The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-02
MISS WINCHESTER'S HEART
Continued From Page 10.

dental-or providential-and 1 am snatch
ing at things. l came to Rome expecting
a lonely tour, and l have been so very
happy, so very happy. Quite recently
have found myself in a position-I have
dared to think-And-"
He glanced over his shoulder and ston-
ped. He said "DemnY" quite distinctly
and she did not condemn him for that
manly lapse into profanity She looked
and saw his friend Leonard advancing
He drew nearer, he raised his hat to Miss
Winchelsea, and his smile was almost a
grin.
Il have been looking for you every
where Shocks" he said You promised
to be ON the piazza steps haitian hour
ago."
Snooks! The name struck Miss Win
chelsea like a blow in the face. She did
not hear his reply. She thought after
wards that Leonard must have considered
her the vaguest-minded person. To this
day she is not sure whether she was in
PRODUCED to Leonard or not, nor what she
said to him. A sort of mental PARALYSIS
was upon her. OF all offensive surnames
-Snooks
Helen and Fanny were returning, there
were civilities, and the young men were
receding. She controlled herself to face
the inquiring eyes of her friends by a
great effort. All that afternoon she liv-
W tHS iAiG VI d heroine under the lnde-
seribable outrage of that name chatting.
Observing, with "Snooks" gnawing at her
heart. From the moment that IL first rang
upon her ears the dream of her happiness
was PROSTATE in the dust. All the refine
ment she had figured was ruined and de-
faced by that cognomen's unavoidable
Vulgarlty.
{. What was that refined little home TO her
now, spite of autotypes Morris papers,
and bureaus? Athwart it in letters of fire
ran an incredible inscription, Mrs.
Snooks." That may seem a little thing to
the reader, but consider the delicate re-
finement of Miss Winchelsea's mind. Be
as refined as you can and then think of
writing yourself down-"Snooks. She
conceived herself being addressed as Mrs.
SHOCKS, by all the people she liked least
conceived the patronymic touched with a
vague quality of insult. She figured a
card of grey and silver bearing win
chelsea" triumphantly effaced by an ar
row, Cupids arrow in favor of "Snooks' -
A degrading confession of feminine weak
ness! She imagined the terrible rejoicings
of certain girl friends, of certain grocer
cousins from whom her growing refine
ment had long since estranged her How
they would make 1t sprawl across the en-
velope that would bring their sarcastic
congratulations
at is impossible" she muttered. "im.
possible! SflOokSi
Would even his pleasant company com
pensate her for that? She was sorry for
him, but not so sorry as she was for her
self. For him she had a touch of indig-
nation. To be so nice, so refined, while
all the time he was Shocks" to hide I'M
der a pretentious genulity OF demeanor
the badge sinister OF his surname seemed
a sort of treachery To put IL In the Ian
guage of sentimental science, she felt he
had lied her on"
There were, Of course, moments OF fer
ribe vacillation, period even when some
thing almost like passion bid her throw
refinement to the winds. And there was
something in her. an unexpurgated vestige
of vulgarity that made strenuous ar
tempt at proving that Shocks was NOT so
very bad a name, after all Any how
ering hesitation flew before Fanny's man
ner when Fanny came with an air of ca
tastrophe 70 tell that she too had learnt
the horror of his name. Fanny's voice
fell to a whisper when she said Shocks
Miss Winchelsea would not give him any
answer when at last in the Borghese she
could have a minute with him, but she
promised him a note.
She handed him that note in the little
book of poetry he had lent her. the title
book that had first drawn them together.