The Washington weekly post., 1900-09-25

70 certain point she was "bonne CANA
rsde. even TO the extent Of a kiss or
playful embrace; beyond that point she
was vestal virgin.
We are all Of us7fhe greatest and the
least-lost and saved BY cur ideals. and
Berlnthia was no exception TO the rule.
Under her wild and reckless manner. her
eamesome audzcity. her free and easy
Bohemianism. she cherished a dream.
which had come 20 her very early IN life.
and had been awakened al first. no doubt.
oy her childish admiration for the gen.
teel ways and manners Of certain ar
tists Tbs dream was. 10 express IL in
her own language. that she should mar
~ II ever she married at all, "a gentle
man.
Now what Berinthia meant by the word
gentleman" was not. perhaps. what we
mean, though Il was very much what !s
meant by a large portion OF humanity.
A gentleman" IN Berinthia's eyes. was
one who was well educated. who dressed
nicely, who wore clean linen, good boots.
and gloves. and was polite to the fair
sex. For. above all things In the world,
Berthinia disIiked what she described as
common people"-people like her father
and mother. and the thousands z isrse
creatures who surrounded her !. Lon
don streets. Elegant persons .-is Mr..
Somerset, persons who were refined to
the finger tips. were her admitltion- Yes.
her mind was made up. aai nothing
would change It; she would marry gen
tleulan." no matter how poor. and she
herself would become that paragon of
paragons. a "lady."
OF course. II was only drecm. and In
some respects a very foolish one; yet IL
had this good result-it saved poor Berin-
thia from ideals even more ignoble, and
II Kept her pure and clean In her hard
fight for bread. Wherever she went she
saw before her the picture Of the un-
known cavalier who was TO lift her, fig-
dratively speaking on the erupper OF his
steed, and gallop away with her into
Fairylsnd, where the well-dressed people
came from. II never occurred TO her that
he would desplse her for earning her liv-
ing as she did, as an artists model. Her
heart was pure, and he would kaow 1t,
The greatest lady in the land had not
a keener sense OF purity than Berinthia-
Sometimes, in the innocence of her
heart, she talked about her fancy to
her friends at the studio. OF course.
they chatfed her. but all the same she
saw that they thought none the worse
OF her. Mr. Leroy particularly was very
kind. Ee would talk to her quite serious
Iy, lend her nice books, recite poetry"
10 her. and laborioUsly try to improve
her mind.
Unfortunately. Leroy had one great
failing-a too great liking for the cup
which cheers and inebriates. He got tip
sy twice or thrice a week. and became
utterly irresponsible. Even in his cups.
however, he was the most amiable Great
ure in the world and. as his acquaintance
expressed it, "nobody's enemy hut his
own"
A few months after the scene in the
studio with which our story opened came
Easter Monday, the spring bank holiday,
and among these who drifted out of town
with the crowd were Somerset and Leroy.
Belford, who hated holidays, stayed at
home, hard at work as usual.
The two artists took the train to Ted
dngton, and walked thence to Bushey
Park, where the colonnades of horse
chestnuts were in full bloom, and which
was thronged with holiday makers from
the great city. 1t was bright and sunny
day. the grass was green as emerald, the
air clear and sparkling like champagne,
the whole scene frankly pagan like
glimpse of old Already. Men and girls
danced and romped. babies sprawled on
the grass. while the crowded omnbuses
rolled along the dusty road between the
chestnuts, followed by the city clerk in
his hired dog cart and the coster on his
donkey tray.
Pan was there and Faunus. too.
All the Tomping sylvan oiew!
Natures Moenads hoeking mad
From the city dark and sad,
Finding once again the free
Sunshine and its iollitie!
Cayly twangea the hddIe string
Men and girls played kiss-in-ring,
Fountains leapt against the sun.
Roses biooned and children played,
All the world was full of fun.
Lovers eu6ded in the shade!
Out at the Hampton Court end of the
park they strolled. and elbowing their
way through the throng in front of the
Kings Arms halted at the bar for
what Mr.. Richard Swiveller called "a
modest quencher." Then. sallying aorth,
they entered the court gardens and watch
ed the throng which was swarming, thick
as bees in and out of the maze.
Suddenly Somerset gripped Leroy by the
arm. and uttered an exclamation.
by Jove, look there!'
Leroy blinked round and saw, appearing
out of the maze, the face and form of
Berinthia. She wore a pretty cotton
gown, a hat with feathers, and in her
hand she carried a bunch of blooming Ii
lac. Her look was radiant and she was
hanging on the arm of a young man, So
absorbed was she in the contemplation of
her companion and in her own abundant
happiness, that she did not notice her two
friends of the studio who drew aside
quietly as she approached.
The young man was stylishly dressed in
the fashion Of the period; a white hat.
white waistcoat, peg-top trousers, and
frock coat with a rose in the buttonhole.
His hair was fair, his mustache still fair
er, and his face somewhat sickly and ir-
sipid. He wore llac-colored gloves, and
swung a malacca cane.
who the deuce has she picked up?"
asked Somerset, smiling.
Possibly the long-expected One!' mild
ly suggested Leroy.
Looks like counter jumperr' mutter-
ed Somerset
Curious 20 ascertain what had brought
beTlulHld lntfe, lHes IOtiOWcu the pair AT
a respectful distance.
Look how she hangs on his armr' said
Somerset. How admiringly she looks up
INTO his face! He must be Prince Charm
ing after air.
Presently they lost the pair in the crowd
thrCnging the gardens ner did they eaten
sight of them again. though they looked
everywhere for them. Late that evening
the artists returned 10 Bloomsbury. Leroy
mildly tipsy as usual, Somerset full of life
and spirits.
A whole week passed. and Berinthia did
not appear at the studio. This was so IN
usual that the three we're not a little as
tonished At last one morning. some ten
DAYS after the Teneontre Al Hampton
Court. Berinthia walked in and greeted
them with a smiling nod.
The prodlgal returned cried Somerset.
Where on earth have you been hiding?'
Il haven't been hiding anywhere" re-
piled the maiden; I've been al nome -