Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1899-03-04

COHCH SnCil.
"Gil, you're a fool" said his plain
spoken uncle, who had money to leave
and comported himself in a proportion
ately uncivil manner. you're like all
the rest of the world-infatuated by a
pretty face"
81 confess, dear Gilbert, am surprised
at your choice" said his elderly maiden
sister, latter having told you that Sylvia
Simmerton was incli led to look favor
ably upon your attentions-why, Sylvia
has three hundred year of her own"
"I'm really afraid, Gilbert" said his
mother, "that Florence is rather young
and inexperienced.
"She'll grow older, mother" said the
bridegroom, cheerily; "and there's plenty
of experience to be had in this world, if
one only lives long enough"
And Gilbert Amydon and his pretty
little wife were as happy as the day was
long.
Florence cried a little when her hus-
band was obliged to go away on impor-
tant business connected with the firm in
which he was partner. They had been
married only few months.
81 wish l were going with you, Gil
BERT" said she; and Gilbert Amydon
laughed and patted her rose-leaf cheek.
"Why, what should l do with little
zephyr of creature like your said he.
"How would you endure travelling all
night and running about all day3 No, no;
you must stay at home and keep house
till come back"
So Gilbert Amydon went away.
He had not been gone many weeks be-
fore long and acrid letter from his
maiden sister, Drusilla, infused a bitter
element into the current of his refec-
tons.
"Florence is very WE'LL" wrote Miss
Drusilla, who, although by no means
either fat or fair, was forty at least, land
apparently very happy. She had friends
to tea last night. Of course l was not
invited, although most inopportunely 1
called in about the Dorcas Sewing Club
just as they were sitting down to tea.
The Misses Myrtle were there, with their
cousin. Major Darrock is very hand
some"-these words were UNDERSIGNED
with two vicious dashes of the pen
land judging from their conversation,
Florence and he were old friends before
she met you. dare say it is all
right-indeed, Florence told me that
when she invited the three Myr-
tie girls she didn't know that
Major Darrock had just arrived on a
visit to them. But, nevertheless, hardly
believe it is we'll to reignite the ashes of
an old Irritation on the altar of an absent
husbands hearthstone. However, as
said before, Florence is very young and
can hardly be expected to comprehend
these things"
Gilbert Amydon felt a sharp sting of
latent jealousy go through his heart as he
read his sisters words, but presently he
broke into smile, and tore up Miss
Drusilla's letter unceremoniously into
cigar lighters.
"They would shut her up in a nunnery
if they had their way, said he to himself.
Poor, dear little girl She must have
some amusement"
But Uncle Crawley's next letter was
more vaguely annoying still.
81 suppose you have heard from your
wife about the fancy masquerade ball, F"
said he. "The young folks are all wild
about it. Your wife is to go as Rowena
to Major Darrock's Ivanhoe. The cos
tunes are to cost no end of money, am
told. When l was a young man people
didn't squander their incomes in that
sort of way. But l suppose if you are
willing, it's not my business to object"
Gilbert Amydon knit his brows and bit
his lip, as he read the words that his
Uncle Crawley had penned with such
malicious pleasure. This was quite a
different affair from the tea party to
which Drusilla Amydon had taken ex-
life Gilbert felt in his heart strong
surging tide of anger toward the beauti-
full young wife whom he had promised at
the altar to love and cherish.
'If she is really going to this ball, he
said to himself, II don't know what the
consequences will be. She knows hate
bal Mosques, and she knows, too, that
she has no business to go with that Major
fellow when l am away. Drusilla was
right-she is too young for wife. 1
should have thought twice before l gave
up into her hands such unbounded power
to sting and torture me. At all events,
won't stay here to be made fool of. I'll
go back home and judge for myself
whether she is losing all her. common
sense and discretion.
He glanced at his watch.
"If 1 start at once" he thought, 81
can be at Dedlington ON the evening Of
the ball. And I'll do itl''
What a long, dreary ride that was
midnight joltings through endless
stretches of woods and meadow-lands
and tunnels of echoing rock-days when
sleep and waking seemed oddly jumbled
together And the one pervading idea
that filled his brain was Florence, robed
in pale blue silk, with her golden hair
dressed as in an old picture he had once
seen of the beautiful Saxon Princess