The Florence daily tribune., 1899-02-28
AN UNTOLD STORY.


seemed TO lose sight of that fact as soon
as he found himself bound to her for
| life.
! A good many things were necessary
| two years after their marriage to keep
/ Mr. Lobdell from finding life burden-
some. Among these were four clubs,
several fine horses, which be handled
/ himself at the gentlemen matinees,
l and the privilege of going aud coming
/ when he pleased.
II Beatrice Lobdell grieved because
/ of his neglect, she did SO in the strictest
secrecy, and succeeded in retaining her
beauty through it all.
1t was whispered, however, that she
didn't care. but there is a great deal of
| whispering in society that is unwar-
ranted Certainly Mrs. Lobdell might
| have had admirers if she had wanted
them. Indeed she did have them, but
| they had to admire from distance un,
| til George Whitford arrived upon the
| scene.
The Lobdells had joined a fashiona-
BILE family club, not that Mr.. Lobdell
cared for it. but he wanted his wife to
have some place where she could enjoy
| herself while. he was not with her
| You see he was a kind hearted, ohival.
rous fellow in spite of the fact that il
bored him to be much in the presence
! of the beautiful young woman he had
once loved SO madly,
The whole trouble. if you must know
| it, was that they were unsuited to each
\ other. Mrs. Lobdell had a taste for the
artistic Her husband was not inclined
that way. He was one of the best anna
teur drivers in town-no one knew the
/ fine points about horse better than he
| He belonged to the athletic club, had
been known to walk seven miles through
the country mud in order to see a for
hidden prizefight, and he had won
medal on the golf links.
Beatrice Lobdells enthusiasm over
rare old prints, Fitzgerulds rendering
of the Rubyiat and all that sort of
thing seemed silly to him.
But one evening when she had ac-
companied the Wimbertons to the
| Thursday evening ootillon party at the
/ Orpheus club, she met George Whit
| ford, He danced with her and talked
| about things in which she was interest
| ed. He could quote 40 of Fitzgerald's s
! best quatrains, and Mrs. Lobdell said
when the Wimbertons were ready to go
home that she was very glad to have
| met him.
| After that it became customary for
| Beatrice Lobdell to attend the Thurs.
day evening parties with the Wimber-
tons, and George Whitford's name
loomed up oopspicuously upon her pro-
/ gramme.
Its pity" be said to her one
evening when they were sitting out
dance in the parlor. that you were
born in luxury.
"Why?" she asked.
IF 1t had been otherwise you would
have added something to the worlds
literature that would have lived. The
absence of necessity is unfortunate in
| your case
''Do you really think have talent7'
Il am sure of il. -
Whitford was beginning to be known
in the world of letters as novelist and
essayist. He was young. handsome and
not much of a favorite with men, But
most women regarded him as interest
ing,
hre iopuSii iOoheu ht MIN earnestly
and sighed.
Perhaps would have been happier,
too, " she said, "if l had been compelled
to do something more than sit around
and feel that my life was going to
waste "
why not do it anyway he asked
after awhile. Suppose we collaborate
on story?"
II think, she answered, that /
could give you the outline of story
that would interest the world.
There was something in her tope-a
tinge of wistful sadness-that brought
the color to his checks. He bent for
ward eagerly to make reply. but she
hurriedly rose, saying:
Come. we must not ut here any
longer.
He followed her hack to the ballroom.
and when they parted that evening he
pressed her hand very gently. while his
heart went at a violent pitch.
She avoided his look and said Good
by" instead of Good night.
George Whitford waited for their
next meeting with boyisb impatience,
and when the evening arrived it sud
4 denly occurred to him that she might
not come. In that case he didn't know
what he would do. But when the VIM
bertons put in an appearance she was
with them, and he saw that her cheeks
Redeemed when he went forward to
greet her.
He managed before long to lead her
away from the crowd. Then he asked:
when are you going to give me that
story you spoke off,
She looked at him as if she were
frightened and answered almost in q
whisper:
Never"
"Whyg"