The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1898-09-16
AN EPISODE.

feet.
1--WE are lucky to find it unoccupied,"
she said, especially at one of Mrs. Cur
don garden parties. She will he pleased.
don believe there is u square inch Of the
lawn to be seen. "
1.-The whole world is here. l know,
Miss Lindsay; l have shaken hands with
it, A"
ut is one of the penalties of being
great author"
"Or of being notorious.
You are too modest, Mr.. Holland.
Have you not shared the honors of the
afternoon with the prince and the latest
lion-just imported from South Africa,
was it notY"
And felt like martyr all the time.
But there you have the proof, Miss Lind
say. Don't think l am complaining.
Fame and notoriety mean the same-in
London. And in this he indicated the
screen of shrubbery which cut off the little
nook from the rest Of the garden, but did
not shut out the strains of the Blue Hun
garians or the hum Of many voices-"in
this | have my reward. forgive the lion
hunters
at is relief to be out of it" she ad-
mitted. "Do you know, Mr.. Holland, that
these nooks-yes, there are more of them
are pet idea of Mrs. Gurdon' sY'
~ must thank her. She is woman of
genius.
She laughed merrily. "Oh no, she is
only an incorrigible matchmaker - and
finds them useful"
$50 she, at least, believes in lover" he
asked, picking up the thread of a former
conversation.
"Or in marriage. 1t Is not always the
same thing, is itY'
lit should be, =" he replied, with an air
of the deepest conviction. He was looking
up into her eyes.
"Wbat does somebody say-that in wo-
man love is disease; in man it is an cpl
sode.
Il seem to recollect that" he said.
"But it is nonsense; love cannot be sum
med up in an epigram.
Again she laughed. 81 am afraid you
have very lad neilory, MIR. He Hand. Is
it another of the penalties ot-nUtorietyY
"In my case am afraid so. Is Mere
dith the culprit?'
81 must leave that to your conscience,
sir. The sentiment appears in "a brilliant
study of society entitled Providence and
Mrs. Grundy, for which, If the title page
is to be trusted
"Ah, | remember now. Please spare
me- Miss Lindsay. You don't know the
evil effects of phrasemaking-it saps a
man S morals until he has not even a nod
ding acquaintance with the truth. And
ycu have taken your revenge"
But, really, Mr.. Holland trusted to
your-your knowledge of human nature,
shall / sayp / was glad, Tor my own
sake
For what, If may ask"
THAT in man it was an episode 1t
makes life so much easier to believe So.
You will let me retract in sackolOth
and ashes, Miss Lindsay? Honestly have
some reason to do SO. 1t is three years
since wrote that miserable book. Can
you guess my excuse?"
at seems to infer Ompliment-some-
where" she said rather doubtiully.
Il am very much in earnest" he said,
getting up and standing above her. And
he looked 1t. II didn't know you then.
If had, the thing-Call it an epigram il
you like-would never have been written.
How could it when
Here the bushes were parted, and face
"a tanned, handsome, open face it was
albeit just now the expression was not toe
pleasant-showed in the interstices. Miss
Lindsay nodded brightly.
Come in, Ralph" she said.
Every sorry, I'm sure" said the new
conner. 81 didn't know, Nell"- Then ht
disappeared.
Miss Lindsay smiled.
Captain Havelock seems-out of sorts, ,
remarked her companion, sitting dowr
again.
Probably he is looking for my moth
er," said she. II told him to ATTEND tt
her.
He is a capital fellow, he said indif
ferehtly. "Done something in India
hash heY"
"A small affair of outposts, " she replied
in the same tone. Only perhaps it was a
well that he was not studying her eye
very intently at that moment. "He hell
a fort somewhere on the frontier for fort
night against couple of thousand tribes
men, with only European sergeant ant
80 Sikhs under him, and he was reduced
to 80 rounds of ammunition and no pro
visions before he was relieved. 1t is quit
a common thing out there. He told me s.
himself"
"He is modest-as well as lucky, salt
Holland You and he are old friends
Miss Lindsay"
1--WE were brought up together"
Like brother and sister,"
Exactly. We quarrel quite as much
at least"
And make it up, dare say? But an
sure the quaTrels are not serious. Apropos
am forgiven"
"Was there a crime, Mr. Holland? Real
ly, have forgotten.
1--WE were discussing"-
"George Meredith, was 1t notY"
I "Then am not forgiven for that unfol
tunate fault of my youth? You are yer
hard, Miss Lindsay. You have taught m
the error of my ways and yet you refus
to credit the conversion! How can COL
: vince your am quite serious
> "Oh, hope not, she said. 1T is to
. warm for anything but friyolity," He rec
dencd little and neryously plucked tn
q grass round him. Miss Lindsay watche
: him with some curiosity out of the corner
of her eyes; the symptoms were not VI
known to her. "There is green thing o
your coat, MIR. Holland" she went on.
Thanks" He fiioked the insect of
H.