The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1900-04-06
THE SILVER BR0CADE

II was so stiff II could literally stand
alone The groundwork was as white
as alabastcr. II was powdered with
argent dots placed so closely together
that the effect was a shmmoring all.
very surface, indcscribably beautiful,
Lady Betty Dufferin wore II first at
one OF George Tvs lcyccs, Her pur-
trait was painted I'm it. A chcrrylip,
ped. saucy-nosed insolcnt.eycd beauty
was Lady Betty, and "A flame, II was
said. OF His Royal Highness.
Her descendants brought II To Vir.
gina. where II was rustlcd through
many stately minuct over polished
floors under the soft light Of waNen
candles I'm sconco and chandelier lt
finally came into the possession OF tho
famous Duffcrin twins. who fought
desperately over &C. and were con
sumed with vcXation because their
mother refused 10 allow either 90 ap'
pear I'm II. inasmuch as IL WAS her hob
by 10 dress both these beautiful girls
exactly alike, and there was not
enough of the brocadc 60 so round,
one OF Alva Duffcrin's daughters
however wore n AZ White sulphur
Springs one summer I'm the sixties,
and created havoc wherever Rha
gtppped She was the counterfeit
representation Of her illustrious nn.
ccgtrors 0dy Betty, and appeared Ia
have inlc 'itcd many Of the traits OF
that froli"5Omc dnmc. II was Hh"
who. clad In the silver brocado. pulled
off her satin slipDor and hlling II with
champagne. gave u 90 one OF hor
ad0rors. while the rcst' nearly came
10 blows over the question who could
secure the other tiny llagon 1hu1
Betty Duffcrin had "A namboyant and
choCkcrod career. The least said
about Il here the better.
Her grandchild. an exquisite slip ~
q girl ran away with RtrOlllnR actor
a picturcquc vagabond. and went upon
the Rlngc. She made over the Rilvof
brocadc. which had fallen 90 her, into
a stage gown for a society play. She
wore II with great oclat on the open.
ing night. and the leading man walked
mp the back broadths and tore II on
the waist Theroupon Miss julia
Dcvcrcux tainted with yoXation and
the curtain was rung down.
Next day In q fret the actress gave
the still beautiful fabric 20 her maid.
who promptly took II 30 a funny little
shop near Varlck sroct and concluded
n bargain with n daughter Of Israel
And hero "Dlck' Fanshaw found n
No one ever knew from what cOrn"f
~ the habitablo globe came Dick
Fanshaw and his beautiful wife They
npOkc 90 familiarly of Monte Carlo
and Paris aB thcy did of Mexico and
the Klundlke. She had been used 10
luxury that was apparent oven "
now she did not possess A. She car
Ticd about hor an air ~ faded gplcn
dor. and the somewhat pagsc costumes
~ the lovely woman always retained
yostigc Of elegance.
Mrs Fanshaw was one ~ those
splendid creatures for whom superb
dress would seem 90 have been Invent
cd She Was vertable Juno with
wonderful hair the exact tint ~ old
copper and eyes the exact tint ~ old
blue china She WAS far more refined
In her manner and bearing than WAS
her husband. Her proud. sensitive
face grew often BcOrnful and mutinOug
aB she regarded her swarthy oyillOOk
ing lord That she barely tolerated
his presence was plain enough 10 see
One could not blame her when one
seriously studied tho face of "Dick'
Fanshaw. He had the air ~ n brigand
His hair was tho coarse blucblac ~
the Orient. and his eyes were Ike
gmolderlng fires. A frightful mus.
tachc. OcstcntatiOualy and deliberately
curlcd. and a short. thick nose. added
20 his fOrbldding and sinister appear
ance he was addicted 10 wearing
fashy iowelry when he could AFFORD
n. and his alOuch hats and vivid neck
ties were awful 20 behold
But there was one thing about
Dick" Fanshaw that all the men
agreed that sat az tho card table with
him He had the true gamblers nerve.
lie was Just as cool and self lfcOntaincd
when he was losing as when ho was
winning. In fact his apparent indif
ference 20 money was magnificent
One watching bis lnscrutable face
and cOldblOOded manner as he shunlcd
and dealt n hand that meant defeat
for him would have said why.
money means nothing 90 THIS man
he is playing merely for shr fun oi
the thing"
But In Fanshaw's circle n was quito
we'll understood that the gambler was
in desperate straits. For months he
had lost steadily. rocouping nov and
then enough % keep him still In the
game.
The Faashaws had modest apart
ments half way up town. In neigh
bOrhood Of not unblemlshed reputa.
ton. They lived--Heaven knows how.
There were frequent quarrels between
the handsome, high-splrlted woman
] and the heayy.browed, hery-eyed hus'