Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1897-12-01

anliness in place of the almost childish.
ness. She is, in fact improved by them,
and so thinks Dick of today.
Dick of 1872 dances three times with
my little sister Kitty" and the third
time she is carried away from him by
a very TALL dark, handsome man, with
a small pointed black beard. He watch
es them, and voice at his elbow says
What jolly couple they make! He is
| old Lord Easton's nephew, and they are
to be married next week, you know y
Dick of 1872 goes home, and in the
morning comes to the conclusion that
he had taken too much champagne, for
he had dreamed all night that his room
was of gold hung over with pink moss
roses, and, turn as he would, he could
find no door to escape from the heavy
scent of them, which maddened him,
and the touch Of them, which thrilled
him with joy and sorrow, pleasure and
passionate pain mixed.
The smoke clears off again, but Dick
of today has ceased to wonder, and only
waits, expecting more, uncomprehend-
ing, however. Very soon more comes;
still Dick, still ballroom; Dick Of
1880, and quite different ballroom
with quite different atmosphere, and
different tone about it; many men, few
er women than heretofore, but all the
latter are most beautifully dressed, and
most Of the former are in uniform.
Government House, Calcutta, :"
thinks Dick Of today, and he instructive
Iy looks about him for the we'll known
figure which he now expects to come,
but it is not there. Dick of 1880 is talk
ing to Cranter C"Poor old Cranter
Went under just ten years ago." com
ments Dick Of today.) Cranter says: II
am going to introduce you to the most
lovely little woman, clever, charming,
everything desirable. Her husband nev-
er looks at her, passes all his time in
England with Sibyl Ruby, and all his
time here with Mrs Major Golightly. :"
Dick of 1880 and Cranter make their
way through the crowd into another
room where there is no dancing, and
seated i'll low chair, in listless atti-
tude, is lady in white. Dick of 1880
goes straight up to her and says, IT
hope I don't need an introduction to
Mrs. - and then pauses = "Mor-
toun," she finishes for him.
He sits beside her She is much more
splendidly dressed than ever before, all
i'll white satin, finely embroidered with
silver, and there are diamonds scintil-
lating in the FURNISHED gold of her hair.
But oh, the change, think both the
Dicks The face is thinner and less
bright, the mouth is sweet and red, but
has pitiful droop at the corners, and
the clear brown eyes are sad with un-
shed tears, but they look very kindly Oh
Dick of 1880. And Dick of 1880 talks
long time to her; his heart is filled with
deep, passionate pity.
Finally they are interrupted by the
tall, dark, handsome man with the point
ed black beard, who is not perfectly So
Der. AS he comes up the lady says:
"This is Captain Kenneth, Devereux /
met him at my first ball"
Dick Of 1880 only bows and moves
away, and. Dick of today looks at the
fading mist of tobacco smoke, and even
when it has cleared, for the good reason
that his pipe is out, there is a little
mist, as of an autumn evening, between
him and the fire. He is not uncompre-
hending any longer and knows now the
answer to his sisters question. He rises
and takes up his candle, saying: "And
1 never knew it till tonight Verify |
am slow man. Daughter.