St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1897-11-06


Lady Raye (at the tea table)-Hov
nice it is to have you here, dearie
It was really rather inconsiderate O
Aunt Charlotte to carry you off las
winter just as came back to town
Sybil-And simply longed to re
main with you.
Lady Raye (handing her q cup Of
tea)-Perhaps 1t was as well, though
You would have had very dull, moi
to say sad, time OF it. But now I'm
going to mend my ways, and yor
must help me.
Sybil-I? How?
Lady Raye-You must teach me
how to be young and happy again.
Oh, Sibbie, I feel such fossil!
Sybil Qaughing)-Y You don't look II
in that gown.
/ Lady Raye (stirring her tea pen.
sively)-It is very sweet Of you to
say SO, dearest, but l know what
havoc India plays with the COM
plexion. Sybil, I'd give ten years Of
my life to have your roses.
Sybil-Good graciousl Why2
Lady Raye (blushing furiously)-
Men always think women with dead
white skin powder.
Sybil (calmly)-And so they do.
Some more cake, please, dear; 1t is
delicious.
Lady Raye Cutting q slice)-1'm
| glad you like 1t.
Sybil (enthusiastically)-A such
ducky little cups. But everything In
the house Is delightful, this room es-
pecially. Your taste, OF course?
Lady Raye-Yes. Do you like the
tone OF the walls7 I never felt quite
certain about them.
sybil (hrmly)-Just right; the
citron shade throws up water colors
as nothing else could. What @
charming sketch that is. (She rises
to look at it,
Lady Raye-1t is one Of Made
leine Lemaire's, the general gave it
to me for my birthday-the last but
one, that is.
Sybil-Those poppies look quite
downy. Good gracious, Leslie, who
is this2 picking up q photo frame
from small table,
Lady Raye Quickly -Who2
Sybil (still holding the frame)-
Capt. Rodney, am sure.
Lady Raye-Do you know himf
sess5h sihi' casfs dds,e a6=-shree =-shtli years
ago. Where did you meet him7
Lady Raye (taking the frame from
her sister)-At Poona In '92. He
never told me he knew you, though.
Sybil-1 suppose he didn't discover
the relationship. (She sinks COM.
fortably into an easy chair.) What
did yc ! think Of hi:,a?
Lady Raye busting the frame ten
der with her cambria handkerchief
never came across more obsti-
nate, priggish, ky-tempered fel-
low IN my life.
Sybil uaughing)-What sweep
ing criticism; ! can't say I noticed
all that; but thought him distinct
ly second rate.
Lady Raye (hastily) = Well, his
people are quite decent; he told me
all about them.
sybil-Oh, did you know him well
enough for that2
Lady Raye (hesitatlngly) = You
see-the general took tremendous
fancy to him, so he was always In
the house.
sybil (sympathetically) What .
bore for you.
Lady Raye Quickly But he was
very unobtrusive, assure you.
Never in the way. The fact Is, he
disliked me as cordially as disliked
him. u
sybil (doubtfully) Really, Leslie3
Lady Raye - Yes, really He
thought the general had committed
grave indiscretion In marrying
such vain, empty-headed bundle
| of nerves, That was the character
he gave me.
sybil-How do you know? He
| didn't
| Lady Raye-Tell met Oh, no. As
a rule he was even more successful
in Disgusting his feelings than Twas.
But you know what q woman's 8 made
OF. Even when he ives most punc-
tiliously civil / feltit. And ouce Or
twice, quite by mistake, ne said
things that-hurt.
syDil-I always thought him odd.
Lady Raye-He had some lmpossi-
/ ble ideal In white muslin and o Leg
| horn hat, whom he coniured up sew
eral times as sort of blessed exam
Die to poor, unlucky me. She must
have been o prig, II she e'er really
/ existed - and I believe she did,
though he never told me Ter name.
/ Is the fire too hot for you, iear2
i Sybil-Rather. I'llmovmy chair.
| Go on about the ideal.
4 Lady Raye- browning Effectively
at the photo)She was bore. !
don't know why, but J always felt
| frantically jealous Of her She was
very young, for one thing and she
so.d ~ ;ruooont arnisannenfs