The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-09-05

81 am glad, for if were circumsbect. I
! should be widow indeed, and | am sure
/ that would be dreadful"
"A young widow cannot be too particu-
lar in her conduct; she should shun the
society of the other sex, and stay quietly
| at home" continued Miss Durham
! Bring me the sauce piquante. waiter
! please Miss Durham has it, said |, for
J was so angry L could have shaken the
/ old thing.
| There was a general laugh at this by no
means brilliant sally. Durham looked
, slyly under his eyes al NE, as if to thank
me surreptitiously. Ny remark had the
! desired effect, and Miss Durham subsidized
until dessert, when she broke out again,
| this time choosing the Irish character as
J her theme.
1.-The Irish are a curious people, very
! impulsive. witty, no doubt, and pleasant
to talk to, but insincere, terribly insin-
| cere."
dc be quiet this is music to my ears;
1 want to hear it," said my neighbor
"And, OF course. very superstitious, that
/ goes without saying; the lower orders are
lazy, the upper indolent. and if / were
asked to sum up the Irish national char
] acter of all classes in one word, that word
would be fnsolence,'" proceeded Miss
| Durham
| The little widow coughed the most de-
| lightfully impairment little cough. far
more eloquent than words, and Mr. Dur
1 ham flushed and said something in an I'M
dert5ae 10 his sister. who Immediately rose
! and left the table. In the draWing-room
/ Durham apoiogized TO Mrs. Clifford for
/ his sisters rudeness, pretending she had
| forgotten there were any Irish at the ia
! bic. He retired with his sister as usual
| al half past 8. but returned almost inme-
diately, with pink rosebud in his button
| hole.
Il gave it him. but you see he dared not
wear il at dinner II ] could only effect
! his emancipation from that old creature :
tyranny. / should consider my week here
we'll spent" said Mrs. Clifford to me-
"He seems 10 be forging other bonds
for himself" said l.
'I'll make him smoke one OF your cigars
and play billiards tonight, you see II /
don't" said she. and true enough she did.
| Half an hour after. Durham was smok-
ing, playing billiards. evidently, by no
means for the first time in his life. and
making love in his quaint old-fashioned
way to the little widow, who fooled him
TO the top Of his bent.
Warren was furious: he had at first
refused to come TO the bill. rd-room with
US, but one inviting glance of those Irish
eyes sufficed to entice him. and observed
his manner TO the little widow had under
gene a change; he had learnt the lesson
she had meant TO teach him He behaved
TO her tonight very much as a dog that
has been punished and forgiven. behaves
to It's master, and was grateful for THE
crumbs OF her attention which fell 10 his
share.
Meanwhile II was clear to every ono
that both Durham and Warren began 10
mean business. They were evidently in
love with the Little widow. and IL was
equally clear 10 me at any rate that she
was making fools Of them both II, In
deed she was giving Warren sny en-
eours cement at all. Her manner 10 me
was totally different; she irted with the
others, she did not fiirt with ne IN the
very least. but when csme TO think over
il. / found / saw but little of her except
AZ meals: for in the bilii2rd-roonn Mr.
Durham engrossed her attention. Up 10
this point ! Eas rot in love with her. |
was epris, no toubt, admired her, liked
her. but l dent think loved her.
You are thoroughly .iemorallzing the
[ celibate | wonder what his sister would
have said II she could have seen him las,
night" said J 10 her. al breakfast.
Il only wish she would drop In on Us
I Unawares one evening; IL would lie as
good "a a play" she answered.
'fTo US perhaps. but doubt II Durham
would see much fun In H." | replied. as
/ mentally wondered II there was any
one In the house ill-natured enough TO ill.,
form Miss Durham of her brothers back
I sliding. OF which every one bat she was
aware
My doubts on this point we're destinfA
10 bc solved very shortly; the little WV
had arrived on q Monday, and on FRIDAY