The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-02-27

y u nliifA4Als anu tA gets NNlN' aS SA'N
older. . seem 20 know tfat young gem
tioman's face. An. no. Now ! under
! stand. sore dear friend Of yours. per
/, haps" TIE smile had quite faded from
I Miss CAROLS fare. Mrs. Tivvcrs kept
, LOOKING steadily over tho younger wo-
/ mans chouiccr ana spoke with a touch
! o. sadness. Paie-thcy generally arc.
! Yes. my dear Miss Carroll, he is trying TO
attract your attention. His name Is
Gregory. Gregory Moorsome Decastro
, on. dear me, What have / done now?'
For Miss Carol swayed. turned half
! round and fell to her knees. gasping,
! Him, My husband"
Mrs. Tivvors. grooming. "Oh. dear me-
I What have done?' hastily got out OF
. the room.
suppose everyone there heard what
! Miss Carroll said. although she really
/ did not speak above whisper. Everyone
/ saw her turn and fall. Tor Mrs. Tivvcrs
/ cyhiDiuon had quickly become the center
: OF au attention. Instead OF q general
, et.r ard lusllc. sn awcd silence followed
! the FIRST faint. Involuntary murmur that
! had Csccrcd us Miss CrrrOlis strange
/ exclamation seemed Go stupely us. Mrs
] Alfred alone showed presence of mind.
; She knelt by her friend gathered her IN
! her arms. and Ertcd her. The sudden cry.
! the physical collapse that accompanied
I Il. and tie recovery. ail occupied less
! than half minute s slime. We. the other
/ guests. could hardly have begun to won
! der whether we ought not. IN some
{ less prcciuitatc manner. 20 follow poor
: Mrs Tivvers' example when Mrs. Al
fred with her arm twincd about the girls
waist, faced us.
! "Madee." she said aloud and distinctly.
! you must let me explain for YOU
, Then. without waiting for express per-
mission she went Oh. Miss Carroll
! made an unhappy marriage three years
! aco-ou East where we were at college.
: Inc law set her free ana gave her the
I right 20 bear Der maiden name She has
! as much wight to bee called Miss Carroll
/ as T have TO Doe called Mrs. Alfred Lam
don"
Somehow during the excitement, Eu-
gene Landon had got 10 my elbow. Tn
I IN then 1 had not seen him IN the room.
He nudged me ana whispered, You
! know. Barker she can't see them unless
| tney re dead. can shc?"
81 don't understand IT," was all that
/ | could answer.
i understood nothing. Nobody there
, seemed 90 understand anything. Mrs
Alfred spoke I'm a low voice 90 her mother
| in-law. and Madame seemed not TO hear
/ vi course people Ocsan TO iOOk for their
! hats and wraps muttoring that it was
All vlry wonderful. That was q safe
! thing 90 say: there was not the slightest
| difference of opinion about IT,
But 1 was not allowed to get my hat
/ ana ovcroOaL Eugene insisted upon Civ
/ ms me his views about astral shells.
! Even n the woman has this horrible
/ power" he said, u don't see how an
( astral Shell can come on oil Il man while
he alive. Do you?'
Il don know. Old fellow. It's all be
/ yond mo- answered. frying to get
| away.
"But see here. This is very serious
| business Barker. You see. my mother
! has old world notions about divorce and
! an that NOw-say, do you think she
I would have been 50 much affected If she
I hadn't known the man was dead? She
I can't care anything for him. He behaved
! like q brute"
What could l say? It would have
! been unfriendly 10 run away as II Mrs.
| 1lyver5 mad discovered smallpox in the
! house.
! So ] was constrained TO attend secret
I council in the library upstairs. Madame
was not present, she was ministCrns 10
, the victim OF nervous shock Beyond
; what I had already guessed. / was en-
/ lightencd id at an only by Alfrcd's very
emphatic discourse upon his mothers
French bourgeoiso prejudices. Madame's
attention had been carefully kept away
from the condition OF affairs as between
her younger SON and the masked Divorce
Eugene. it now appeared. had only that
morning learned OF the most significant
! episode I'M Miss CAROLS history. Mrs.
Alfred had had no idea of the strength
and comprehensivcness of her mother
I in-laWs feelings IN regard TO American
divorce Clearly. il was not yet nearly
| time 10 think about rccOnciling Eugenes
mother to Miss Carroll as a prospective
daughter-in-law; the immed ate and ur-
gent problem was 20 relieve the embar-
raised situation OF the DIVORCE enter
tanned unawares and Madame's outraged
ideas OF propriety.
But ! insist upon IL that the fellow
Is dead" said Eugene.
Hush, Eueenel said his sster-in-law.
II believe she knows il too" he went
on.
"I think Mrs. Tivvers ought to be cross
examined. 1 suggested. "She started
the trouble"
I'm afraid l started the trouble" re-
marked Mrs. Alfred, penitently
Just then the door bell rang and there
was the voice OF Mrs 'Tivvers down in
Miss Carroll or Mrs. Alfred Landon.
Mrs AIRED few down TO welcome her
and brought nor into the cOnclave as 81
d unanimous vote hcG adopted my sug-
cestioa.
"Oh. my dear ATS Alfred Iandon,"
the renorsclui clairvoyante was eiaculat
ing as she entered the room without
taking any notice OF Us three men. DO
tell me what Z must do Ny conscience
would give ire no resi-. I turned back
as soon as ! reached my door Is Your
Young friend better? May J speak before
these gentlemen: How do you do, Mr..
Barker
Eyes AIRS. Tvvers." said Mrs. Alfred.
eve were just wishing YOU would come
bacll You see Mrs. Tivvers. mother Is
little foreign IN her ideas. though she
has poor Madge in her own room now.
taking care OF her. Now do try 10 be
calfo. We want TO ask you a few things
Please be quiet. Ecgene. Let Mr.. Barker
ask Mrs. Tivvers"
Nobody invited the distracted woman 70
sii down. or she did not heed the invita-
ton. We were ell standing. Al five OF
us Mrs. Tivvcrs. her heavy Astrachan
jacket only just far enough into the
room 20 let Alfred close the door behind
her. The occasion of this Investigation
was indeed gruesome but its form was
most anonymously comic
we wanted TO ask you, Mrs. Tivvers"
J began my examination. whether these
astral shells as believe they are called