The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1896-01-08

were not equally familiar with IL; an atm
letic, bronzed young man who was talking
| TO Mrs. founders (his hostess, Aunt
| SARAH contributed to the hush, so to
speak, by stopping short in the middle of
his sentence as his eyes rested on Mrs.
Marmont, and then calculating, is tit
| is
"Linda," interrupted Mrs. founders,
"of course. Didn't you expect to sec her?''
81 had heard she was abroad-she hasn't
changed so much as first thought"
"Oh, no, woman doesn't change much
between "a and 26, Mr.. Lester. The fash
ions change, but you mustn't talk to her
as if you were surprised-she ism t decrepit
nor to me either; it's not fattering to
woman of my age.
"She's handsomer than ever as, of
course, she ought to be-" he added, smil-
ing with little bow to the elderly lady.
"You must take her in to dinner, Mr..
Lester. She'll think it godsend to have
new partner in my house. "
Mrs. Marmont seemed little surprised,
too, at seeing Mr.. Lester. She looked for
just an instant as if he were a ghost, and
then she took his arm, saying gayly:
"Why, 1 thought you, were in South
America. Are you sure you are not and
that this is not your astral body here
among your dull old friendsP"
81 know too well that it Is my very
self, " he answered quietly.
~ came back with New Years reso-
luton to stay at home" he continued.
II suppose ought to do that. My mother
and my mothers affairs need me, and we
always resolve to do what we ought at the
beginning of the new year, don't we?
But don't know; already I'm thinking
of fight, of going to Egypt on something
that can be called business"
"Why, it's terrible to think how New
York must bore you" Mrs. Marmont
spoke half neutrality-suspicious. as If she
were bored herself.
"Bore me? You don't remember me as
bored person, do your"
Mr.. Lester did not dance. He devoted
himself to whist with ancient and nervous
partners. Mrs. Marmont never played
whist, and she danced eagerly for awhile
with young cousins and old uncles, but
she lost her interest in that exercise early.
Perhaps it was too frivolous to suit bud
ding deaconness. She sat down at piano
in an alcove away from all the company
and softly played bits of old melodies.
Lester turned his head and listened to the
| faint sound of "song without words"
| till an indignant partner sternly recalled
him to business. Mrs. Marmont and her
father were among the first to leave. She
came up to Lester just after the new year
began, looking very stately and yet very
kind and put out straightforward little
hand
81 hope you won't go away" she said,
nd"-there was a little break in the
continuity of her speech, then she went on
-"and I hope you'll come and see me. -
"Thank you, " said Lester and nothing
more
Lets not talk now, she said YEARLY
when her father began to speak of her
wild scheme on the way home. She
dismissed her maid and quietly and swiftly
prepared for bed, but after the lights were
out, as she lay in the dark, she began to
sob like little lonely, famished child, and
the gray winter dawn was creeping into
the room before the sobs sank into long
quivering sighs that did not break the
light slumber that at last blessed her.
The next day Lester was standing list
lessly at club window. He had tried to
talk to his mother that morning about the
probability of his again leaving her, and
that lady had, first impatiently and then
plaintively, refused to listen to any such
suggestion. AS he stood there Mrs. Mar
mont passed.
Testers face flushed and palod He
turned from the window. He called Is cab
"Drive where you lik@for ten minutes, +"
he said to the cabby, and at the end of
eight he told him where to 60 and pres
emily the cab drew up in front of one of
the old fashioned, luxurious houses of
North Washington square.
Mrs. Lindsay, said Lester when he
was shown into the presence Of the white
haired, bright eyed old lady he had come
tq1~SS. p friend be had known from bis