The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-04-13


Cis was a gay little woman, who knew
how to make things hum" as she
called II. Her husband was earning
a living in temporary exile somewhere
abroad away in the east. She was q
bright, easy going. warm hearted Gre
ature, whose affections We're somewhat
erratically moved toward certain i'm
dividuals; and one of these, she aver
red, was my humble self. Fortunately
for me though loving in our case had
not involved the proVerbial repenting
at leisure, and consequently many
pleasant frolics had fallen to my
share. Not only had she the will to
enjoy herself and to give enjoyment
to others, but she had also the means,
a very important factor in accomplish
ing the same. A comfortable f1,00G a
year goes far toward having a good
time if the programme and perform
| ance be cleverly managed.
don't know where Cissie picked UP
| Leonard Curteis. She intimated to me
one day that she had Unexpectedly
| come across a thoroughly charming
| specimen of the genus homo, Just the
man, Flo. to take your fancy"--and the
| aforesaid dinner, with a play to fol-
| low it, was arranged by her forthwith.
/
Larree: for Cis had invited one of her
| few chGsen friends, besides Leonard
! Curteis (the latest addition to their
| number), so as to avoid the impossi-
bic number three. I found him tall,
| cuOd-lOokine fellow, with brown eyes
| and hair of the same color, but shade
! darker. His conversation was inter-
| enersed with a certain amount of dry
| wit, which was amusing; but i came
| to the conclusion before the end of the
| evening that he was evidently a Cynic
| at heart and | perceived one trait in
his character which did not please me.
He appeared to me to devote Il great
deal of his attention to studying the
various phases of emotion in others,
while he professed to be incapable Of
| feeling any sort of emotion himself
I say "professed." for under his cold
and phlegnatic exterior 1 felt convinc-
ed there was capablity of something
different and more sympathetic, If only
| one could dig down deep enough To
find 1t.
well, my dear. " hat do you think
Of him?" So said Cis, as we stood be-
fore the fire in her bedroom on our re-
turn from the theater, our cloaks
hanging loosely from our shoulders,
our toes warming themselves on the
edge of the fender. before we said good
night,
Think of him? HIM! Not bad look
ing, rather clever, amusing, with an
excellent opinion of himself"
Not entirely hattering! Then you
haven't fallen in love with him at first
sight. For my part l think him de-
fi,yhtful, but. alas! it's no use in my
case, l being already one of the ap-
propriated blessings. But you know,
Flo, he's just the man for you, and
I've set my heart on your marrying
him"
Now, Cis, ! protest against such au-
dacious matchmaking on your part; I
declare I won't have it. If you suggest
such unpleasant and distasteful posi-
bilities | shall simply refuse to meet
Mr. Curteis again. | like him well
enough; but. as yet, | hardly care to
contemplate the remote catastrophe OF
marriage, still less so with a man to
whom | have only been introduced
about two or three hours ago
Waxing indignant, are you, dear
Well, we shall see. l think you have
not seen the last of Leonard Curteis.
In fact, | wouldn't mind betting two to
one that you meet him again, some
where or somehow, within the week.
For, if you were not taken with him at
first sight, l am quite sure that he was
with you"
Whether we meet again or not won't
matter to me. Goodnight" | said,
and with this prevarication on my lips
l kissed her and left the room.
In the privacy of my own chamber
and of my own thoughts, however. l
permitted myself to realize that l did
care very much whether | met Leon
ard Curteis again. There was some
thing about him which interested me
to an ineXplicable extent, an extraor-
dinary attraction which ] was at loss
to account for and which seemed to
draw me toward him against my will
AS l lay awake coming over the
events of the past evening | felt ]
would give a good deal to be the one
woman who. by digging deep enough
would succeed in stirring that depth OF
intense emotion which he kept so well
hidden from public view.
From March to July Is long enough
for folks to have met, fallen in love
and been married in; and, during these
months scent with Cissie Westover ]
had found an elderly but wealthy ad-
mirer, a certain builder and contractor
, named Dickson Bailey, the possesso:
of some thousands a year. My people
I were poor, and my three younger SIS
} ters pined in the quiet retirement of q
country life, awaiting with dull des.
pondency the possibility of my marry.
+ ing, thus giving them their chance OF
enjoying the pleasures of a Londor
season and some festiyitY and fun In
town The temptation, financially, with
regard to my wealthy suitor, was great
: but-Well, there was Leonard Curtes
Cis had been right in her prognosti
cations respecting him. We had seer
him continually and l don't think
: am too Conceited when l say that hC
had always shown a marked prefer
erce for my society. Quite as
friend-only a fTiend-he had beer
careful never to allow the position o.
affairs between us to get a fractior
> beyond that.
The time had at last come when
was to take my departure from Lon
+. | don; and, on the eve Of IL, found my
self, with Cis as chaperon, at bal
given in a private house by peopl,
who knew well how to entertain sue
. cessfully. A good floor, good music
refreshments add lib, and cozy cor
ners Of the most enticing description
here. there and everywhere.
Is this true. Miss Dunstaville, tha
you are leaving us tomorrow"
We had just finished a delightful
vnlse, and my hand was on his arm
as he led me from the room.
quite true, Mr., Curtels. The bes
| a Ft