The Press., 1898-01-06


ing, for as fresh smoke rises up he sees
fresh figures forming themselves behind
it. Still himself, but older, browner and
more manly Dick, this time of 1879. A
ball again, evidently in private house.
There is wide flight of stairs, off it at
one side conservatory filed with flow
ers and at it's top wide landing, with
the ballroom opening bright, noisy and
joyous behind it.
In the doorway stands the hostess,
welcoming her guests. Dick of today
tries to distinguish her features, but
they elude him just as the colors had
few minutes before. He passes on in
to the room. Again all the figures are
blurred, until he comes quite to the up
per end, Immediately beneath the big
hanging lamp where there stands a
very distinct one in white silk and a
quantity of soft white tulle, who has
her back turned and displays a very
fair head with a bunch of pink moss
roses at one side. Dick of 1872 speaks,
and the figure turns and looks at him
with little uncertainty at first, and
then a gradual, pleased look of recog-
sweet face, with it's warm, brown eyes.
Dick Of 1872 thinks five years have
passed very lightly, leaving behind
them only touch of dignity and wom-
anliness in place OF LII ,lmoat childish
ness. She u.s. in fact. improved by them,
and so thinks Dick of today.
Dick of 1872 dances three times with
''my little sister Kitty. and the third
time she is carried away from him by
very tall, dark, handsome man, with
small pointed black Leard. He watch
es them, and voice at his elbow says:
''What jolly couple they makel He is
old Lord Easton',s nephew, and they are
to be married next week, you know. y
Dick of 1879 goes homo, and i'll the
morning comes to the conclusion thai
be had taken too much champagne, for
he had dreamed all night that his room
was of gold hung over with pink moss
roses and turn as he would, he could
ind no door to escape from the heavy
scent of them, which maddened him,
and the touch of them, which thrilled
him with Joy and sorrow, pleasure and
passionate pain mixed.
The smoke clears off again, but Dick
of today has ceased to wonder, and only
waits, expecting mere, Incompetence
ing, however. Very soon more comes;
still Dick, still ballroom; Dick Of
1880, and quite a different ballroom
with quite different atmos phere, and
different tone about it; many men, few
or women than heretofore, but all the
latter are most beautifully dressed, and
most of the former are i'll uniform.
Government House, Calcutta. -
thinks Dick of today, and he instructive.
ly looks about him for the well known
figure which he now expects to come
but it is not there. Dick Of 1880 is talk
ing to Cranter. ('Poor old Cranter
Went under just ten years ago." com.
ments Dick Of today Cranter says: II
am going to introduce you to the most
lovely little woman, clever, charming,
everything desirable. Her husband new
er looks at her, passes all his time in
England with Sibyl Ruby, and all his
time here with Mrs Major Golightly"
Dick of 1880 and Cranter make their
way through the crowd into another
room where there is no dancing, and
seated in a low chair, in listless attl-
tude, is a lady in white Dick of 1880
goes straight up to her and says, Il
hope don't need an introduction to
Mrs - - and then pauses - "Mor-
toun," she finishes for him.
He sits beside her. She is much more
sp1endidly dressed than ever before, all
in white satin, finely embroidered with
silver, and there are diamonds scintil-
Iating in the FURNISHED gold of her hair.
But, oh, the change, think both the
Dicks The face is thinner and less
bright the mouth is sweet and red, but
has pitiful droop at the corners, and
the clear brown eyes are sad with I'M
shed tears, but they look very kindly on
Dick of $780, And Dick of 1880 talks a
long time to her; his heart is filed with
deep, passionate pity.
| Finally they are interrupted by the
tall, dark handsome man with the point
ed black beard, who is not perfectly So
Der. AS he comes up the lady says;
''This is Captain Kenneth, Devereux.
met him at my first ball. -
Dick of 1880 only bows and moves
away, and Dick of today looks at the
fading mist of tobacco smoke, and even
when it has cleared, for the good reason
that his pipe is out, there is a little
mist, as of an autumn evening, between
him and the fire. He is not uncompre
bending any longer and knows now the
answer to his sisters question. He rises
and takes up his candle, saying: cane
I never knew it till tonight. Verify
am slow man. daughter.