The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1895-08-15

turesQue l1Its clustered around the lit
tie tea table as closely as their huge
sleeves and illimitable skirts allowed,
and slipped their ASA m-PekOe between
the bursts Of confidence proper to the
half hour. They had discussed the
reigning tenor, touched delicateIy on
the last scandal, and were now busy
with Jack Rodney's name and money.
Alas! he had no money. A decision of
the court had given his great Inherit
ance to another heir, and then he had
gone into Wall street and been caught
on the wrong side of the market.
II can't picture it, said Sally Lit
tlejohn, balancing her little gold spoon.
"What will become of him? The
spoiled darling! Why, he will have to
go to work"
"Work"' said Julia Montresor
"With those aristocratic hands! What
sort of worl?''
"Poor Jack!' said Arabella ':He
wouldn't know himself out of his
habits. How is he to go without his
horses, his club, the opera, his London
tailor?"
Il don't believe he will try to- said
Felicia
"Why what will he do?'
"The only thing he can do-stop
living"
ooh, Bah! How horrid of you! Jack
Rodney, the dear, splendid fellow!
Has any one seen him? I wonder
what he is doing now" said Sally.
"Walking on his uppers, don't they
call it," said Bah.
''Such a shame! And he has lent
and given away a fortune to other
people. He never seemed to care about
money"
''No, indeed; I suppose he has drop
ped a modest fortune in cards before
this
"Why, Bah; with the poor fellow in
such a strait! He only does what all
the other men do"
"And he does great deal they don't
do" said Arabella. Every one else
was letting Will de Luys reap what
| he sowed, but Jack made good all the
misrepresentation that the new
| term land gave Will a fresh start.
| And if it was Jacks yacht that went
| cruising up the Mediterranean and
had princes on board for guests, it was
his steamer that took those children
from Seven Alleys down the harbor
every afternoon all the hot summer,
and
"You always had specific talent for
turning a telescope on microscopic
subjects.'' said Bah.
mo, thanks, I can't drink another
drop of your tea. Felicia, though l de-
said Julia. 'Well, just one cup
lemQn-yes,' as Felicia's jeweled hand
suspended the sugar. "What per-
fectly lovely cup! Did you know that
one of Dolly Van VEINS engagement
cups was a tiny thing Of gold, crusted
with peridots?'
"No!"
"And who do you think gave it to
her? Well, Jack Rodney. And she
cut him dead last week.
"She ought to-" said Felicia, "for do
ing such an utterly silly thing"
II suppose lie paid for it," said Bah.
"Well, deliver me from my friends, -
said Arabella.
''And that reminds me-" said Sally:
"apropos of nothing. Do you know
that no one can imagine what has be-
come of Lena Vallory's black pearls? -
"Apropos of nothing, Lena hasn't
any friends" said Bah.
you mean," said Julia, that every
one can imagine. Isn't it too bad?"
'Well, Mrs. Harry said to her the
other night at the opera, and you
know there is nothing Mrs. Harry
doesn't dare: Just see that string OF
pearls on Violetta's throat Shouldn't
you think they were yours, if yours
weren't locked up at homer"
"And what did Lena do?"
"Oh, she didn't do anything just
then. But little while afterward
she tainted or something.'
1.-THE poor child
"Well," said Bah, she can give hel
another string now. Vallory is one OF
the cousins that came into Jack Rod
neys money. It's bad blood any
way"
"How prejudiced you are, Bah