Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-11-30

generally wont. She had been seen with
this gallant on the banks of Rosamund
pond by moonlight and with another be-
side the fountain in st. James Square at
midnight; some of them remembered her,
in the early days of her widowhood, she
had been constantly seen at the card table
the fact reduced her to their own level,
which is great consolation to the enVious
and the poorer sort; some of them knew
that she was nothing better by birth than
the daughter of mere city merchant from
whom she inherited most of her money; the
fortune, it was reported, was made in
dirty warehouse by the river, out of figs
and raisins-but this statement was con-
trad1cted; and the report made it tallow;
and still another made it candles, but they
knew nothing for certain. However, it was
now quite certain that the lady gambled TO
more; she had frequent card parties in her
own mouse, but she did not sit down to
play; she invited her friends to festivities
and water parties; she was generous, as the
rector of st. James Church well knew. TO
the poor and to those who wanted help:
she was good natured and kindly to all;
she took no part in the scandals which
make up most of the discourse of fine la
dies; and whether as regards her dress,
which was always costly, or her manner,
which was gracious, but could be proud; or
her suite and establishment, she was a
great lady.
There was a certain brief period when
isabel mad looked upon marriage as a
means of livelihood. During that time she
was perhaps willing to contract marriage
which she would afterward, when she be-
came rich, have regretted She was pre-
served, however, as we have seen, from this
misfortune. The natural effect of her es-
cape was distaste to any second marriage
at all. Her purpose, now she was rich and
independent, was to preserve her independ-
ence-no legal skill in settlements she pos
sessed would secure for her the complete
i innoependence winch she now enjoyed-and
the more she considered the men who 1ock-
ed around her the more she despised their
empty and wasted lives.
AT the entrance to the park by Spring
Gardens the footmen stood in a group ex-
changing scandals and inventing anecdotes
or their mistresses-they waited till the ia +
Ter should come out, and they beguIled the
time as best they could by the circulation
Oh ola lies and the fabrication of new. Had
we been able to listen to these gentry
whose discourse is happily long since for
gotten, we should now have been recording
the deplorable fact that in this year of
grace tnere was no kind of honor left
among the men nor virtue among the Wo-
men; that both men and women cheated ha-
bltually at cards; that the men got drunk
outWitted each other and were afraid to
ngnt, ana that the women could not pay for
their hnery; that posts of honor in the
households of men of rank were openly
Sold Many other pleasant things spoken of
as generally true were discussed by the
gentlemen of the worsted epaulettes In SO
much as said above 1t is happiness for
the credit and character of the house that
they have been forgotten
Inc evening grew later the sun had
set sEr, put IT was still quite light as Isabel
the following of beaux had dWindled
down. There was then no one with her
put her brother-in-law. At the gates Isa-
pei pei turned a.T to him. Good night" she
SAD. II see my two rascals Row, nv
lord' let me advise you. Go home; tempt
not fortune" His lordship bowed low and
turned turn away, but his lip went out another
half-inch or so and it was with a more
peevish look than before that he walked
away alone. Isabel looked after him for
a moment. His discomfort was not new to
ner any more than his passion for one form
every evening, If not his presence were az
the cockpit. He had not yet, in ina gina.
ton, pledged his last acre, sold his last
c eI ana lost his last guinea, and like
all other gamesters. If his life had to he
acted all over again he would return to
the same place and listen to the same
music Of the birds and their hackers. Isa-
pei PEI looked after him, but the time when
she might have sighed over the waste of
lie was gone; she only wondered if his
money for the month was as vet ali snent
or lost and If she would have to endure
his company. which was cold and aristo-
cratic. for dinner until his next aIlowanoo
became due. ee
Just as she passed through the gates
she was met by young lawyer. She
was alone; he was about to take fhe ayene
ing air in the park, after a long DAVIS
work In hot and sitting court, SURROUND
ed by rapacious suitors and reluctant wifi.
nesses with . point of law to. enforce upon
deaf old Judge and a difficult Jury. n.
was tall and handsome man; his face
sharp and thin, his eyes bright, his fen
lures regular. Beneath his lawyers wig.
he carried his head erect with something
Of the air noble: his gown, as yet only Of
stuff. swelled out behind him In the breeze
like the foresail of gallant ship. He walk
ed with the easy assurance which enc
before the world. on their feet PLAYING
their part openly in the eyes of ali. adj
dressing Judges and juries, examining.
comparing and eonvicting Of perjury or