The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-04-29
A DIPLOMATIC HASH

ei iay Ill ner lap, aud her correspon
ent was her son-not the baronet h,
MS brother Berthe who had write
10 say that he meant to run down
zee her the same afternoon.
she knew what he was coming fs
perfectly well. Rumors Of his lnfatu,
'ion had already reached her. He wa
coming to tell her that he was enga 90
10 marry Miss Daisy Dornton, wb
sang FOR a couple of weeks in the cht
rus of the Coronet theatre. Lady VIII
chels groaned, and her lips were purse
In annoyance.
Your brother is an idiot Phil,p
she said sharply to a young man win
entered the room moment later. "J
Is the worst kind of an idiot-for h,
is not only idiotic. but he ia pIa
headed" r'S
Sir Philip Whichels twirled his nous
tache and grnned.
has the climax arrived?" he asked
What is the matterY'
BERTHE will be with us today. IT,
wants to see me on a matter of I'm
portance.' The matter ia. OF cour.e
that he has proposed to that creature
and has been accepted, and now he 4,
coming to try and win my consent"
WELL said the baronet, "and shall
you give 1t? They say she is n yer,
ladyiike girl, thoroughly respectable
nves with her mother, and that sort OF
thing Her father, l think, kept
large drapery shop In Bermondsoy
bertie might easily have done worse
not being overburdened with brains"
You need not joke said thu
mother; ''it is not a Joking matter
daVe you ever seen the grip"
suppose l have seen her on the
stage, but her name does not figure or
the program, and I can't Identify hu
She Is simply one Of a crowd OF dam,
sels who troop on and Off in Il pose.
nave never seen her outside tho thea,
tire, If that is what you mean"
THAT is what did mean, 30 he,
Iatner was a linen draper, aud Bertlt
wishes to make her his wife. Really |
thls Is horrible! 1t only remains fo, |
you to fall In love with IL barrnaid
fhliip, to complete my happlness,
"Oh, II" said Philip. I'm mar
marrying man, NEITHER"
Advise me, Philip, how to bring thi.
1inny to his Senses"
m sure l don't know what yor
an do" replied Sir Philip, "If yer
'uiiy MIN he'll marry her tomorrow. II
'ou ca1ole him, he'll try to bully YOU
doh sec what You can do, upon N,
oul. 1t Is n cul-de.sac,"
Ihe lhdy, however, was not dIsposed
be beaten 30 easily. II was tor
clock, and BERTHE might DO expected
the Firs by tho EXPRESS which
,hcned Ihree'gates at four-tlfteen
ne mad six hours for meditation. ;r
men time an idea might occur to her
ne post lay on tho table beside her .
nheeued. as she sat glaring at the
'"n with puckcred brows, The baro
et lounged out to SEQ his doga, Pros,
ltiy my lady uttered aa exclamation |
10 sent servant to fetch him,
fhiiip, sho said. II have a aetieu l
last. Miss Dornton il, of eeurse
1possiblc. There ean be 40 question o
'out that. 1t Is only necessary te $
AXE BERTHE SEQ It.,
fhiiip had beon amusing himself out 8
ie. ana did not relish having peeu d
ousht IN 30 summnriiy, 50 ne ne, h
arked shortly: -
10 make Bertio 500 It il tho orir,.
difficulty, is 1t not?" d
know that" impntiently; "but /
ow also how to do 1t now. sho is, Of d.
lrse' awkward and ignorant ma sba $,
De. lie has seen her with tho Gin. d,
'ur OF the footlights on her, and In IL
poky lodgings where shc lIvca n
w we shall see her hero, ahnI, In, "
her down to stay with us, ana nsk Ii,
OF OF people to meet her. Bort,o Is
brilliant, but he Is Az sensitive na hi
'iri. When Miss Dornton hra com, da
,teu half a dozen solccistns, and he BIT
- 'ndt people are ridieuling her. he m
1 DE as anxious to break this en, w
cement us I am"
~ Jovo!' said Sir Philip "You wi
,ht TO have been dlpiomattst
ther." '''"''
It Is good, isn't it?" said Lady Viii. on
49, complacenty. II felt that thcro yo
81 Dc way out, and now Two found die
l think your brother will be ratbo, tn,
wished by my reception OF his news he
afternoon. tb,
,, the vexed question being settled en-
her and son went to luncheon.
ertle arrived at the hour oynoc+od n f
certainly was astonished at his ma
hers demeanor. He had looked the
remonstrances, threats and tenrs der
been doggedly prepared for nil MOI
cad Of these he was mot wifi it ,
les and cordialty. Ho could M, lial
erstand It. cor.
had heard something Of tho mat. VIII
said the mother. "Well, II ia
ocratc ago, and II you arc satis.
nobody has a right to comDInIn Z"
rather was u linen draper, 1 hear gro
her mother IL quito n respectable goo