The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-09-02

wore perfectly fitting suit and a saucy
little hat with a red wing in it. She
looked like a fearless child-she was.
1t was o'clock. The fountains were
FLASHING brightly in the autumn sun
shine as the three strolled down the
Rue Royale toward the Place de la Con-
corde Glittering equipages with high
stepping steeds and superbly appareled
occupants We're rolling up the Champs
Elysees
They walked around to Colombin's,
took cup of tea, absorbed some luke
warm, soggy and buttery mullins in a
tiny room gorged with women dressed
in the height of fashion, who chartered
like magpies over last nights balls,
Delna's new role at the Opera Comfque,
the appearance of prominent personages
at the Palais de Glace, which is "aw-
fully bad form after o'clock, my dear
should not think Blanche would have
done anything SO inconvenante'-he
a mixture of Anglicisms, Americanese
and Gallicisms and then started for
home. Mary regretfully followed. She
had longed for hot toast after she had
delightedly consumed her mullins, but
her companions both seemed absent
minded and in hurry to get out of
doors again. They crossed the Tuileries
gardens, the Place de la Concorde, and
were walking up the Champs Elysces
before Priscilla was at all like herself
She had been stiff and unnatural.
"There is q friend of mine here, a
singer" she explained defiantly as they
passed the Palais de l'Industrie. "Her
name is Constance Brandford. Her
stage nameis Brilla. Twill trouble you,
Mr.. Stornmouth, towalll with us as far
as the Rue Lincoln. am going to cali
on her. We can go home in cab. ~
81 know Constance Brilla,'' said
Stornmouth unexpectedly. "She was a
friend of my sister. -
"Oh, indeedH' from Priscilla unen-
couragingly.
''She has been over ere seven years, -
said Stornmouth. is it possible the
poor thing is pegstng away yet?" he
added commiseratingly
Priscilla turned and confronted him
Her cheeks were stained with vivid
crimson borrowed from her oppressed
enthusiastic revolt. She began with
fine sarcasm. 'You have perhaps an OBJ
| lection also to Brilla 'treading the
boards, as you call it,"
"Not the least in the world, replied
Stornmouth instantly.
cit is more than prsbable," contin-
ued Priscilla, as if she had not heard
him, "that you have taken it upon
yourself to make undesirable remarks tc
her about her future every time you
have laid your eyes upon her. /"
Nothing of the kind, responded
Stornmouth in tone of surprise. ''Why
so?"
sit appears to me- cried Priscilla,
"that you are one of those persons who
interfere with almost everybody.
ooh, that is your impression, is it?'
said Stornmouth "Well, you are not
complimentary.
81 did not intend to pay you compli
ments," said Priscilla. 81 abhor com
pliments merely stated truth. Fol
a man who is tolerably successful ant
who has number of friends-you hav,
told me that you We're blessed in friends
have you not9-it seems to me that you
take more time and experience greater
delight in interfering with other PEG
Plies business than any we'll bred per
son l ever knew.
Priscilla was laboring under the i'm
preston that she was very neatly hit
ting Stornmouth over Constance Brilla'
shoulders and that in so doing she wa.
successfully concealing her own chagri1
at Stornmouth's disapproval of thu
course she wished to pursue She hat
reclkoned without her host Stornmoutl
read men with an intuition which wa
proyerbial. He understood most womel
with keen sympathy He had the man
illness to acknowledge i'll the present in
stance that his discretion had deserted
him.
elf have presumed for one instant
Miss Delno," he began in o dry tone O
voice Priscilla had never before heart
from him, ~ beg your pardon. You ar,
too pretty to go on the stage-that il
all; too pretty and too sweet Oh, for
give me"-Priscilla had drawn up he,
slight figure little and had begun t.
answer him-'fI am speaking to you ex
actly as your own brother would speal
If he knew what know and understood
the continent as do. Twill retire from
my position of mentor. We will be com
rades. will suggest nothing. 1 vii
only look on
"Not even that" said Priscilla in
high, strained voice.
Stornmouth started and glanced side
ways at her. She was very pale, ant
she had gripped Mary's hand fast. "No
even that, ii you please, Mr.. Storm
mouth. suppose you think am yer.
foolish. | know 1 am q great dea
younger than you are" this with lit
tic wicked gleam of her eyes, which
suddenly reused Stornmouth to the con
seriousness that she was made of fire ant
flame, as we'll as of unusually desirabl
beauty and sweetness, ''but even so
dislike being patronized. You have pat
ronized me ever since met you. / dom