The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-07-13
CONFIRMED
BACHELORS
They Talked Ono Way and Felt
Another.

o " SlOth 10 q " SAOSn
not 20 minutes past"
"Walmer," said Mayne cheerfully, "do
sit down, there's q good chap. and make
yourself comfortable. They won't serve
dinner until you ring, and there's moth
ing on earth to worry about. Besides.
Gascoigne lives down in Surrey, you
know. Once you get on the Southwest
ern"-
There was knock Mt the door.
"AIr. Gascoigne. gcntlemens."
Grit"
"Sair?" answered the proprietor Of the
restaurant.
Serve the dinner"
"Goot."
The new arrival strobe into the room
with the breezy manner of one who
knows he is late and has decided to de-
feat reproofs by cheeriness. He shook
hands with the other two men. said
something caustic about railways. assur-
ed them both that they looked as young
as ever. Now, there is nothing gratities
men who have passed the age of 80 so
much as to be told they look as young as
ever
There's no doubt about it," said Wal
mer, smoothing his thin hair and glanc-
ing at the mirror, that bachelorhood
does keep Il man wonderfully youthful.
Now, if we had married.
Don't talk of it." said Gascoisne, with
a SILVER.
"Thc worry of wife," said Walmer
strenuously. doubles a mans age"
"And his expenses" remarked Gas
coignc.
"A wife would hook after you," sug-
gestel Mayne hcsltatineIy.
"'rhn*'s the objection said the othes
two mcn
II suppose we have much to be thank
full for" said Mayne. Let US say
grace
After the choice dinner the three men
cut their cigars with great particularly.
Maync humned Il few bars of a cheerful
air and, taking Il candle from the branch
on the table, lighted his cigar and passed
the candle to the others. They set their
chairs back, and each found a rest for
one foot.
Been writing some more Of your
trash. haven't you, Gascoisne?" asked
Walmer.
clad one or two books out" confessed
Gascoignc.
"Wonder who reads them"
Goodness only knows" said Gas
coigne. II don't"
Still" said Walmer encourasingly.
ave seen some very fair notices"
"Ive tried TO say a good word for
them when had the chance" said Gas
coigne.
But really" urged Walmer. fact Of
matter is you're making a name. Gas
coigne. You're getting ON in the world.
You're Il lucky man. People are begin
ming to talk about you"
Il think. Gascoignc. you ought to apol-
ogizc." said Wayne. I'm only just back
in London. and have been spared much
of the annoyance of seeing You become
famous"
"Onc doesn't feel any the happier for
it." said Gascoigne Il live in a valley
in Surrey, and checks tumble down from
London n little quicker than they did.
but
But what?"
"Wcll." said Gascoienc thoushtfully.
after all. there you are all alone and no
one to share your troubles and double
your joys. and. upon my word. it
enough to make Il man think seriously
off,
GascoiGne sighed.
"Of what?" demanded Walmer sharp
ly.
~ forgot what | was going to say"
declared GascoiGne.
Walmcr looked ut Gascoigne very Sc
verely, but the literary man kept his
head well down and tried to make. the
nutcrackprs stand on their two legs. The
scent of liQueurs seemed to have got
into the head of the nutcrackerS, and
they were unable to remain upright.
Mayne broke the silence by asking the
two men when .lumhlrs was coming home
from the Sudan. Walmer. at the head
of the table. flushed IL little, for no OBJ
vious reason. and said not yet; old Jum-
bles would he out there for some time.
Good MIN was .Iumbles. said Walmer,
one of the best war correspondents the
journal had ever had.
81 liked Jumbles." said Wayne thought
fully. He had such charming young
sister,"
The nutcrackers fell tipsily off the ia
BILE.
"By the bye" asked Walmer at the
fireplace, what was Miss Cholmonde-
ley's name?
"Elsa," said Gascoigne and Mayne to-
gether.
'Not a bad name," remarked Walmer
critically. ELISA Cholmondeley."
"All the same" said GaScoigne. laugh
ing a little awkwardly. 81 suppose she's
like most ,,irls-shc'd be glad enough to
change it,"
"rhink she would?" asked Mayne anx-
iously.
81 should say that she would" replied
Walmcr. ''What is your opinion. Cas-
coigne?''
"Gnly natural" said Gascoigne.
"Dare say that the little woman's lone
~ nov that her brother Is away" re-
marked Wahner sympathetically. 1T
would be almost charity If some one
would propose tn her"
II remember" remarked Mayne, that
she had Il very pleasant. low voice and a
charming smile. Sensible. 100. she was"
"Dcvilish good little figure" said Gas
coigne thoughtfully.
Give me light" said Walmer, at the
fireplace. ut isn't often / let my cigar
go out"
There was pause. The three men
smoked quietly until a lump Of coal,
tired of the silence, fell noisily in the
crate. The proprietor of the hotel knock
ed at the door and handed in, with great
respect, the extra special of an evening
paper aud retired.
"What have you been doing in Africa,
Mayne?"
II should think" replied Mayne abb
sently, that Miss Cholmondeley is more
than %.
Walmer repeated his question with as
perity, and Mayne bestirred himself In
order to give Il lucid answer.
''WOnder you don't settle down,
Maync," said Gascoigne.
"Who with?"
''ueavcnsr' cried Gascoigne, starting
up and pacing the room. Cant q man
settle down by himself? What charac-
ter you are, Wayne! Look at me, for in
stance. I've got my little place down in
Surrey, with an old housekeeper and
couple of servants. and I'm as happy"
said Gascoignc, with deiiance-"as hap
by as the days are long"
'"They are long. | expect"
81 don't find them So" declared Cas-
coigne obstinatcly.
but you said just now before din
ner"-
Don't argue so, Mayne," begged Gas-
coigne, with testiness. THAT was al
ways your failing" Flo turned to the
man who was looking into the fireplace.
Are you still living in Gray's Inn, Wal
mcr?"
Walmer did not answer for a few mo-
ments.
YES" said Walmer presently. 'If you
can call it living. Sometimes in my
chambers there l am not quite sure