The evening times., 1899-05-13
CHEEDLEs PAST.

reassure him. quite unsuccessfully.
my dear Cheedle,' / said, you hav
nothing whatever to reproach yoursel
with"
"Ah. If 1 could only believe that," h
! sighed out. But you know as well as
do what sort Of a life used to Lead
''Cloistral." said l.
| "Hellish!" said he 81 was a devil Of
| fellow"
why. we used to call you the saint"
| said
"Of course" said he. frowning, "it's yer.
friendly of you to talk that kind Of rot
But we did, protested.
"Oh. In irony, you mean"
mo; in all sincerity. OF course. we didn'
let you know. We thought it might offent
you"
mo. my dear wroughtnight," said he
let me give you word in season"
Thanks. But-as the servant girls say
Il never accept valuable presents from
gentlemen"
This young mans craving after an evi
reputation is unhealthy in the extreme
You'll repent of it some day."
I was justly irritated. 1T seems to me. >
said l. that it is you who is doing the
craving
II don't understand you," said he stern.
ly.
You know you were a perfect Puritan" "
81 don't deceive myself old man."
You kept your misdeeds pretty dark
anyhow. Nobody ever found you out in
anything worse than box at MelochrinOs s.
or Sunday at Brighton. OF course, you
sometimes left actresses photographs ly-
ing about; but we knew where you bought
EN-"
Does any man ever buy actresses pho
tographs?"
rall
admitted.
This is a very painful discussion" said
he
''Oh. don't apologize" murmured.
He sighed. 'Old man, I'd like to see you
give up that sort Of thing?'
Which sort Of thing?"
You know. The sort of thing | used to
go in for
"You mean cigarettes and the National
Sunday League?"
He sighed again. 1t was a diplomatic
evasion. Marriage" said he, sententious-
ly, "opens a mans eyes. He sees things in
a new light. He realizes how wrong GER
tain things are that he once delighted in.
To have a tender. trusting woman commit
ted to his daily care"
.'Oh. say'' l exclaimed.
You don't understand" said he. you
have no responsibilities
81 have friends" said I.
Il don't mind you saying that II you
think 1t smart" he replied with an uncon-
scionable air of long suffering.
Look here, Cheedle. don't be an ass.'
l shouted.
You remember Balaam's ass. Phil
"No. | think he must have been before
my time
In spite Of himself, he laughed. At once
ba Hp
taking me home to dinner. Within sight
of the house he said:
Il am so glad you get on well with my
wife. Phil. II the subject of my-my Past
should ever crop up. be true friend, won't
you?'
/ promised And few days later / re-
deemed my promise amply. l met Mrs.
Cheedle in Piccadilly and she pined for tea
II is not my fault if Mrs. Cheedie thinks
that tea in a Piccadilly shop is rather dis
sipated.
Il am going to scold you. Mr.. Wrought
night she said. for your good / think
you are leading a very useless life"
1T is useful TO me- l replied. meekly.
"In fact, | don't quite see how l could get
on without it
You waste so much of your time
LAS time is not of value TO me that is
not great extravaganza"
You keep bad hours
Which are the bad hours. Mrs. Chez
dle?"
"As if knew" she cried. You smoke
q great deal, too"
Il confess it,
You go to music halls
Alas
You belong to too many clubs"
But I only frequent the others"
You know too many people.
There are too many people. I'm afraid"
You attend race meetings. YOU
II certainly begin to believe l am in
bad way" said l. Il had not thought of
it before. Thank you. Mrs. Cheedle. But
you must not be too hard on me. All men
are not like your husband. you know
Why don't you get married, too?
Marriage would not alter me- said l,
gloomily.
1T has altered josie
Il beg your pardon. Mrs. Cheedle. 1t
has not altered him in the least"
She grew pale. What do you mean?"
she gasped.
Il know him so WELL you see
She Lal, rose ''Yol mean to tell me"
"A saint. Mrs. Chesdle,' l cried, earnest
y; IAN angel in trousers!"
Don't be absurd she said. laughing.
Il assure you. Mrs. Cheedle." said I,
that more innocent man than your hus-
,and does not walk this earth
Extraordinary as it may appear. she was
greatly annoyed. Nonsense" she said,
sharply.
1t is true" said l. simply.
II know better" she retorted. There
s too much that is evil in Josie. unfor-
unately" The last word sounded dread
ully like an afterthought-
There is no more vice in him than in a
.'Hp ALWAYS like
hat"
..Of course. you are his friend. You
would be sure to say so. II is very loyal
nd nice of you; but / You can't de-
;eive me-
Evidently no man is saint to the wo-
nan who loves him!
II have no wish to do So" said ]. There
5 no need
my dear Mr. Wroughtnight," she said.
With thinly veiled impatience. 'Go yol
honestly maintain that Josie is any bet
er morally. than the average man.?
intellectually better" said l.
Then you are mistaken"
Really, think not We used to call
lin The Saint"
THE Saint, How absurd!''
1T was saying among US, AS innocent
Is Cheedle!
Nonsense she said again. flushing an
,rily. Il don't believe it,
l bowed and was silent.
"All men are more or less alike" said
he.
l did not reply.
Aren't they, Mr.. Wroughtnight:
Everything is as you say, Mrs. Chez
lle," l said, carefully betraying my an
loyance.
"Oh, was l rude? l beg your pardon.
10 be nice. Mr.. Wroughtnisht
You asked my opinion of Jossph Saun-