, 1897-11-15
A LITTLE PROBLEM.

MI. Richard Beechley told himself
that he was a happy man. His friends
congratulated him on his happiness.
He had good health and a reasonably
good education. He could play golf
quite well. He could not play cards and
had nc wish to drink. He was going to
make u name at the bar, but he could
afford to wait for it in comfort, having
$4,000 a year. And he was engaged to
u very pretty girl. He told himself that
he was u very happy man one morning
>as he ate his breakfast; he repeated the
assertion with what would have been
chad he spoken aloud II note of great
determination. Although he was alone
i'll his chambers, he was very neatly
dressed. His tea was poured out, he
was rather thirsty, but he made a point
Of eating before he drank. Meantime
he read his letters; those from his rela-
tives began Dear Richard and con-
graduated him gravely; those from his
men friends began Dear Beechley;"
not one called him Dear Dick" A
letter from the very pretty girl began
"Dear Richard, and announced that
she had prepared a surprise party for
him that afternoon. He was to expect
her at 4. He put the letter back in its
envelope and made Il note in pencil on
the outside. Then he turned to the lead
ing article in The Standard. When be
had finished his breakfast, he made a
pencil mark in the article to show the
place no had reached, and went to his
writing table. There he wrote out a
telegram. 1t was addressed to Miss
O'Donnell, 100 Egerton Gardens, S.
w., and Al
Don't come without a chaperon.
BEEcHLEY.
He sent his man with it to the tele-
graph Office, and resumed The Standard.
I am sorry to say that 100 Egorton
Gardens presented u somewhat painful
contrast to tine decorous establishment
of Mr.. Richard Beechley. Elsa O'Don-
nell, in "a dressing gown and with her
hair down her back, was belaboring
with Il pillow her brother Tom, who
lay in bed and cried from time to time,
"Stop, you little devil, stop!" while
= vigorous knocking on the ceiling in
timated that the noise disturbed the re-
pose-it was half past 9-of somebody
overhead.
Say you'll come with me to Rich
ards"
keep your beastly prig to yourself"
Elsa stopped abruptly, dropped the
pillow and turned AWAY. She was of
the fair type of Irish girl, with pale
.,11 L,sn aud ,nl, J1,n n1-ne aud -
pale, beautiful skin, small and slender
and upright. As she moved to the door
Tom sat up in bed-a brown faced,
pleasant fellow, with u tumbled, curly
head-and called out eagerly:
"Hello, Elsa! l beg your pardon. l
didn't mean to offend you"
She showed him u grave and slightly
tremulous face. "All right, Tom. Only
I wish you'd understand that I care
about Richard and can't bear to hear
him abused"
"I'm very sorry. 1t was beastly rude
Of me. Only II can't help seeing if
there's a weak point in a chap, even if
ones sisters going to marry him. I'm
sure Beechley's a very good chap, but
he is a bit reserved and-and that sort
of thing, isn't he? That's really all l
meant. I'll come this afternoon all
right"
"No, no, Tom. 1t doesn't matter. I
dare say the mater will come"
There was a knock ut the door and n
housemaid's voice, "a telegram for
you, miss"
Elsa took it and looked at it for a
longer time than the reading needed.
Nothing wrong, Elsa!"
"No. only Richard can't he in this
afternoon"
She went out Of the room, and Tom
muttercd, damn the fellow!' as he
settled his head OH the pillow.
Ten minutes later q telegram was
sent from Egerton Gardens:
Am not coming. Eliza.
The same day, at 4 o'clock. Richard
Beechley went to Egerton Gardens.
II was afraid you'd be out"
"Oh, no."
"But you wired you couldn't come
II thought I'd remove all a%pprehen-
sion about the chaperon."
why, you know you said once you
were going to look me mp alone, and I
was sfraid-you know. people don't un-
derstand"-
"You needn't explain. Iquite under
stood. Only your fear was groundless."
"I'm very sorry II l offended YOU
mot at ALL"
And then Tom came in and greeted
Eeechley with = sou ewhat measured
politeness. and presently came in Elsa's
father and mother aud her younger sis-
ter Kate. Mr.. Beechley discoursed ON
the bar as q profession and by aud by took
his leave. Tom saw him out of the
house, AMI as he returned up the stairs
met his father.
Jolly fellow, isn't har'' esid Tom.
"Dou't talk to me about him, said
M. O'Dunnell.
Outside the drawinR room door Kate
appeared. 6he put her AAeer on her lip
I'D made tie most fsdeous arinnace oe
tiassst which her ssetty fscs eosla
- 1.