The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-27
The HEAD OF 4 MAN,
BY owen Macpherson.

,,,ravs believed Mrs. Tivvers to be
- ss.imable lady. Shells transparent
,,,ssr. her simplicity is childnke. her
-,rrv 10 those poorer than herself has
so persistent and so large that the
.-,rv has constantly diminished in di-
nroporton to the decrease of Mrs.
s.rsrs' own, once considerable, wealth.
r. ,.rertheless, Mrs. Tivvers is not as pop
as she deserves to be. Through that
,.eame popularity which once caused
- 10 be esteemed among the most prec-
- belongings of our somewhat narrow
vs. ...,I circle she became, not long after
~ y, arrival among us, an object, not of
.rarsion. 1t is true, but of apprehension
q, well as pity. The most sceptical could
,,- pretend to controvert the genuineness
ia itbe exhibition that startled us all at
81 urs Alfred Landon's memorable after
roon tea When Mrs. Tivvers herself.
h bsmbt apologizing, pleaded that she did
mt possess the common sense to handle
n her own extraordinary gift with safety,
no one was disposed to question the state
4 ment The incident was generally voted
& no painful for discussion in our circle.
A And all were of one mind that, after this,
one could never tell what poor Mrs. Tiv-
4 vers would do next. So from and after
that dreadful afternoon" as it is still
4 called poor Mrs. Tivvers ceased to be in
h request for purposes of mere amusement.
B How it happened is my story.
4 The mother of the two Landons was
French. She had married an American
and born two very creditable American
i sons. the elder of whom, Alfred, was the
4 husband of our hostess that afternoon.
f But in spite of her more than twenty hap
by years of married life in this country,
and of the ten following years of peace
ful and dignified widowhood during which
she had seen her sons grow and flourish
like green bay trees in the valley of the
Ohio, she remain aggressively French
b0urgeoise-as she worded il, ito the end
Of the nails
It was always good form, and good
policy, in the Landon house to say that
both the boys had decidedly foreign air,
although there was no truth in the re-
mark. Strangers were always cautioned
in advance of Introduction to call AL
fred's mother Madame" with the en-
phasis upon the second syllable. 1t was
secretly reported that Alfreds wife had
adoitly assisted his efforts to make her
Madame's daughter-in-law by first mas
terng the elements of the French lam
guage and then reverently begging Ma
dame TO teach her "the real Partisan ac-
cent before Alfred was allowed to sound
his mother about the match.
To this so-far comfortably peaceful and
united family came Miss Carroll from
Chicago. Miss Carroll was college chum
OF Mrs. Alfred, so much we were told: we
could see that she was a gentle, sweetly-
disposed young woman with a quiet charm
that grew upon one. We-the more init
mate friends of the family-could also see
that this charm had grown with particu-
lar yigor upon Eugene Landon, Alfred's
Younger brother, and Furthermore we di-
Nned that there was a hitch, and that
Mrs Alfred could if she would, have told
what the obstacle was.
On that dreadful afternoon it seemed to
me coming in when the cups were rafting.
ana the chatter should have been at its
Asht and merriest, that there was an I'M
Pleasantly surprising lack of animation
ABOUT the proceedings. Madame, to whom
afternoon receptions were at best an I'M
congenial form of entertainment, seemed to
be under the depressing influence my
Dear she said, as we shook hands, IT
nope you will tell them some of your
amusing stories-Yes ?-The assembly is
most sad to-day-I even feel it, my dear,
VINO have so long lived in your sad coun-
uy.' Then, as another man came I'D to
Iake his leave, she said to him, "Ah you
must go so soon, eh?-Miss Carroll goes,
ana so all must leave u.s."
SUI, l said, II thought Miss Carroll
was to be here until after Christmas?"
mat Is how 1 too, thoughtful to-day
-How she receives letters dispatches
W nat do know, my dear? She is a sweet
siri' you think so, Ell? And so good to
me always. Ask Matilda about her."
went and asked Mrs. Alfred for coffee
ana explanations. She said, "Oh. don't
know, Mr. Barker. No sugar? I forgot.
Here comes Mrs. Tivvers. That's a bless
ing anyway. Don't ask her why she's go
Ing' Perhaps they won't all run away now.
! must say she is just too brave" And
lneh Mrs. Alfred went 10 receive Mrs. Tiv-
Ners' while I drank my coffee and COM
posed neat theory that Miss Carroll had
SIMPLY refused Eugene Landon.
Ihere were about twenty people in the
room at the time. Fewer than usual at
"lis: AIIred's Wednesday afternoons. None
vi lhose twenty have ever forgotten what
.neS saw, and many more in our city know
WHAT LdppeHSu.
Mrs. TlVvers brought with her her ha-
pitual suddued and apologize air, and she,
vas, besides, more than usually distract.
Niadame was gayly begging her to do
soH'e thing to lift the gloom. Madame evil
Tehty did not then, at least, regard Mrs.
lNVefs' peculiar gift otherwise than as a
ieSouree to mitigate the sadness of Amer
Ian HE in general, and in particular, of
,N'S gene tea party. Mrs. Alfred took a
naId-y less fippant view. 1 had seen
more more OF Mrs. Tivvers than either Mrs.
<AiLIed or madame had.
r. WI lar from the tea table stood Miss
o@reoiI herself. AS 1 watched her / re-
osi,ed her friends mysterious encomium
VI Her nerve, for only by careful observa-
t iou could one see that she was not the
the room.
lou are the most flattering people I
nay nave every been with" heard her say. ut
enough to make me dizzy, the way you
I've all gone on about my leaving. There
' ~.e scores of girls like me in Chicago Oh
yes; We do everything there on large
s,%4e-two feet to the mile If you like"