, 1897-04-19
sbardeloe went ont for a co,v ~ Tho

AAoSe tA6SLICAts
"Personal-Ethel, aged 10, golden
hair, blue eyes, independent fortune.
wishes to meet with u gentleman of
about 25 with $500 a year or more.
Must be musical. Address Ethel, office
667 Fleet street."
So they wrote a letter describing the
pecuniary and moral affluence of the
absent Daubeny.
II like the name Ethel" said jack
drawing the letter from the Typewriter,
cts such a sweet, good, innocent. ten.
der name"
81 think I like the full name, Ethel
reda, better. There's something digni-
fed about it."
~ don't know" said the other. ''It's
not cozy, like Ethel. 1t makes you think
of Anglo-Saxon attitudes. don't you
know"
81 don't agree with you," said Will
son a little stitly.
Well, they sent the letter. There were
some inquiries from the office of the pa
per, which Tyrwhitt, impersonating the
absent Daubeny, answered to the Offices
satisfaction.
"Daubcny won't mind. you know"
he said to his friend. He'll enjoy the
joke"
And three days later came the answer
to their typewriter eulogy of the gen
tleman in Algiers. This also was type
written. A photograph was inclosed
which Wilson would have unwrapped at
once.
Fair does" said T%yrwhitt, holding
the photograph at arms length, while
they read the letter together. 1t stated
that if Mr.. Daubeny's income Vas as
represented and if he thought from the
inclosed photograph that Ethel would
be likely to make his home happy she
would arrange to meet him at the office.
"a personal interview" the letter stat.
ed, "is always more satisfactory"
Now for the photograph" cried
Jack. 1--WE shall have to stop short at
this, Wilson. l have often wondered
what sort of women do put i'll these ad-
vertisements. This will be some old
catamaran Of so, l suppose"
Shardleloe drew the photograph from
its silver paper resting place and gave
one glance at it. He dropped it with a
hurried ''D-n!"
,"As bad US all that?' said Tyrwhitt
gayly, picking tho photograph out Of
the sugar basin into which it had
fallen. 1t had arrived at breakfast
time. Good God!" he cried as soon as
his eyes fell on it. cts Ethel, Ethel
you know, the girl that I was engaged
to-"
Already he spoke i'll the past tense.
$50 she was to me, by Jove!' cried
Wilson incoherently. "Jack, that's my
girl tool"
They stood frowning at each other
across the photograph. Then Jack began
to laugh, and i'll a moment Wilson fol-
lowed suit.
what n let off. by heaven!' he said.
"What shall we doc"
81 was very fond of her, S%hardeloe,
old fellow" said Jack.
But his friend said: Don't be an
ass. How can you be fond Of a girl
like that-a girl who was engaged to
two men Mt once and tried to get hold
Of a third: You were fond Of a girl who
never exis:ed-your pure souled, higl,
toned darling"
"Shut up. can't you," cried the other
s~avagely, land tell me what you are
going to do?"
I II shall return her letter ,and her
photograph and tell her that all is at
an end between u.s."
eff you do that, there is nothing left
Gov MN I,,k 10 ,,D ,,,l 1ronIr - .r n,,
sonally. I should rather enjoy that"
"Shall W. go together" said Wilson,
struck by a happy thought.
"No, I don't want to hit her when
she's down."
And the next day Tyrwhitt went.
Ethel received him with her usual quiet
grace and dignity.
II have come to release You from
your engagement" he said.
Her great, innocent, baby eyes filled
with tears.
ooh, what is it? Don't you love me
any more?"
II can't be put off, he said. with
a divided heart. You have already
shared yours between my friend Wilson
Shardeloe and me. Now hat you pro-
pose to add Daubeny to your collection
you leave me- no resourc but to retire. y
II don't understand" said Ethel,
''but I see you mean to insult me. After
what you have said WI are strangers
from this moment"
And, with all her old sanity dignity,
she turned and left him. 1t must be
owned that she carried off the situation
we'll.
But the worst of it was that they for
got to tell Daubeny anything about it,
and, while they were away at Monte
Carlo next winter, she really did meet
Daubeny at an art students dance at
Kensington, and, finding that his means
were as represented, married him out of
hand. And then Of course it was Of no
use for them to tell him..
Shardeloe and Tyrwhitt dine some
simes with the Daubenys, but Mrs.
Daubeny does not encourage her hus-
band to ask them often.
"Of course l must be h%ospitable to all
your friends" she says to her husband,
with the sweet, sanity dignity that sits
90 well upon her. ''but I'm afraid, dear,
that Mr.. Shardeloe and MI. Tyrwhitt
are rather worldly. sketch.
OUR NEW TARIFF.
The American Protective Tariff