The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-06-17
THE LADY OF BIRTHDAYS.
A WIDOWS PATH THROUGH EUROPE
MARkED BIZ CELEBRAfIONS.
"Reminiscences Of Pink Roses. Presents and Q
Charming AMerican-An Cacx peetsA Moot
tng-A Curious Career Ending with . Wed.
ding IN venice to u Russian Count.


You mny say as much as you please about
wonan's willingness TO confess 10 birthdays
said the woman in whose honor the birthday
| dinner was given. IN admit that personally
! think they are most depressing occasions.
though a thing Of this sort with q COM
prehensive wave of her hand. around the table,
docs tighten the gloom a trife. But ! once
knew a woman who liked birthdays 70 much
| that she had them at least once a month-and
she wasn't a day under IS when | met her.'
The men looked sceptical, and the wonsa
looked curious.
Tell us about her" said tho host
The woman whose birthday II was iookeo
l thoughtfuliy Ut the roses ON the table.
1t was the pink roses that reminded mo a
4 her, She said. She affected pink roses, The
first time | saw her, she had "A big bunch Of
birthday roses In her hands. and there. were
more Of them on the table that night ut hee
birthday party, You see II was a long time
ago. I've had a good many birthdays sinoo
then myself,
Here's hoping there are many more before
you than behind you." said the host. raising
his glass.
Il was just II then. and l was travelling
In Europe with my oldest brother. Ned. You
know Ned was always susceptible. We we're
max ing a long trip and trying TO do II rather
economically; so we had alot Of good boarding.
house addresses. and found the places amusing.
hlrai's . hi"' aieiaoy :" AZ nuuays
We hao ioolhs euSaso" II '""S'o"' ~a~
"non @ii'eu' Ia" "a "'o"' 70 -:
u !es'm All aoou' IL i"ue ""w,"R'oo'h NM
"a ousu'hs "oou, W II "o''" nv o"a'noe'.
ha'o sAp'aihe" "ia. was 'oa oe,"" WING.
H. "as na'nie II o"'nuas' vi cou'se = a'~eu
- A. -- --I ..-. sL.a - -AA
VINO NINE n was anu > iearnea 'uA' " va
an american ~'oo"' oe''ehuu woman 7Ma~
od,"@n'e CONNIE !. dnSs' saio' u n,ai.. WING
mS he' MINUS "'"P"me' m'he' q a 'oe"m
the following week. 'Queue piier sighed the
Eel. - r,.,x an. ln,.d ~. lid 81
n'ue me"' n'', u ~. "~
at oncs
al 1a.e .,,.., mo-, H,,.. Mn. po,r,,
who kept the pension, to make the dinner ali
49,, -. u.a. - 49,, .h,o IT, .ar,,.a
the widow greatly. did L., msss.sur.. Tnsrs
WAS n good dead more of il that don't remem.
h.r vent IN and told Ned ,hou, the uartv
per. l went IN anu ''o geo ABOUT 'ne parry
and he was more than half in love with the
widow before he got his tie tied to suit hin.
wh.n % wan, dovns,a,rs ,hers was a nrettv
woman sitting Oh a divan. with a big bunch1of
pink roses In her hands. and several boxes Of
candy on her Ian, md n crowd Of fr.aly msu
one finds At pensions. hanging about her. and
several women besminS on her, and Nina
80. - - IA ,-~u.s -
Rofroi futterine round her like an excited blus'
jay. ! will say II for that widow. she laid her
self ont "A much 10 please the women n Il
please the men She certainly was q oharmsrs
one Of the soft pussylike women with a carsss-
ing voice and a lovely smile and eloquent eyes.
~ 80, - .i,hnr,. s,r,s.Ia 49,
Ned went Gown "ithou.a suuseie' ! never
cav him slide more suddenly ana ne was Al
WAYS rather sudden In that way. / was almost
a -. - a.. go a,.uua
as pau' ny 'he "no unnoi vas annn"o0
] had told her the Story Oh my NE ana knev
fSst s sne i ssspa s Hnf , ,hs I1 oUrs i Mss HS oa.n sif me sSe
ing. And yet ! wasn't a plain fool, either. Sho
had a way with her, that widow, .
The dinner was very gay. champagne
and everything to match. They, did sey
the fat English banker footed the bills.
We had. a beautiful evening 600. she
because she wanted 10 have oil her dear friends
around her on that evening She was ne
most apprecisuve SOU ever saw. 10 senMuve
and olinginR, and so touched by al this wsxm
friendliness In a foreign land when she had ca
pected 10 be SO SAD ana lonely. had a long
was having the same klnd OF q talk WIN me
next candidate, | ran upstairs ana pulled oyt
OF my trunk a lace far, had bought IN Brussels
Nel was IN hard luck that night. The next
afternoon asked Ned TO LEI me see the opera
glasses he had bought Tor Nell al mat famous
place on Regent street, while we were In Lon.
don. He choked and looked apoplectic. and
said he had given them away; The widow TOLD
self, Every one In The house had gwen her
something, and there were tears, In her eyes
while she talked about her appreciation.
u was silly about the woman, A. Tor Ned.
well in spite OF my own grief. felt relieved
when Nine. u. left, No girl likes TO, see her
brother making a lbhtherlng idiot, OF himself:
he was in a very bad way after the loved obJece
hnH gone. so were all the men. me gloom WAS
simply appalling. and finally we moved 70 .
hotel, where Ned cleeTed up a bit.
"A month later We went TO Geneva ana when
we were unpacking In our rooms, the proprietor
Of the place came in and told mo that We had
arrived al a most suspicious moment. There
was 10 be a diner de re and q little dance that
night, in honor Of the birthday ot one OF the
guests. just then some one cal ed her and she
day parties. passed the glad news on to Ned
aud II plunged him into the murkiest KIND OF
mood memory. regret. all that sort Of thing.
you know. lie swore he wouldn go down to
dinner. and had n dreadful time per
suading him TO he sensible. SO We we're late Tor
dinner. Champagne cork- we're popping AZ We
entered the dining room and there were pink
roses on the table. and there. the centre OF al
attention, sat our widow. 49,.
Ned grabbed the back OF my chair and ned
tight slid into my seat III a state OF collapee.
and lhe widow looked mp and saw US. The
color s,rgnd into her face and, FOR q moment,
she looked downright scared, she shot an I'M
gether. | couldn't help admlring her nerve.
Some one introduced US. We met as strangers.
She made some pleasah, remark 70 me, ana ths
fete went on, Poor Ned! 1t Was rough on him.
He didn't EAT much, and ne dldnt LOOK al her.