneration.
sydney does three or four leaders a
week for the Times. What do you think
| they would pay him?" She looked at
me inQuiringlv.
l disclaimed all knowledge. but
thought l,pUG pounds year would be
something like it.
That's what / should have said" the
old lady rejoined. evidently pleased al
my views concurring with her own
And then. of course, sydney wrote foI
other papers. I've been thinking of this
because he has been very economical
lately ia one or two little things. Cabs
for example. He never comes in a
cab. and even when it rains he won't
let US send out to fetch one. He says
he prefers the railways. And once
Whom know the train he WAS cnrniro