The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1898-12-02
THE GOLDEN WHEEL.

Jack Addison had not been married
more than six months. l had seen moth
ing of him since 1SS7-jubilce year-when
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 consists
il playing whist or poker in each others
rooms and walking together down to the
LIGHTHOUSE most afternoons. l had thought
OF Addison perhaps half dozen times
since l came down from the varsity. Prob
ably my image had crossed his mind about
Us often. Nevertheless, though I would
rot have walked more than half mile
for the pleasure of seeing him, it was with
unaffected cordially shat we shook hands
in Picca,iilly the other day. Chance meet
ings are always agreeable, and even to
come across an old enemy is better than
nothing. The pieasantcst evening l have
spent for years was after a cas;:;,l oncoun-
ter with old Larking, who used to lick lAc
regularly every day during my first term at
school
OF course Jack asked me to dinner 1t
is the Enclishmau's custom, when. hav-
ing exhausted all the obvious tGricS CT
conversation, he can think OF nothing else
TO s::y. l accepted, because just t!Icn /
vas not sorry to get u dinner for nothing.
Besides, one is always curious to see tho
sort of girl who has cared to throw her
self away upon an old friend.
Jack, it seemed, was now partner in 4
firm Of brewers and apparently had plenty
Of money. These brewers have always
rather reused my envy-probably because
do not know anything about the bust
ness. To the casual observer from the out
side they all seem to enjoy sufficient in
come without overworking themselves
Anyhow, Jack had IA very comfortable lit
tie house. nicely furnished, and gave me a
very fair dinner, good without being os-
teutatious. The wine was excellent, and
Mrs. Addison proved to be charming
woman. She was extremely pretty, with
that Irish combination that have always
thought so etfective-blue eyes and Lair
rather darker than common. She was also
"a lively taller, without trace of shyness
Jack, when at college, was the shyCst
man / ever knew, but it is il commonplace
that men of this sort always contrivc to Sc
cure the best wives. l confess she fairly
fascinated me, and we talked together the
greater part of the dinner. When she rose
to leave us, l noticed she wore in her bod
ice little gold brooch in the form of Il
bicycle wheel, with a large diamond for
the hub. AS held the door open for her
to pass out 1 asked her, laughingly, if she,
too, had fallen victim to the general
craze.
at is my talisman," she said with
smile at Jack You must ask him about
it"
Hello" 1 said to Jack when she had
gone, and he was putting out the cigars
"A romance, chr Out with it, old chapn
1T was my wedding present to her.
replied Jack, handing me Il Cnbana. Tho
reason why chose it is a long story"
ARMED with cigar and ii cup of coffee
black, please, and one lump-I can
stand anything" Jack handed me the cup
ard began with \ preliminary cough
lit was two years after we came down"
he said, THAT ] made the acquaintance of
the lady who is now my wife. Sho was
then Miss Trcfusis, and lived with her
father, old General Trefusis-poor fellow,
he died before we We're married-in IL re-
tired village in Deronshire. The general
was Il good old chap, and l won his heart
by allowing him to beat me at golf The
fact is, had gone down to Devonshiro so
Us to be near Westward uo! You remcm-
Der was one of the few men who were
enthusiastic golfers before it became the
rage"
You got your blue for it, remember"
"Well-if you call that getting blue.
Anyhow, Westward HO has always been
one of my favorito links, and there it was
that l first met the old general. l can re-
member as well as anything the first time
saw him. He had driven off from tho
seventh tee and lost his ball in tho rushes
was just behind him playing IA round
myself and as no had gone well off the line
and seemed to have no chance of getting
on to it again L thought 1 might as well
play on. Unfortunately, as frequently
happens i'll such cases, l pnlled my drive
badly and landed in clump of rushcs
just in front of his nose | never remem-
Der hearing more violent language in my
life However, l apologized profuscly, and
by a curious coincidence we found the two
balls lying close together in the same
clump. That paciiled him, and as he was
also playing alone we finished the round
together
THAT was the beginning of quite an in
Innate friendship. We got to playing to-
Eether frequently, and at last he asked me
over to dine at his place. 1 had brought
my bicycle with met was one of the
good old sort, with 81 inch wheel you
know-and 1 rode over in the afternoon,
carrying my dress clothes in Il bag.