The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-10-18

NOCdl powers Oh II IOOh n lew All'l'-
can tourists were near the ruins with
Sir Walter Scott's novel in their hand
from the apertures in the high rooms
of the ruins girls faces peeped.
There are the Jarrets, aunt, who
were at school with me-"
Go and speak to them, dear. DR..
Fraser will look after me-"
Dr. Fraser coughed doubtfully as the
young woman ran up to a party OF
girls near the right wing of the castle.
Mrs Mellish looked after her and
sighed.
Pleasant, quiet girl" said DR.. Fra
ser.
do you think she is at all like me
as I'was-as l was when we knew each
other?"
Like YOU" said DR.. Fraser, bluntly,
''but more refined"
1T seems long time ago." remarked
Mrs. Mellish, thoughtfully.
1T was long time ago."
ANY one would think that we had
arranged to meet here this afternoon"
NO one who knows me-" said DR..
Fraser, promptly, would dare to sug-
| gest that"
But surely it's an odd coincidence"
persisted Mrs. Mellish, that the last
| time had long talk with you was
at Kenilworth, in eighteen hundred and
let me see was it seventy"
"ConCidences are the most common
| place events in the wrldo. Would you
care to rest on this wooden seat?"
| WAS it here" said Mrs Mellish,
| opening her striped parasol and half
hiding her face, that you cut out my
| initials and yours, and around them
Mrs. Mellish," he said, Il try to for
| get these absurdites. | came here for
a quiet stroll in place that we-that
| I used to know WE'LL one that has cer-
tain "reminiscences. But if you will
allow me, / should like myself to sup
ply these "reminiscences, and not to he
| fed with them by you"
II hope that you don't think that
treated you badly, Robert"
/ MY good Laura! will you oblige me
| by trying to forget the ridiculous Incl
dents of twenty-five years ago? Oblige
me, please. l suppose you have quite
given up the profession"
THE profession gave me up"
High time" said the gentleman,
| brusquely. Last time / saw you in
comedy l thought you were much too
stout. My young nephew declared that
it was not so, but he's an idiot. Clever
chap, I admit, but-an idiot"
"A rare combination" said Mrs. Mel
lish.
by no means. We all have some
weak trait in our character. or" he
said, correctingly. nearly ALL"
"Ah!" remarked the lady, you near
| ly forgot yourself What is your
nephew, | wonder?"
Medical man."
Really"
Got some good stuff in him. too. He
has only to take my advice, and he'll
get through very we'll"
Not married."
why" said DR.. Fraser with some
interest, chats just the difficulty. He
wants to get married to-to"---
"To whom"
ooh, some girl"
81 assumed that" said Mrs Melish
you don't know herr"
Don't know her" snapped the doc
tor, land don't want to. If he thinks
that I'm such a fool as to buy him a
practice in order that he may settle
down, as he calls it, he is very much
mistaken. Good heavens. he must
rough it, just as ] roughed it. Don't
tell me that it isn't good for a young
man to have a knockabOut for him,
self. At his age T.
You were very hard up, weren't
you?"
"Deuced hard up" said Dr. Fraser
exultantly. "Why, as l tell him, l used
to buy a haddOck over night, cook il
for breakfast, and, bless my SOUL
eat it
Il remember that you were hard up
repeated Mrs Mellish
There was a pause and she glanced
not at the doctor, but at her niece
who, with her girl friends, was ascend,
ing the stone steps of the left wins
of the ruins.
And l hope" he said steadily fXine
: his pince-nez and looking at her, "yor
remember too, that more than oncj
lent me money to set me out of a posi-
; ton, of some difficulty At any rate
Laura, / don't forget it,"
There is no need to remember sucl
trifes."
But there is persisted Dr. Fraser
, obstinately. "and do remember them
, | Now he added nov that the circum-
r stance is recalled to my memory"
But you paid me back, so there 4
. nothing outstanding"
, Pardon me, | have good reason {,
. feel grateful, and | am grateful. Yol
were earning money then by playinl
I as professional at amateur perform
ances, and | was getting rid of m,
small allowance too easily. If yo,
Z hadn't helped me it would have mad
D great difference to my career If yo
: can suggest any way"-
T Il think we might stroll" said Mrs
Mellish.
4 The striped sunshade went up a
: they walked along to the wooden bridg
, in the corner Of the grounds. Tn,
! sunshade appeared to partake OF Tn
: nature of shield, because when Mrs
Mellish wanted to aim "A furtiye re
mark at her companion, the sunshad
protected her face as she did so; whc
she desired 20 send one frankly tn
sunShade was jerked aside and place
momentarily out OF action. The sof
Velvet-like grass made walking a com
Portable thing to do. Dr, Fraser, wit
his stick playing a fleeting game of go
with the aid Of a fat Vagrant cam
pagne cork, and scoring a good stroke
instantly became more cheerful. TIL
niece ran down from the castle to sa
that the girls had just discovered tn
name Laura NJ" engraved on on
of the landings and she had been ser
as a deputation to inquire If this wa
meant for her aunt. DT. Fraser as
sured her quite jovially that il wa
probably only done as an advertisement
and that he wondered that the word
"Of the Principal London Theatres
had not been added Mrs, Mellish