The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-02-27
~~~-~.~-~-Nr>-~A~~~~ ~ ~-~~~~>N>NN~T
5 TIE FIEADOF AMAN. s
; BY OWEN MACPHERSON. {
BY OWEN MACPHERSON.



entity honest. her simplicity Is cEndlike.
ner nberalisy to those poorer than her
self has been. so persistent and so large
that the category has constantly dimin-
ished in direct proportion 20 the decrease
OF Mrs. RIVERS own once cons.dera ole
wealth.
Nevertheless Mrs Tivvcrs 81 not as pop
ular as she deserves 20 be- Through that
self-so me popularity which once caused
ner TO be esteemed among the most
precious belongings OF our somewhat mar
row social circle she became. not long
after her arrival among us. an object. NOT
OF aversion. 80 IS true. lut OF apprchcn-
sion as well as pity. The most scep.-
cal could not pretend 10 controvert the
genuincness o. the exhibition THAT start
lea us an at Mrs. Aiirod Landons mem
orahle Afternoon Sen. When Mrs. Tivvers
herself humbly apoloeizng. pleaded that
she did not rosseHs tho common sense 10
handle her own extraordinary sltt with
safety. no oue WAS disposed TO question
the statement The incident was gcneg-
ally voted too painful for aiscusslon M
after this. one could ucycr tel what poor
Mrs Tiyyers would 10 ncEi. So from
and after chat dreadful. afternoon as
II Is sun called. poor Mr.. piyvegs ceased
10 be An request for purposes Of mere
amusement How 10 happened Is my
story.
the mother of the two Landons was
French. She had married ana American
and borne two very creditchie American
tIF..I tho
husband Of our hostess that afternoon
But IN spite OF her more than twenty
nappv years o. married life il this coun-
Try. and OF the tom following years OF
peacoful and dieni1cd widOWhood during
which she ha0 seen Ter sons grow ana
flourish ike green bay trees in the valley
OF the Ohio. she remained progressively
French bourgeoise-as she Worded it.
TO the end of her nails.
II was always good form and good
policy. In the Landon home 10 say that
both the boys had "a decidedly foreign air.
although there was $40 truth I'M tho re-
mark Strangers wero always cautioned
In advance OF Introduction TO call Alfred S
mother Madame" with The emphasis
upon the second syllable. It was secret
~ reported that Alfreds wife had advOit-
~ assisted his efforts go make her Mad
ame's daughter-in-law by first mastering
the elements oil the French language
and then revcrcntly begging Madame TO
teach ner the real Partisan accent
before Alfred was allowed 20 sound his
mother about the match.
10 TINS so far comfortably peaceful
ana united family came Miss Carroll
from Chiraeo. Miss Carroll was q college
chum OF Mrs alfred so much we were
told: wc could see that she was gentle
sweetly-d posCd young woman. with
quiet charm that grew upon one. We
the more intimate friends o. the family
could also see thai this charm had
grown with particular vigor upon Eugene
1.andon Alfredo younger brother and
Furthermore We OWNED that there was
a hitch. and that Mrs Alfred corld II
she would have told what The obstacle
was.
on that dreadful afternoon it seemed
20 me- coming in when the. cups
were ratDinl. ard the chatter
should have been no ifs highest and mer-
riest. that there was am urpieasantly sur
prising lack of animation about the
proceeding. Madame, Go whom after
noon receptions were at best an ncon-
genial form of entertainment seemed To
be under the depressing influence. NV
dear" she said. az we shook hands II
hope you viii tell them some of your
most sad to-day. ! even feel IL, my dear,
who have so long lived in your sad coun-
Try" 1hen.as another man came up 10
take his leave. she said 20 him. "Ah.
you must go SO soon. en-. Miss carroll
goes and so an must leave u.s..
But" ] said 81 though Miss Carroll
was TO be mere until atter Christmas!'
'That Is how too thoughtful to-day
How she receives letters. dispatches-
sweet girl. You think 80. Oh? And so
good TO me aiways. Ask Matl3e about
he"
went and asked Mrs. Alfred for coffee
and explanations. She said. "Ch. / don't
know. Mr. Barker No sugar? / forgot.
Here comes Mrs TivVers. That's "a bless
ing anyway. Ion't ask her why she's
going. Perhaps they won't an run away.
1 must say. she is just too brave" And
then Mrs Alfred went TO receive Mrs.
Tivvers. while / drank my coffee and
composed "a neat theory that Miss Car
roll had simply refused Eugene Landon.
There We're about twenty people in the
room az the time. Fewer than usual
al Mrs. Alfred's Wcdnf sday afternoons.
None Of these twenty have ever forgotten
what they saw. and many more in our
city know BY heresay what happened.
Mrs. Tivvcrs brought with her her habi-
1lul SunNuti ana aNNlnttltt Ali anu HNr
was besides more than usually distant.
Madame was gayly begging her 20 DO
soemthiue to lifl Cd. gloom &aoamc evil
IDENTIFY did not then. al least, regard Ms
11vNers peCuliar gift otherwise than as
a resource 20 mitigate the sadness OF
American life I'm general and, in par
ticular. of this srne tea party Mrs. Al
fred took "a hardly less lippant view
had seen more OF Mrs. rivers than
either Mrs Alfred on Madame had.
Not far from tho tea table stood Miss
Carroll herself Al ] watched her I re-
called her friend mysterious cncomum
OF her nerve. for only by careful observa-
ton could one see that she was not the
happicst and least concerned person ~
the room
You are the most rattering people ]
have ever been with ! heard her say
1T is enough 20 mako me dizzy, the way
you have al gone oI. about my leaving.
There are scores 81 girls liko me IN
Chicleo On. yes, Ne do everyir,s there
OF q largo scale-tWO feet Go the mile. u 7
you Ike" Al Of winch and the laugh
that came with a. I thought 7ounded
fcvorish and unlike her characteristic
self-rcstrained MOOD. She was talking
80 Jenny Barrett one o. our latest de-
buianles. ana half dozen other very
young people.
MRS. aired, bringing Mrs. Tivvers.
broke through the iitue circle about her
visitor.