The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-13
A WOMlNLY WOMAN.
BY L. GALBR Attn.
copyrighted, 1875. by L. Galbrai,h.

The curate glanced across the tennis
lawn.
1T is Miss Jenuer," he said; Il don't
think you need apologize. We shall not
have to play down to her"
Dallas yawned
He had come down to Turton expecting
TO be bored. Provincial society always boz
ed him. Hitherto he had contrived TO com
bine pleasure with duty by paying his an
nual visit to his uncle while Sir Roger
was staying at his Scotch shooting box,
or during the salmon season ia Norway.
This year, however, circumstances had
compelled him to sacrifice three weeks TO
the abnormal dizziness of country VII
lage, an affiiction which was miligated
by the fact that Jack Taunton, his old
college chum, happened TO hold a curacy
in the immediate ne!ghborhood- Dallas was
not ladies' man. He regarded women as
the necessary furniture of domestic life.
They should also, he thought, be orna-
mental; on which score the superior sex
could afford to condone their inherent sill
illness. But that women could be compan-
ions on equal ground with men, appeared
to him transcendant absurdity, and he
was fiercely intolerant of any such as
sumption of equality, physical or mental
He acknowledged his aunt's introduction
to the girl who stood beside her, with an
air of bored civilily.
Miss Jenner had better play with you,
Claude" Lady Dallas announced briskly.
when everyone had shaken hands With
Mr.. Taunton and Mr.. Willis against you,
you will have very even set"
Very Well" Dallas agreed indifferently.
''Then perhaps We had better begin at
once. I'm afraid" he said. as he walked
across the court beside his partner we
must resign ourselves to being hopelessly
beaten
''why?" she asked cheerfully; Il am
told you are very good player"
Dallas handed her a couple of balls with
a slight shrug of his shoulders.
willis and Taunton are both first rate"
he said; II don't imagine I'm equal to the
two of them"
Before the third game was called Dallas
discovered that his adversaries were doing
their best. and that the sides were as even
ly matched as the most tenacious player
could desire. He was, moreover, unwit-
tlngly compelled TO admit that Miss Jen-
ner was equal to any, and superior to
most, average masculine players.
Her overland service was certain and
extremely strong; she never got in her
partners way; she played with Judgment,
and she kept cool
He could not withhold a certain grudg-
inc adf uyb balanced
reelection that tennis was probably her
one strong point. She would talk and
think of nothing else. OFF the courts she
would become that essential bore, the Wo-
man with a hobby.
But during the interval of tea Miss Jen-
ner made no reference TO the game.
Dallas, determined to have as little as
possible to do with her, sat apart and
smoked a cigarette, but the snatches of
bright and general talk which reached him
at intervals revealed that the young wo-
man was well up In all the topics of sbe
day, and had at least fair knowledge of
current literature. He had expected her TO
be loud and awkward; but she sat in her
low chair with easy grace, and her voice
was pleasant and well modulated. Because
she did not square with his preconceive1
theories concerning athletic girls, Dallas
began to positively dislike Miss Jenner
cept Lady Dallas invitation to dine with
them thdt evening. Why his aunt should
have asked her he could not imagine.
They had been bored with the girl all-the
afternoon, surely they might have had the
evening in peace!
Directly the third set was over she went
away. Dallas had lost the hotly contested
final game by a fragrant miss, and was
visibly ruffied
Ac he HraG cd dinner he HI
self by picturing the awkward appearance
Miss Jenner would present in an ill fit
ting evening costume. He was sure. she
would dress badly, and her hands and
throat would be sunburnt.
A country Doctors daughter! She would
be full of vulgar local gossip, and would
expect him to be interested in all the title
tattle of the village.
The arrival of the evening post gave him
an excuse for delaying his descent to the
drawing room to the last minute.
The vicar and mis- wife made up the par
ty. Miss Jenner was standing ON the
hearthrug chatting with the clergyman
and Sir Roger. Dallas looked Eagerly foY
the imperfections he had anticipated, but
they were conspicuous only by their abb
sence.
The girls tall. well-developed figure was
shown to advantage by her simple hut
admirably cut black gown. Her throat
and arms were white, firm and rounded
and her abundant dark hair was becom-
ingly dressed.
AS she turned towards him with some
trivial remark, Dallas was compelled &c
acknowledge her handsome.
He took her in to dinner and tried his
best through the courses TO find some rea.
sonable ground of complaint, but il was
not until the entree had gone round thai
the opportunity for which he sought pre-
scented itself.
The vicar was referring to a case Of as.
sault reported at length in the mornina
papers. 1T is Infamous" he said warmly
that these highway robberies should be
treated so lightly. Exemplary sentences
ought to be inflicted ina every case of VIC
lence. If this sort OF crime is allowed &c
increase at Its present rate, il will become
positively unsafe for young women. "a
walk abroad alone"
UNLESS they are like Mary here. and.car
take care of themselves" Sir Roger an.
swered, smiling at Miss Jenner. "Yor
wouldn't wait for police assistance. womb
you, my dear? Has Claude heard OF thai
little adventure? You should tell hin
about It."
What was the ADVENTURE" Dallas {H
quired, with the languid air of man whe