Daily public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1892-191?, 1896-07-11

her, OF where she came from. She's
q mystery IL there ever was one, and
there's not man Of us has the cour-
age to question her. Hang IL, she's the
cleverest woman ever met. She makes
you think you have known her always,
but II you ask her a pointed question
about herself, she evades II so grace
fully you forget what IL was you asked,
and you know no more about her than
you did before you met her. She's per-
feet marvel of tact and beauty, and I'll
be hanged II don't find out all about
her If it takes me till Christmas"
"She must be making n sensation"
1 observed. when Bonnie paused to re-
cover his breath.
Sensation" he repeated. "Why,
she makes a sensation wherever she
goes. She is the best dressed woman
in New York. Everybody is talking
about her. She has taken house in
the avenue-the Burbank house, you
know, near Fifty-third street, and the
De Kanes have taken her up. Not that
the De kanes have much of a pull of
their own, and they do say old De Kane
is a bankrupt, and that he was paid
$4,000 to introduce such of us fellows
as he could induce to dine with him,
to Mrs. Mum. But that's women's
talk. The family have kept their
mouths shut like CLANS about the
beauty. Perhaps that was in the bar
gain. Somebody said she was q Chi
cngo divorcee, but she herself said that
her husband was dead. / got that
much information out of her, and that's
more than Stuyvesant or any of the
other fellows got. Still, she might
might have died since the divorce. You
see, Felix, she's not one of our set at all,
and instead of taking her up, we ought
70 give the De Kanes the raZzle dazzle
for attempting to boost into society
a woman that won't stand investiga-
ton. But, confound it! we can't turn
our backs on the game; for one am
tired of the same old girls. for they're
stupid and thin, and haven't got grain
of snap or ginger, while here's wom-
an who is absolutely fascinating, and
who is clever. Is fellow going to
miss all the fun in life for the sake of
good form? / tell you there are half
dozen fellows, and Stuyvesant is one of
them-I'm not saying anything about
myself-who would marry Mrs. Mum
tomorrow, and ask no questions.
What do you think of that?"
"She seems to have plenty of money"
I rejoined, land that might cover a
multitude of sins"
Money? / should say she has!"
Bennie began again, after swallowing
an absinthe frapee a waiter had
brought him. 'S5,OOO,OOO of it. That
is, they say that's the size Of her bank
account. Of course. | don't know. But
it looks as if it was so from the ire
mendous rate at which she is living.
She tells me she has entirely redeco-
rated the Burbank house, and that just
as soon as she is perfectly settled she
means to give a dinner. Think OF the
nerve. But I'll bet 500 all the fellows
will be there. l don't know about the
women, though. They're deuced shy.
1 hear the Trippman girls have said
some pretty hard things about Mrs
Mum; but that's only jealousy. sup
pose all the girls are piqued because
the fellows have fallen into the new
beauty's net. Can't blame 'em, of
course. But they really don't know
anything against her. I'm sure of
that, for l would have heard it. don't
want to hear anything against her;
she looks and acts like a proper person,
and I think she is. I'd like to hear
some good of her for a change. What
do you know, Felix? I've been telling
you ali about her, when you should
have been telling me-"
"Wen, I'm sorry l haven't the de-
sired information, Bennie," ] said. Il
met her in some western city-in Colo
RADIO, / think il was-when i was out
there on business three years ago.
never knew much about her. l found
her very charming and clever, and
called on her few times
"Oh. come, Felix" Bennio interrupt
ed. whats the use of that sort OF
talk? You're almost as clever at eva
sion as she is herself. Why don't you
tell me the truth? Hang it! you don't
want TO tell"
My dear boy!" | eXpostulated, iii
knew anything, I'd tell you"
But you know something!" Bonnie
insisted. Really, you ought to tell it
Felix. You're the only one who car
clear up the mystery about this won
an. This universal silence is suspicious
One would think you had made bar
gain with her 10 keep close mouth"
"But / haven't spoken TO her in three
years." | returned; Il shouldn't have
known she was in New York except 70
a glimpse I got of her in the park
fortnight ago. l supposed she ha'
married New Yorker. / knew no bet
ter until you told me. Now, I'll tel
you what I'll do. I'll call on Mrs. Mum
within the next two weeks, and have
talk with her. Perhaps | may find on
something that will interest you. !
you and Stuyvesant and the other fel
| Io,,. mill ynaat mo here NJ If O'clOC