The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-13

THAT the step on her nose was not quite
so high! But on the whole contentment
was his portion, and he went heartily with
those who said that she was one of the
best creatures in the world"
AS for Violet herself, her satisfaction
and happiness were limitless. She positive
ly adored the fine, good-looking, sanguine-
complexioned, blue-eyed young fellow who
had proved himself already to be such
capital chum and congenial companion
TO her in all her sports and pastimes in
her beautiful country home. She felt a
preliminary twinge simetimes when he
said some other girl was pretty or grace
full. But she FASTENED to assure herself
that this was because he was not quite
unalienably her own yet; there was still
| possibility of some evil-minded, pratt
| cally disposed girl boarding and capturing
him, though she, Violet, had so nearly
towed him into harbor. When once they
were married, she would like dear Jack
| to know and admire any number of pretty
girls and fascinating women! Why should
she fear any of them? Had he not been
| free to choose, and had he not chosen her
out of all the world? Before they were
married, though, she experienced several
| of these twinges.
The wedding took place from the house
| of one of the brides uncles. 1t was a
| most successful function, everyone said,
| and the bridal dress was lovely and fitted
| to perfection Jack caught himself wish
| ing that she hadn't worn white and veil.
| White demands good deal Of youth"
| and there was not a sufficient supply
on this occasion. The veil, too, seemed TO
be poked into undue prominence by her
| nose. He remembered her nose was the
first portion he had seen Of his Violet!
They went abroad for the honeymoon,
| lounged in gondolas in Venice, paraded
the Bastione in Milan, bought Mosaics in
IA nd Ms a4raN f4AV In
Rome. She knew her Italy well. At one
time she had fancied herself the possessor
| of voice worthy of culture by the Ital-
| ian method, and had studied for twelve
| months under a professor in Milan with
a view to coming out at La Scala. Her
| superior knowledge and experience of life
| in Italy enhanced his respect for her con-
siderably, and he had not yet ceased to
| remember wildly that it was to her lib
| crafty and money he owed the comfort
| and luxury which he was enjoying without
| having to make the slightest effort 10
procure it.
| But the aspect of things altered when
| they came back to England, and she ILL
| advisedly suggested that they should
! spend few days in London before going
| down to settle in their country home.
| Jack Dysart was essentially a clublander.
! His foot was on his native heath when
1 he trod the may ways of Pail Mall and
| he was more at home in the stalls of every
| theater on the right hand side of the
| water than in the cradle of his race. He
had always been not only with" but
of good but exceedingly fast set, and
| he liked it. His walks abroad in New
Bond street, Piccadilly and the Park, had
| Invariably been agreeably diversified by
meetings with endless lines of acquain-
tances who shared the same interests.
| did the same things, and thought very
much the same thoughts as himself.
He shrank from taking exercise in these
| directions now, for Violet was a good pc
destrian, and always took it for granted
! that she must be his companion Her
| brother-in-law had told her that she had
| better keep her eyes open, as Jack had a
weak prediction for pretty and attractive
| women. HE always has run after them,
and always will, unless you get firm grip
on him at starting" Mr. Dysart had said
| with brutal candor. Mrs. Jack remembered
these words, and made halfhearted prepar-
atoms for taking this grip now.
She began by calling for him at his club
when sne thought he had been within it's
| reductive precincts long enough This an
| poyed him, as one of the men saw her sit
| ting in her Victoria from the window, and
| asked Jack the next time they met ''if it
| was one of his aunts'' After this Jack
threw cold water on her offers of calling
for him at his club.
Against her wish and will though she
| neither expressed the former nor exer-
cised the latter, they fingered on in town.
Coming out from the Lyceum one night,
| while waiting for the cab which was be-
ing got for them with much difficulty, Jack
met young married lady friend of the
| girl he had been in love with. 1t seemed to
| bring him in touch with the latter again
as he spoke for a few minutes with Mrs.
Harley. Then he remembered his wife,
and the onus that was on him of introduce
inging the ladies' to one another.
He did it, and as he did it he saw Mrs.
Harleys quickly perceptive glance travel
up from Mrs. Jacks sparse figure to the
| pronounced step on her nose. Then volun-
/ tarily, as it seemed to him, Mrs. Harley
flashed a glance at him, which
said as plainly as possible, "You have sold
yourself for money? 1 pity your
She did more than pity him mutely
very soon. she asked him to her house
/ without his wife.
He went weakly enough at first, merely
| for the sake of hearing the little Incl
| dental mentions Mrs. Harley had a way
of making about her friend-the girl he
| had loved Gradually these mentions grew
| less frequent. She talked to him more
| about himself, and gave him to under
| stand that she sympathized with him and
| pitied him for--he hardly knew what.
! itlS WIG boOt ltlt Nudl ne was Shipping
| from the slight grip in which she had
| held him. But in what direction
| he was slipping she could not
tell He began to dine at his club
I three or four times a week, leaving her in
solitude at their hotel, and coming home
very late, and generally very cross. S III
she had no suspicion that there was an
other woman in the case, and mistakenly
attributed his rapidly developing care
less Indifference to club influences and
men friends.
on evenings when he did not go out and
I leave her, Mrs. Harley had a knack Of
dropping In. and either carrying them
to theater and supper, or of staying on,
under the pretence Of wishing to cultivate
Mrs. Jacks society and friendship. One
night as the fair and fascinating self-ln-
vited guest was leaving she slipped a note
surreptiuousy into Jacks all-willing
hand, and Mrs. Jack saw her do Il.
why couldn't Mrs. Harley have said
! anything she wanted TO say to you, Jack,
| Instead Of taking the trouble 10 write it?''
a..