The Monticellonian., 1899-07-14
.sN. .Ns. .se s .s .sN .s ". ". .s,z .sN .Nk "
MT. Nestoyn'S Notebook
s.S SaS aIS SlS SIS aIS 7IS 7iSS1SM MS
NHR. NEsToYN's notebook was a

I'VE standing joke among all his friends and aequaintances. Whatever happened, if an old friend were men toned, any good thing said, in season and out of season forth came the note- book, with the invariable remark: Il must just jot that down."
 But although many had seen the out side of that book, to ncIe had it been permitted to look within. Did l say to none? We'll, on one memorable oeea- sion another pair of eyes as we'll as Mr. Nestoyn's had looked upon page of that precious volume-another hand had written one word within. And this is how it came about:
 MT. Nestoyn was a bachelor. He was he is one no longer. It is doubtful whether he keeps a notebook now.
 There was a tradition among his friends that some years ago, when Dick Nestoyn was quite young, some trouble connected with romance came into his life. What actually happened none knew exactly, except that the romance had a disastrous ending, and the trou ble changed a bright, rather careless lad into a strictly. .methodical man, with a strong objection to the society of women.
 He lived a quiet, uneventful life in a well-appointed house in riverside sub urb. Methodical and monotonous each day came and went, one day much the same as another-an early rising. lonely breakfast, short walk to the station, possibly chat with a friend in the train on the rapid journey to Lon don, few hours of not very interesting work at the office, and then the return to the lonely house. And so Mr. Nes- toyn's life went on, the monotony slightly broken occasionally by his dining with some of his bachelor friends at their rooms. or by giving a recherche little dinner at his well-ordered though slightly prim suburban residence.
 To these dinners only the unmarried were invited. for if among the select circles that Mir. Nestoyn hol. red with his friendship anyone took Ito him. self a wife, thenceforth that man was Mir. Nestoyn's friend no longer. Ae- quaintance he might be, for Mir. Nes- toyn did not go to the length of not returning a nod or holding a few words of conversation with a former friend who had married. but never again would he be asked to partalle of a din ner at the Willows, nor from thence forth did Mir. Nestoyn darllen the doors of that mans residence.
 But to every rule there is an excep- ton. Just as Phil Marsden. Mr. Nes- tcyn's chief erony, was wondering what line hts friend would take when he tPhil Marsden) should have worked up his practice so as to feel justified in making an offer of marriage to eer- tain charming widow, Jack Cranborne, apparently the most determined bach elor of the whole set, suddenly an- nounced that his banns were to be pub lished at tke parish church on the very next Sunday.
 And all round the little cotere went the whisper: Now Dick Nestoyn will give up Jack Cranborne"
 But, strange to say. Dick Nestoyn did not give up Jack Cranborne when he had a wife. He used to say, by way of excuse, that Mrs. Cranborne was not like other women. Why he said or thought this no one could understand, the general opinion being that Jack l Cranborne's wife was very much like other women. So it came to pass that many pleasant hour was spent by Mir. Nestoyn at Riverside, the home of Jack and Violet Cranborne.
 One evening, just as he was turning into the gate of that snug little dwell ing, he was accosted by Phil Marsden, who began, in commiserating tone: "I really grieve for you, Mr. Nestoyn. I suppose your visits to Riverside will be in abeyanee for time"
 How so?' queried Nestoyn.
 My dear fellow, surely you have heard that Mrs. Cranborne's sister is coming tomorrow to pay her a long visit 9"
 "Oh! ah! yes! I have heard some thing about it. but in what way does it concern me?'
 Well, you, as professed woman hater, can scarcely go constantly 10 a house where a young and lively girl is staying; it would be so horribly incon- | sistent."
 Miss Helen Montgomery may be neither young nor lively"
 l "Poosibly, no." returned the doctor, a he SIrned away with a chuckle at