The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-08-21
MRS. PRANCELY.

in all prohab ility she was the first to get
clew to what might prove a great social
sensation. to say the least. She was too
excited to attempt to digest it in privacy.
She must have it seasoned with the salt of
certainty and public dissemination. Ac-
cordingly, she FASTENED to call on Mrs
Van Tassel, the lady who was getting her
self talked about through a cook whom
she had just discharged.
Mrs. Prancely a radiant looking
creature she stepped into her carriage
to drive to Mrs. Van Tassel's, but gossip
and mischief were inscribed on her ban
ner.
''Why, my dear Mrs. Van Tassel, how
do you do? So charmed to find you at
homel Every one has been wondering
what has become of you. Our circle, you
know, cannot afford to lose one of its
brightest starsi Do tell me about your
selfi'
swell, my dear Mrs. Prancely, I've been
nowhere lately. I've had such heavy
heart for some weeks now I've scarcely left
my own room. You may have heard"-
Mrs. Van Tassel bowed her head in
tears. Mrs. Prancely, all aglow. answered:
''Yes, dear friend, did near an init
nation, but-you know people will talk.
We never know when we hear the truth.
OF course wouldn't have mentioned the
subject myself if you-oh, how hate gos-
sipl You know dol But you are safe in
and would really like to hear from your
lips-you know what a friend of yours
I've always been"
Mrs Van Tassel, thinking it best to be
frank about her trouble, wiped her tears
and began a detail of the whole affair,
having a suspicion that her caller, not
withstanding her protestations of esteem
and horror of gossip, would lose no time
in putting it rapidly upon the wings of
circulation.
ST did hope, Mrs Prancely, the affair
could be settled amicably before the public
got hold of it, but perhaps it is just as
we'll for everybody to know the truth at
once. OF course you have heard that Mr..
Van Tassel went east some days ago?
Yes Mrs. Van Tassel continued sor-
rowfully. cit was imperative, and the
only comforter I have in the house is the
young man himself. All, he is SO noble,
so determined that justice shall be done
mel Few men would have behaved SO
generously"
Mrs. Praneely began to assume a cold
dignity. Twas for her to show her con-
domination of such boldness. Lifting her
brow high up in an arch of disdain, she
exclaimed:
him under your roof!"
'fOh, if you knew him as do, Mrs.
Prancely, how innocent he is of any part
in this estrangement, and how true he is
to me, you would understand that can
not praise him enough
Mrs. Prancely could scarcely contain
| herself. She was saying mentally, ''This
| is the most unblushing piece of boldness I
| ever knew!" But her curiosity was not
| yet satisfied, so she said, with show of
| sympathetic interest: g Mrs. Van Tsssel,
| don't think me inquisitiye, but really
| would like to know the particulars of the
| affair from the beginning. Of course ey-
cry one will be questioning me about it as
| soon as I'm seen leaving the house."
Certainly, Mrs. Prancely. quite for
| got that you never heard how the estrange-
| ment came about. 1t all grew out of my
mothers marriage to that despioable old
Fr6nchman, a count. Every one knew he
| married her for her money. I opposed it
so bitterly that / never allowed him to
| come into my presence, and finally fed
from my own home. My mother has never
| forgiven me and from that day has never
| allowed my name to be mentioned in her
presence. OF course she kept her fortune
| in her own name, and she and the old
| Frenohman have been living in magnifi-
cent style for over five years. Now she is
| Frustrated with illness from which she can
| never recover. Knowing this, she has
| made will giving to her husbands son,
| the young man now with me, the estate
| which should by right come to me. He
| has such sense of honor and justice he is
| unwilling to take it, knowing, as he does,
| that anger and revenge prompt this gener-
| osity to him. Besides this ne knows he
| will not need it, as he is soon to marry a
young woman in New York who has come
| into possession of enormous wealth. Poor
| fellowI He came on from the east just to
| talk the matter over with us. 1t was
through his persuasion alone that my
| husband consented to go to my mother.
| Jean. the dear fellow, thinks when she
sees John and hears my name her heart
will roIo I'D GE TO-
will. People have never understood my
| strict silence concerning my mother, but
now the tru6h-ah, excuse mel There is
the postman. Yes. he has letter for
me-"
Mrs Van Tassel breaks open the letter
| excitedly and reads.)
"Thank heavenl My mother wants me
TO comel All will be made right, and
| owe it all to poor dear Jean All, must
| you go, Mrs. Prancely? Excuse my cry
| ing; I can't keep back the tearsl You
came just in time to hear the happy ter
mination Of a very long and terrible trial.
| Goodby Come again very soonp'
CrestfalleIi and disappointed, Mrs
! Prancely FASTENED out of the house, stop
\ ping at Mrs. Dapper's and Mrs. Crewley's
| to inform them that some mischieVous
| gossip had set af1oat the most arrocious
| intimations that Mr.. and Mrs. Van Tassel
] had separated because of the presence in
their house Of a young man of whom Mr..
| Van Tassel was very jealous; also that she
| herself had called on Mrs. Van Tassel,
| had been taken into that iady's confidence
and found out there wasn't a word of
| truth in it. The young man was Mrs.
Van Tasselis mothers second husbands
| son, and through his mediation and gen.
erosity Mrs. Van Tassel would soon get
| the large fortune to which she was justly
| entitled! Then Mrs. Prancely delivered
herself of disquisition gossip and Cos
sipers, wondering how people could find it
| in their hearts to listen to idle, wicked
! tales and tattlers. When Mrs. Prancely