Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1896-07-21
HIS IDEAL WOMAN.

The first thing did on getting back
from India was to spend week with
my people in the country. A good deal
can happen in five years, and we natural
ly had plenty to talk about. But tore
myself away at last with a promise to
return for August and settled myself in
town in my old lodgings off st. james
street
Apart from the various business mat
ters requiring my attention-sny invest
ments had not improved during my abb
sence, and it was necessary to cast my
eye about for other securities-London
at the moment, appealed to me irresistl-
bly,.
There, within the four mile radius,
was massed the whole of what 1 had
missed during my five years in remote
station in Burma-the life, the mo-
tion, the perpetual sense of something
going on, of being in close proximity,
if not in absolute contact with, the
source of current modes of thought, OF
hearing the ceaseless hum of the wheels
of civilization, the throb of actuality, OF
which not even the echoes had penetrat-
ed to the squat white bungalow on the
banks of the rawadi, where the mon
otony had not been varied by even so
much rs moments fighting. and one
made up for saving one's intellectual by
overfeeding one's physical instincts.
Once in town, found myself plunged
into vortex of amusement. There
were old friends to be 'looked NJ" "
When Cooked up" they insisted on
dinner, to be followed by theater or
music hall. Some of the men L had
"done the town" with five years before
had got married. 1 had to make the ac-
quaintance of their wives Others who
had been married had been divorced. 1
had to forget that they had ever been
married.
One way and another was SO busy
that it was not till the end of a month
that remembered that I had not seen
Wetherby. He had always been Zone of
u.s. in the old days at Oxford and
elsewhere, prepared for anything and
everything, and could not make out
how it was that had not already como
across him.
ooh, Wetherby," said Benson, the
stockbroker, when asked him what
had happened to our old friend, I'VE
never see Wetherby now. He is supposed
to be In love. For myself, believe he
was Just going to marry girl, and she
died, with the result that he has been
brooding over her death ever since.
Anyway, no one ever seems to see
him anywhere, though he's still got
the same old rooms in the temple. &c
and look him up by all means, but
don't suppose you'll be able to see him,
or, if you do, to get anything out of
him. AS say, he never seems to go
out anywhere, though, as you know he
used to be such great ladies' man. :"
with strong views as to the ideal
woman - put in, remembering various
conversations we had had on the subject.
''Yes,'' assented Benson, che was al
ways great on the woman question,
talking about the perfect type, and all
that sort of bosh. BE always was bit
of dreamer.
Perhaps. " said maliciously, ''that
may account for his never being seen
now. He may have found this type and
be keeping her to himself.
Perhaps" said Benson However,
you go and see him. You and he used
to be such terrific pals you may be able
to get more out of him than we other
fellows have been able to do.
''Wel1, I'll go anyway" said.
went down to the temple that very
night Ny loud knock ON the outer door
of his chambers brought Wetherby him
self to open it. 1t struck me that he
looked half confused, half annoyed, as
If 1 had surprised him at a moment
when he was occupied with other mat
ters and resented intrusion. 1 wondered
whether, after all, the perfect type"
theory was right.
I put my suspicion aside, however,
vvh en-, recognizing me at last in the semi
obsc, Jrity of the staircase, he seized my
hand and shook it warmly. My dear
fellow. - he said, ST am delighted TO
see Won. When did you get back?" He
overwhelm ed me with questions as
followed ins. .&de and pulled a chair up
to the omen window facing his own.
For an hour we sat talking over old
times and smoking. The conversation,
REMINISCENT, as for the most part it was,
enabled me to see that in some respects
he was changed from the man 1 had
seen five Years before He spoke more
deliberately-slower. As Benson had
remarked, he had alwaysNhad tenden-
CIV to dream. The tendency seemed ac-
centuated. At times he was silent for a
minute together, putting meditatlyely
at his pipe. A last could not help
questioning him even at the risk OF
giving offense. ''Benson says" l re-
marked, ''that you are quite different
from what you used to be. You never
90 out anywhere. What is it? You re-
member our talking about the perfect
| type You have not found her! Eou
are not in lover"
he was silent moment, putting out
hinge clouds of smoke. Then Look
| here, old fellow" he said II don't
know why should not tell you These
other fellows could not understand If
| did tell them
s'I am afraid you are crediting me
| with more intelligence than 1 possess, -
| / said. eff what you propose to tell me
| would pass Benson's understanding,
| am afraid it would also pass mine.
"You underrate yourself. Besides