The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-10
BY WORD OF MOUTH.
The story of "a Telephone ReconciIi.
afiOu.

or Intelligence to perceive that my nephew
Gerald was very much in love with little
Amy Creswell. When two young people
OF opposite sexes living in different paris
of town the size of London accept invita-
tons to the same houses on six successive
evenings, you won't persuade me in a hurry
that the fact is due entirely to mere
chance.
The Creswells We're staying at the Hotel
AlbemarIe for a few days. and it was a
significant fact that Gerald was constant
ly sending the club commssionaire with
little notes to that hotel.
l wasn't. therefore, in the least surprised
the other evening, soon after we arrived
at the Wizards to dinner. to hear the Cres-
wells announced, and / laughed in my
sleeve when l called to mind the sudden
eagerness which my nephew had shown in
calling on the Willards when he found out
that they were friends of the Creswells.
don't pretend to know how these things
are managed, but somehow or other it
happened that Miss Amy and my nephew
sat next to one another at dinner that
evening.
was a discreet but interested observer
of what took place.
Although / am myself a confirmed old
bachelor. and consequently little versed in
the art of detecting the symptoms which
indicate the existence of the tender pas
sion in others. yet on this occasion 1 saw
quite enough to convince me as to how the
land lay: When Gerald looked at his
neighbor her eyes were always demurely
east down, but when his gaze happened
10 be directed elsewhere she would steal
shy glance at him out Of the corners of
her eyes-and little Amy certainly has very
nice eyes.
l. has always appeared TO me that the
course of true love would run smoothly
enough but for the wanton way in which
lovers create obstacles to the fulhllment
of their own desires.
That Gerald was no exception to the or
binary run of lovers in this respect l soon
had cause to realize, for he and Amy Ores
well had a tiff at dinner that very even
ing, which, but for a happy inspiration on
the part of the writer of this simple tale
might have ended in their permanent es-
arrangement. 1t was all on account of a
certain Captain Lachmere, of whom Gerald
didn't happen to approve, and who had
been for some time paying marked atten-
tions to Miss Amy Creswell.
That young lady didn't really care but
ton for the man in question, but she not
unnatuPally resented any attempt Ger
aids part to put a stop to her intimacy
with him. Accept my word for it, if you
want to throw a woman into another mans
arms, just abuse that other man in her
hearing.
If my nephew had been a man of the
world he would not have made such a
blunder but you cannot put old heads on
TO young shoulders, and when youthful
fc fha inf ft,f
heart. which, in it's turn is subject to
the disturbing influence of the tender pas
sion. there is really no telling what com
plications may arise. And so it came to
pass that before dinner was half over these
two young people were engaged In as
pretty little quarrel as you could well
wish to see.
OF course, neither of them supposed for
an instant that / or anybody else had
heard a word of their dispute, for their
conversation was carried on in low tones.
and to all appearance 1 had been listening
with deep attention to the voluble utter
ances of a formidable lady on my right
hand, who was laying down the law on
the subject of the extension of the fran
chise to women; but in the course of an
acquaintance with what is so appropri-
ately termed polite society" one acquires
the valuable knack of carrying on a con-
versation with one person while ones at
tention is really mainly occupied with
something which is going on elsewhere.
L.
said Gerald stiffly. Il had no business to
say what / did about gentleman who ap
pears to be such a particular friend of
withdrawn. And with this he turned to
his right-hand neighbor, May Walshe, and
commenced to chatter with really sur
pr1sing degree of animation.
Poor little Miss CreSwell was for the mo-
ment placed at disadvantage, for, how
ever much she may have desired to retail
ate, 1t was rather q foriOrn hope for her to
attempt TO make Gerald jealous by com
mencing Irritation with me; but there hap
pened to be nobody else available at the mo-
ment and woman is capable of any folly
when she is angry with man whom she
really likes, and, to my intense amusement,
little Amy actually began to make the ex-
pertinent.
I laughed in my sleeve when this mere
child, whom l remembered in short frocks,
opened he~ feigneu attack upon me; but ]
conSctentiCuSly did my best to help the stu
quite gratified when presently 1 observed
that Gerald's animated conversation with
Miss Walshe was beginning to flag. and
that he was casting chances of unmistakable
surprise and annoyance in my direction.
That sort of thing makes one feel young
again, and allowed NV tone to become
distinctly sentimental
''Ah, my dear Miss Amy I murmured
with well-simulated sigh, "we old bach
elors miss a great deal in life. What would
not give to be once again my nephew's
age! | should know how to use my oppor-
tunities."
But you arn't really a bit old, and be-
sides, men never understand bit until
they have had twenty years experience of
the world
Undoubtedly this remark was intended as
side shot at my nephew. but that youth
gave no sign OF having heard the remark.
Il fear that we never really understand
you thoroughly" said l; 1.-THE study of your
charming sex is like the study of book
each page of which requires pages and
pages OF explanatory notes..
Have you read much Of the book?'
asked Amy with a little side glance out of
the corner of her gray eyes.
lTfh nr hon fhn f1T-C% hon
ter l replied with sigh.
And what did you find to prevent you
from getting further?"
II found that twenty different women
might possess twenty different sets of
tractive and so eminently desirable that
for the life of rGe, l could not make up my
mind to content myself with any one of the
dear creatures TO the exclusion of the rest :;
country in which we live does not permit
man to be married to more than one
woman at a time, | am obliged to remain
a forlorn old bachelor love too much to
love exclusively.
Il think you put that rather nicely
said Amy refectively; but isn't it only a
pretty excuse for a mans inconstancy?"
My dear young lady,, said l, laughing
consistency is only another name for mar
row mindedneSS. suppose, for instance
that l had been married ten years ago;
what would have been my position at the
present moment"
Il don't quite understand, Mr.. Stevens .
Miss Creswell is evidently unaware of
marginal note Destructive to previous at
tachments, against your name in the book
of which was speaking.
You mustn't talk nonsense, said my lit
tie neighbor demurely; but, between our
selves ] fancy that she was not particular
~ yexed at the innuendo.