Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-11-12
The IS|ODdS d he B|eSt.

made up for an excessive sense of her
own sex by being true to all her indis-
sretions II she had heard this she
would have said: Any little thing
like that derisive phrase she ap-
piled equally TO paradox or powder
pun. accompanying the remark with
glnting smile. the ingredients of which
have puzzled even scientists. l studied
that smile long and earnestly. with
view OF imitation: but / was fain in the
end to confess il too subtle for me.
There was a white glitter of teeth,
delicious curling of the lips, a swish OF
the eyelashes. and your heart was gone
from you; she has mine yet. l believe
] am the only woman that ever loved
her-perhaps because it was given only
to me TO see that other side OF her soul
whick Browning says we all possess.
I met her first on board the Scot, when
We were both on our way to our Mas
boBaland homes-she to join her hus-
band in Salisbury, and / TO spend
lone season OF time with my two
brothers in the same town
She had manicure box, with dainty
silver instruments nesting in soft sky
velvet, and the finger nails of those few
upon whom she bestowed her friend
ship she would pinken and beautify.
sitting on the deck meath glory of
white canvas. with the sunlight dane
ing in her hair and romping with the
rings on her fingers, while the other
woman sat alone and made audible and
iasoient remsrks about people who
performed their toilet in public.
Mrs Kniven Kzllender would pay
them back in fine. Captain Dean" she
would call out ina her sweet. shrill
voice. Captain Dean. come and have
your nails done They look as though
they haven't been touched since your
infancy-as do many others on this
boat, she would add with acid en-
phasis
She always wore ravishing frocks.
was never sea sick. and looked at the
women through her eyelashes in a Pc
culiarly aggravatiEg way which com
mended itself to M. They hated her.
but 1t welded as indissoluble bond be-
tween us. She had cultivated what DE
Quincy called the luxury OF contempt.
ana could curl woman ND with one
eye and with the corner of her mouth
make a man wish he had never been
born.
She was not popular in Salisbury.
chiefly because she had a lamp with a
red shade in her drawing room where
she held court II cast rosy glow
over all things. and had been the I'M
doing of many men. Under its glowing
shadows condolences were poured out
Ike water, and the secrets OF Salisbury.
private and official, were in Dorothy
kailender's keeping. She knew which
men would first gain promotion in the
police. what cases were to be called in
the courts. and mere OF the great raid
than Exeter Hall knows to this day
with other secrets the breathing of
which would have lowered great heads
in the dust.
This lamp. Peter" she was used To
say to me, whom she is dubbed. has
helped 10 lead many a lost soul to high
er and better things; also knowledge is
power; and she would stroke ii with
her hand and all her rings would
slDile in the light.
She did not, like so many retired ac-
tresses. make parade of her immense
and intense respeciability: but she kent
certain moods for certain peoDle. For
the starched wivea Of civic maenates
and such she kept droop OF the iowe,.
Up and limpid. iIcuiring eve. answer.
ing all remarks wi,a an idiotic but per-
Iectiy Well-bred "Oh. yes" or rather.
On, as giving The impression that
she had been born dun. which was ex-
actly what IL was meant TO do. Then
she complained To me afterwards tha+
they had but laughed in her face
You are the ouly woman i'm Mas
honaiand with any sense of hnmor
Peter, she would say. and | believe
You are a boy"
for the risky. hOrsey woman visit
or who goes to make up the oueer
mixtures called society in that far
country. she had the same ipnuirine
gaze. but her speech was embelIisbed
with lisp. Eyes. We have waits Owed
lni, heard her replying to a Iadv OF
TINS description who was complaining
In stirdent voice of the rat and mice
nuisance. and she twiddled her hands
and twitched her toes like a shy babv
Bot enter one of the circle OF men she
m
which l was also included. and she
Immediately became most sweet and
sufficient''-a vivid and original per-
sonality. She leetured everybody in
their love affairs, beginning with me.
who had none.
You expect too much OF life. Peter &"
she would say, though | have never
complained. Look at kniy and me sor
instance; We hit it on spiendidly. There |
is not another man in the world who
would snit me so well, or for whom 4
would exchange him. Yet we both ad. |
NIT that we have never been passion
ateiy iE love with each other, though |
we are devoted ia our own way. / do |
always as like, and he in turn Is free |
to come and go and All In his time as
ne Qleases. and we are. splendid chums.
But you. you are such romantic per-
son, and take life so seriously that I '