The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1895-10-12

Il must certainly read them," said
Pingwill, evidently searching his mind
for the name of Wendle Hooper and
flushing slightly.
Il know Of no man" said Heydln-
ger, Except, perhaps, Liant, who comes
SO near to Hooper us Gr.,ham. You know
Lant's style, Pingwill?"
Pingwill flushed a little deeper, and
his ears grew pink. Il can't say said
he, ''that I've read
Hes not sowell known as Hooper,"
l admitted. He was in the little set
that clustered round Leigh Hunt
Pingwill suddenly felt hotter again.
Il think Leigh Hunt'- he began, evil
IDENTIFY ready with a fragment Of text
book.
He borrowed from Liant" interrupt
Ell H~eFdlnger. 'CertalnIy he borrowed
from Liant. That essay on the chimney
pot hat
Pure Liant" I said.
1--we neglected Lalx a little, I am
afrait mumbled Pingwell, horribly
bothered by this unknown name.
"You should read him. said I.
Hes a perfect mine of good things.
That passage in Browning, for instance.
You We're pointing out the resemblance
only this morning, Heydinger."
about the chattering disks said
Heydinger. You remember that, Ping
well?'
Il think So" said Pingwell. "Chat-
tering disks. / seem to recollect. How
does it go?'
1.-The chattering disks go reeling,"
said Eeydinger, %inventing boldly. You
must remember"
Pingwell now was really very uncom-
Portable. But he was having a lively
lesson in prigsish conversation. Il wish
J had my Liant here" said |.
"You surely remember about the
chattering disks?:" said Heydinger, turn
ing as he pretended to search for a book
on the shelf.
1.-The phrase is quite familiar to me-
said Pingwell, but for the life of me
I can't recall the context! It's queer
what tricks ones memory plays"
Heydinger quietly resumed his seat.
"Have you written anything lately?'
said Pingwell to change the subject.
yes" said Heydinger, and seeing
some further question threatened, add
ed, as if i'll explanation, "Alvarados."
1t pulled Pingwell up abruptly. cal
varados! Ali" he repeated after Hey
dinger, with ar air of comprehension.
If he understood, he was certainly wiser
than l. His ears were now bright red.
We remained tranquil, watching him.
1t was no my affair.
he returned to conversation presently
with all air of having found and grasped
the thing firmly. "Will you make them
into a book?" he said bravely. A just
perceptible dew was on his face. Hey
dinger evidently expected as much.
"Them!" he answered. "What:"
"Well-it. Alvarados."
"It!" said Heydinger, raising his
eyebrows. II don't know" he said and
became silent. Pingwill was evidently
bafaed. Very awkwardly, and after a
pause, he said he hoped that would be
the case. Heydinger thanked him dryly.
There was an interval while we watch
cd one another. Then he discovered his
pipe was Quit always is-and asked
me for the matches. He talked incoher-
emily upon Indifferent topics for a few
minutes after that, and all the time ]
could see the trouble in his eyes, the
awful doubt of his own omniscience
that had arisen. Alvarados? Presently
he rose to 60. Routed.
As he went out I heard him whisper
to himself very softly, "Alvarados"
He has not been near us since. / car
imagine the dismal times he has hai
hunting through Rabelais, Gil Bias
Hudibras, the Dictionary of Phrase
and Fable for Alvarados, going through
the British museum catalogue for Wen
die Hooper and hunting all Browning
for the "Chatterins Discs %feelins
most horribly ashamed of himself al
the time. l like to think Of his flush O.
shame, the overthrow of his frail APP
paratus Of knowledge, and ever ant
again Heydinger and I break the friend
~ silences which constitute our inter
course by saying casually, "Pingwil
seems to be dropping US altogether, or
Don't seem to see so much of Pingwil
as we used to do, Bellows" Such re
Elections are the olives of life. H. q
Wells IN New Budget.