Evening star., 1896-11-14
Author of The Soul of the Bishop"
"Bootles' Baby" ETC., Etc.

haps what made us like her most of any
ihiEs was the half shy air Of Difference
with which she treated her elderly hus-
land.
AS for him-well, he watched her mov-
ing about the room with a1 air 81 anxiety
mingled with pride such as was quite pa
thetic. Isn't it a wonderful thing, Mr.
Dallas, lie said to me at last. when our
eyes happened to meet, chat pretty
| young thing like that should have taken
an old hulk like me for her husband? Why
she might have had the pick of the town"
In truth, l fully agreed with him, al
thoush should not like to have said so in
plain words, for even parsons must study
the conTentionalities a little, and not go
! sayinS plump outright just what is in their
minds So, instead of saying that it was a
| wonderful thing that a pretty girl and
perfect little lady, as she was should have
CHOSEN to marry Such d plain honaly sort
or man, as he was, 1 went in fer a little
inlid preVaricaticn, and said lnat doubt
less Lacy Peach knew her own mind best
we got used TO young Lady Peach after
time, and as she never seemed TO be
the ieas. unhappy, sare Up conjecturing as
10 tne why's ana Whercfores Of her married
NE Eosey. in particular, gave it as her
opinion that there was no romance at ALL
no story. anu therefore that no further
PITY need be wasted over her.
My dear Joe" she remarked one even
inS' Whea we rad just come home flom a
bls dinler at the Peaches: ''depend upon
II that Lady Peach was like a good nlany
other glris-a lady tired of kee ping up a
position on nothing. There are plenty of
girls brought UP with everything THAI
ihthes position. who have to count the
cost OF every pair of gloves they buy who
harGty ever know what it Is to have a nice
iresi rock; VINO positively don't know the
luxury OF having 4 few spare shllings in
Ihelr pocket, ana If a real good match hap
pens 10 come along they accept it thank
IuilE ana never know the higher glory"
icoktd AT Eosey In an admira ton which
was almost speechiess. | admired her al
"~ES--SElt was SO versatile and Sc original
IN everything that she did, and in the way
! ihat she did everything. And | think that
admired her most of all when she waxed
| eloquent, as she sometimes was apt to do
wheh she was particularly interested in
| her subject.
"Rosey.' l said. finding my voice at last:
am to-to-understand from that that
you look upon me in the light of the high
er glory
Joe, you ridiculous old thing" she cried
half Indignantly. NO. sir, l meant nothing 2
OF the kind-Of course not. Don't try to
squeeze OUT compliments where none were
iatended. Yea know perfectly We'll what
l mean, ard 1 shall not condescend to ex-
piain myself any further"
or course, l did know Just what she
meant. and | agreed fully with every word
ina H.aat she had said. So we gave up think
ing about Sir Thomas Peacns young wife
with any special interest, that is.
By the by Rosey said to me that very
night did you see. Joe. what lovely
..'tiiio.i' 9tsti size was wearing. Sir
| Thomas gave it to her for the first ami
yersary of the day on which they met
1t is a beauty!'
had noticed the star. as it was the only
ornament that she had worn, and l had
seen that. Sirl-like. she had glanced at it
| every now and then as it sparkled and
scintillated on the left side of her bodice
L did not wonder at the pride with which
she looked 1t it, for it was beautiful
thing, and would have turned the head of
many a woman much older than she was
But We never saw Lady Peach's diamond
| star again, and wnat became of it was a
mystery which remained mystery in
Northtowers for many and many a day
1t happened not many days after this
| that We met the Peaches a another din
ner, big civic affair, at the mayors
house. l noticed that Lady Peach wore a
PINK dress. and it was the first time that
L had seen her IN the evening dressed in
anything but white. 1 thought, too, that
she was looking 4 little absent, even wor-
ried. and / saw her look along the table in
her husbands direction as if she were
uneasy about him.
However, as the evening passed on she
| seemed to have recovered her spirits again.
and when We men went to join the ladies'