The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-02-09
The Lord ~
Chance11or's
~ Husband .
4 Story offhe Twentieth C1nka1,-y.

"A young man was seated, pen in hand, at
DAINTY little escritoire. On the blotting
PAD IN front of him lay sheet of fancy
hote paper An addressed envelope. orna-
mented with fiowery design, was propped
up against the gilt handle of one Of tho
three little drawers in the interior Of the
oesk. he was not writing but was resting
ms forehead on his hand, upon the third
n!iser OF which Sparkled couple az
o'amond rings above plain gold band.
Ausustus! called out the Lord Chan
ce m' IN somewhat peremptory tones.
Inc young man looked IN and sliob+
blush momentarily tingled his cheek He
was decidedly pretty. His hair. which
nau Deen allowed to grow some Way be-
low ms collar waved about his neck in
natural rlnglets, and it's golden hue formed
a .;,l uihs setting to the fair oval face.
- siiheh mustache curled coquettishly on
MS upper lip, giving an added archness
~ the mlschlevous expression of the light
blue eyes e-'
noo Aus ustus' what are you doing?" re-
peated the Lord Chancellor stern1v Tho
tell tale blush had not ESCAPED her y;p;ian.
eye. "peo iei 'ieii"nt
III only sending out the invitations for
the reception" stammered the younp man
eoliceallng his countenance from further
ne had not dropped '''''e
Lazy Brighton crossed over to where her
nus oand was sitting and pointed to tho
scented missive. ~ '"e
ITO whom are vo, ,,,r,,,,,,
coldly sue asked
%, only to Miss Tomkinson ;, be o,s
wered giibly, recovering his composmra
! met ner at Lord Houghton's the other
Jay you know, and gave her permission to
can on Sunday. She is a nice. well he
n nass sirl, and l thought I'd send her a.
eaiu 1or the reception, as we shall want
al the young women we can get tn taLe
.,ie men down to supper, and make
themselves useful, don't you KNOW"
VIVA. IS Miss Tomkinson, pray?" in
tu,ieu me lord chancellor who had lis
.e !l. 10 her husbands hurried explanation
with d supercilious smile
augustus looked perplexed
), something In the city, l believe
ne replied vaguely. "She insures shins o.
oo y. olll proklns, or whatever it's called
a' Lioyd S, or some such place.
Know, nodded his wife sape,,, "p,,.
why write to her?' she added Suspicious
~. surely card sent in the ordinary
way would do?' 1AS
'hought 1t more civil, you see
WV, >, people are so touchy-O by the
way, he broke off suddenly as If desi
rous OF turning the converse ton. IT have
oeen Obliged to dismiss James,
DISMISS James," repeated tho ,ora
e,na IN tone of vexation. WHY.
what has he been dong?'' -
1
MIN IN the corridor. l told him if vac
very immodest of him to let her do il
ana th'n he grew vely impertinent On
was obliged to give him his congo If ba
mad cried and said he was sorry. | might
have forgiven him.
The lord chancellor looked pleased
IN glad you acted as YOU have dona
Augustus she remarked "You had hot
ter 10 speak to Mary, and tell her that if
she Kisses any of the men servants again
we shall be obliged to send her away"
\ sound or wheels was followed by a
ring at the front door,
There's the carriage 1 must he off 70
the houSc, exclaimed Lady Brighton NAT
ing her husbands curly head. Good bv
dear suppose you will be busy shoppine
this afternoon"
Yes. Gibson is bothering me to Get q
petucoat trouser, and IN going to Mer-
mics in Oxford street to be tried on. Shall
you be hometodinner?"
Not tonight, dear l promised Lady Sal
ter l would dine at the Carlton and go to
the Empire"
Won't you take me with you," pleaded
the young man, looking up in her face
with a beseeching expression
NO, not there said the lord chan
cellor, h1mly at least. not at present
Perhaps when you're Older
And kissing him lightly on the forehead
she left the room.
The whole Of the fashona Bile and official
world attended the reception at the Lord
chancellors residence. Augustus looking
very charming in his new pettcoat trouser
stood at the top of the staircase to receive
the guests The women unanimously en-
We'd their hostess good fortune in having
so graceful man at the head Of Ter
household.
While Lady Brighton talked politics with
two of her colleagues in the ministry,
Augustus was surrounded by perfect lit
his sprightly repartees seemed to0delieht
the women who formed a brilliant circle
round him. But the cold eye of the lord
chancellor was frequently directed towards
the group of which he the center, and
although an incorrgible coquette, he dared
not give too much encOurag cement to his
admirers.
Foremost among the latter was Miss
Tomkinson, a tall, muscular brunette.
Lady Brighton had heard her announced
earlier in the evening. and had noted the
impairment manner in which the young wo-
man had squeezed her husbands hand, and
the flush of pleasure that mounted to
Augustus forehead.
The political discussion became animated
and for some little time the lord Chancellor
| was engrossed in heated argument When
| she looked round during a breathing inter-
| val, she discovered that the group had dis
| persed. and that her husband was no longer
| to be seen.
|
! ing that Miss Tomkinson had disappeared
| also. Making some excuse to her compan-
! ions, she left the room and hurried down
| stairs in search of Augustus and the mis-
| sing guest. She looked in the supper-room.
| But it empty She tried the library
and her own little sanctum, the smoking
| room: but with no better result. Nobody
was there.
| Then she remembered the curtain recess
on the staircase.
| Lady Brighton retraced her steps, and
| noiselessly approached a secluded retreat
| that had been arranged half way up the
| flight of stairs leading from the drawing
| room to the regions above. Crimson drap-
| cries Of rich damask hid the occupants: but
| the sound of voices was audible from with
! out
! The lord chancellor paused and listened.
"Why did you consent to marry her.
| then?" were the first words that fell upon
| her ear. The harsh, strident tones We're I'M
| mistakably those of a woman.
The soft, dulcet, masculine accents Of
Augustus made answer.
1T all happened when / came out and
! papa took to my first party he said.
There was a shy hesitation in his speech,
and Lady Brighton could in imag gina
ton Augustus treacherous head bent in
mock modesty, and his soft hand playing
nervously with his rings. She was at
torney general then, but everybody knew
the lord CHARACTERISTIC only a ques-
ton of time And papa got somebody to
l He A. a'<