Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-12-10

1901, Whou VIC
had taken our degrees in the same
batch. We had been friends at Cam
bridge, not perhaps very intimate, but
with that kind of friendship that con-
sists in loatins in each others rooms
and walking together down to the
boathouse most afternoons. had
thought of Addison perhaps half a
dozen times since I came down from
the Varsity; probably my image had
crossed his mind about as often.
Nevertheless, though 1 would not
have walked more than half mile for
the pleasure of seeing him, it was
with unaffected cordially that we
shook hands in Piccadilly the other
day. Chance meetings are always
agreeable, and even to come across al
old enemy is better than nothing. The
pleasantest evening 1 have spent for
years was after casual encounter
with old Larking, who used to lick
me regularly every day my first term
at school.
OF course Jack asked me to dinner.
It is the Englishman' custom, when,
having exhausted all the obvious
topics of conversation, he can think Of
nothing else to say. l accepted, be-
cause Just then was not sorry to get
a dinner for nothing. Besides one is
always curious to see the sort Of girl
who has cared to throw herself away
upon an old friend.
Jack, it seemed, was now partner in
factory, and apparently had plenty
OF money. Anyhow, Jack had u very
comfortable little house, nicely furn-
ished, and gave me very fair dinner,
good without being ostentatious. Mrs.
Addison proved to be charming
woman. She was extremely pretty,
with that Irish combination that I
have always thought so eilective-blue
eyes and hair rather darker than COM
mon. She was also lively talker,
without a trace of shyness. Jack,
when at college, was the shyest man
1 ever knew; but tits commonplace
that men of this sort always contrive
to secure the best wives. I confess
she fairly fascinated me, and we talked
together the greater part OF dinner.
When she rose to leave us 1 noticed
she wore in her bodice little gold
brooch in the form of bicycle wheel,
with a large diamond for the hub. AS
1 held the door open for her TO pass
out 1 asked her, laughingy, if she too
had fallen victim to the general
craze.
eft is my talisman,' she said, with
smile at JACK. "Yol must ask him
about it,"
"Hullo" I said to Jack when she
had gone, "a romance, ell! Out with
it, old chap"
''It was my welding present to
her," replied Jack. "The reason why
chose it is long story"
"Armed with cupo of coffee black,
please, and one lump-I can stand
anything" Jack landed me the cup,
and began with preliminary cough.
"It was two years after we came
down." he said, THAT [ made the &C
quaintance of the lady who is now my
wife. She was then Miss Trefusis,
and lived with her father, old General
Trefusis-poor fellow! he died before
we were married-in retired village
in Devonshire. The General was a
good old chap, and l won his heart by
allowing him to beat me at golf. The
fact is, had gone down to Devonshire
so as to be near Westward Ho! You
remember l was one of the few men
who were enthusiastic golfers before
it became the rage?'
"You got your blue for it, I remem-
ber."
"Well-if you call that getting q
blue. Anyhow, Westward Ho! has
always been one OF my favorite links,
and there it was that 1 first met the
old General. can remember as we'll
as anything the first time saw him.
He had driven off from the seventh
tree, and lost his ball in the rushes.
I was just behind him, playing n
round myself and as he had gone well
off the line, and seemed to have no
chance of getting on to it again, I
thought might Us we'll play on. I'm
fortunately, as frequently happens in
such cases, / pulled my drive badly,
and landed OH clump of rushes just
in front of his nose. I never remem-
Der hearing more violent language in
my life. However, J apologized pro-
fusely, and, by a curious coincidence,
we found the two balls lying close
together in the same clump. That
pacifed him, anil as he was also
playing alone We finished the round
together.
"That was the beginning of quite
an intimate friendship. We got to
playing together frequently, and at
last he asked me over to dine at his
place. I had brought my bicycle with
met was one of the good old sort,
with tifty-six.inch wheel, you know
and I rode over in the afternoon,
carrying my dress clothes in bag. I
saw Dolly that evening for the first
time, and need not tell you that I
'ost no opportunity of seeing her again.
soon it became quite the regular thing
or me to ride over in the morning
or luncheon-it was about five miles
oF-and drive back with the General
Tor game in the afternoon. Then
we would return to dinner, and I
would ride back on my machine after
game of billiards at about midnight.
1t was perhaps the jolliest time ever
had in my life"
Except of course just now," I sug
gested, mildly.
Jack closed his eyelid. Exactly"
he continued. "Well, this sort of
thing went on for some three weeks,
until I was madly in. love. I turned
the matter over in my mind. and de-
cided to make an effort. had little
money of my own-not much, you
know, but enough to marry on if we
did things quietly-and I thought,
somehow, that Dolly was aware of my
intentions, and did not altogether
disapprove of them. My holiday, too,
was coming to an end. and I could
not prolong it for more than few