The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-10-17


was the way she put IL in her colloquial
dialect. Also, she did not know which
way TO turn; but this was owing TO the
lack OF routes rather than any indecision
i'm selection.
The fact was that she had adopted the
popular proverbial method OF riskns all
on a single throw OF the dice, and il had
turned up aces. Reduced TO prose, this
meant that she had strained (and indeed
overstrained )every nerve In order TO pro-
sent a thoroughly smart appearance and
give her daughter a complete London
season in the hope that that damsel
would make a good catch, settle herself
comfortably in life, and be off her moth
ers hands for the future. Alice Lester
had insisted on this till her mother, with
| much misgiying consented. In cons@-
quence. Lady Lester had spent the great
er part of her yearly income i'm two
montns, ana run into debt as well. The
end OF the season was approaching, and
| the catch had not been secured. 1t seem
ed that the effort had been fruitless, and
| the consequences would have TO be faced.
Lady Lester knew as well as possible
! that tho only way 10 pay her debts was
| TO sell capital. This would reduce her
| already slender income Besides, how she
| and Alice were going 10 live and preserve
/ decent appearance on the small amount
4 OF income left for the remaining five
I months or SO of the year was a question
which made her inclined TO scream when
( ever she thought of IT,
! She was "A handsome woman, TALL state
! IS, fortunate in the possession OF "A figure
4 that did not age, clever and discreet In
! repairing the ravages of time. She usu-
| ally wore black, partly because it was in
tensely becoming TO her, partly for econ
omys sake. She presented a marked con-
| trast 10 her daughter, who was petite. pi-
/ quante. dainty, with retrousse features
( Taking the pair together. they were as
| attractive a mother and daughter IS one
4 could hope To see, if IL had not been for
| the eternal discomfort written on their
/ features.
Her troubles had not improved Lady
! Testers temper.
III you had only" she said peevishly TO
her daughter, given half the encourage
ment to Lord Wimberly that you have to
that that wretched Anderson. YOU might
! he Lady Wimberley, OFF my hands, and
able to help me little out Of this
scrape'
ITS 10 fault Of mine" said Alice, sui
/ leny.s II did all could 10 encourage the
! stick, wasted no end OF dances on him,
wore myself out with eEdeaYoring 10 talk
/ 20 him and make him talk. next TO asked
I, him for his bOx-seat at the meet of the
! Coaching club
wen. you got IL. interposed her moth
er.
Yes. and everybody, Of course, thought
| that IL meant something. but knew bet
ter. ] am quite sure that he never in
tended 10 offer IL TO me- and that my OFF,
| ering myself was not agreeable
! Then why didn't he say that he had
! given il away already"
That's a mystery To me. But / know
| perfectly well that he did not give IL 10
me for love of me. and also that he OBJ
! viously thought before taking my very
plain hint---"
"I am sure that he was most nice
"Nicew cried the girl shrilly. He al
ways is nice-in kind, aggravating
brotherly way. Hope you are enjoying
yourself Ike a good little girl Can
| help Don't mind me IL you don't want
I me- That's what he always seems TO be
saying. Could any one make anything
out of thatt
But he comes here good deal
Yes, and is just as pleased TO talk to
any OF your OLD frumps as TO me. Why. 1
believe he is just as pleased to taik 10
you as 10 me,
..Then why does he conner" said Lady
| Lester. who was too much accustomed to
her daughters rudeness to notice it,
oh | don't know. Why does any one
| do anything? One must do something.
! He is not man of deep reasons. He finds
here: we are kinder TO him than many
But there Is one thing that is quite cer-
! tain that l have tried, In give him every
kind OF opportunity, and he has never
taken advantage of one of them. on the
contrary, his one desire has always seem
| ed 10 get away
| your foolish announcement Oh An
| derson--"
ITS no good going on like that, mann
ma" said the girl blushing suddenly red
| II stuck TO Wimberley as long as there
! was n ghost of chance. and When
| saw there was none, and no other man
! came forward-well, I suppose love
/ George Anderson as much as a girl IKE
| me can--I know we can't marry-bu'
! what's the good Of going 10 dances and
! dancing with useless stick after useless
stick all the timer"
Lord Wimberley is not useless
| stick" said Lady Lester, with sudder
J warmth. which brought tinge OF color
10 her cheeks and made her look mucf
younger and unusually handsome 1T II
! Won who are such a foolish and frivo
| Ions girl that YOU are incapable of appre
! ciating his talents. His speeches In th'
| House OF Lords have been much admired
! --"
ooh. why don't you have a go-in fol
him Yourself. If you admire him so much
| | will make you present of my chance
| for IL isn't worth straw.
Alice, how dare you speak to me llk'
| that? Remember that 1 am your moth
| err"
Alice had not seen her mother angry
for years. She VAS amazed and trih'
alarmed at the unexpected ebulntion o.
the wrath Of the dove.
"Of course was only Joking. she SAID
sulkily You gave Il 20 me, and though
might have n little ono back. OF course
he Is not likely 90 think of you. He Is
great deal too wise 10 make such a-er-
unl-well, you know what mean.
you are an exceedingly insolent girl
was the mothers reply to this polt'
apology. "and terribly regret cripplins
myself In this way in order to give YOU
chance that you have wasted.
81 never asked you TO.
"Yes YOU did. You were always saylnt
that YOU never had a proper chance IKE
other girls, and what you would do IL yot
had. We'll. row you have had IT, ano
what good has it been7'
In this dialogue Of 81 never did and y
vish hadn't" there was no doubt grea
J deal OF truth on both sides. Lady Lestel
had been foolish; Alice had been unsuc
oessful. Both had concurred in this foil,