New-York tribune., 1901-03-03
THEHANDW WRITING ENPERT
From Punch.

Otten l have wondered whether there is any
truth IN the remark THAI thu nonsense knocked
ou' OF people al school Is at oxford carefully
ana palElessly put back. II was 1t oxford that
hatht. my husband formed his friendship
lOt MyNeIn AaundeT- MyNern j. a nice boy"
dear fellow "EoOd chap according 10
peoples age and point Of view. II he IS a rifle
beiteT locking than the average. he has L-ither
any sort Of pose nor any views nor .al eel.
any thing likely 10 irritate his fellow msE IIe
is c1nseQUently popular. particularly with
women; and they probably know hoH euor-
TnouSN popular they with him. l. = not he
sort II lining a man like AXl-.eTn velid rsnceaI
from Them In fact. he is strangely SuSceF Fsible.
and have never met him Yet when he was not
more ur less desperately in love. TheoTeli ally,
he Is what believe used t. Ire called pcs
slinisi ana never sees the slightest ,.Ln-ner Of
silver lining without promptly calling etten-
tion 10 the lowering cloud. But his does not in
quite abn0rmaly high. our friendship has al
ways consisted chiefly in our confding in each
other Enthusiastically on matters Of no l'np0r-
tancC whatsoever and giving 70 each other
siTuGl taneCusly excellent adsice, 10 which
neither even pretended TO listen. I talked 10
him about everything under the sun His own
subject never varied.
However, after a time listened less eagerly
TO the comfortable SOrrOTs Of the sentimental
list But he still continued 10 write TO me with
Some frequency. assuming his condolences be
no less interesting than before. Il would. how
ever 1e most uhIi4lr 20 accuse hlrl IN thls ma
ter If indscretion Wyvern Maunders epistoi-
ary communications were liable TO remain as
protound secret from ms correspondent as
from the rest Of the world. Clear and inteliSihle
IN conversation. on paper he became dark. un-
fathomable mystery AS a matter OF fact.
one had as Yet been discovered who could read
q single word OF MS handwriting
one day received letter from him. written
apparently. as usual in bad Arabic, with the
handle rather than the point OF the pen. From
the shape OF the letter l thought It did not seem
TO require answer. and had grown accus-
TONED 10 judging oy appearances IN lties' mat
tiers I therefor took notice Of il, although
IL looked a little ilacker, the words were larger
and Yet closer together, and altogether II
Seemed more Interesting than usual But our
Friendship was growing fainter. Besides, was
going 70 Tunbridge Wells for Easter 10y an
early train with little Gladys GIaryey was TO
soin me the next day). and also had something
on my mind that made me- rather absent al the
time.
Harvey had risen late. and went 10 say
gOodby 10 him. not at all liking TO leave him
even for a day Then, as ] went down ana saw
his breakfast ready in the dining room, found
the letter in my pocket; So put il on his plate
thinking IL might aInuse him 10 Try 10 declpner
"o!d Myverns scrawi, ana went on WIN
Gladys and her governess 10 Tunhrcge Wells
I was thoughtful.
In The autumn had seen a palnist known as
the Wonderful Mrs Hopkirson, who assured
tta- a man with the initials 4 H would come
into my life" and in tn early spring would
save me from a terrible danger For time
I was sceptical. Yet, as ] net an steady sue
cess.on Anthony Hope. Arthur Humfreys,
Andre Ieliofralolich, Lord Alfred Hayerley and
Algy HaZler, and when neither of them ap-
pe@red to snow any a+Ste Tba III, dne
WHO certainly did take little trouble at one
tiHe was Algy Hazler, and am bound 70 say
tluat if one had 10 be saved from danger Agy
Eazler would have been the person ! should
have chosen 10 do il
Bur after meeting him and discovering his
good Gualities-aud his initials-at a dinner
party after seeing him accidentally al the thea
tre anG on purpose in the park, he conflded IN
ne that he privately engaged" 70 . dear
girl down in Hertfordshire.
Privately engaged. indeed People with the aI-
pearance Of Mr.. Algernon HaZler ought 10 have
the decency to be publicly engaged, and they
ought 20 wear notice 10 that effect. Not that
It mattcred; what il heavens name had 4 10
do with me! However, il was spring. there aU-
peared 10 be no dangers about. and that absurd
Algy Il never liked him r-allyD had gone t.
spend Easter down in Hertfordshire."
Gladys, Miss Mills and / wandered about the
common. bought for each other paper knives of
curious Tunbridge ware and Gladys presented
Us each with shell flncushIon demanding
hrs, the money 70 pay for these useful gifts.
The next morning ] received q telegram, OF
which this is accurate copy:
TO Mrs Wentworth, Tiles Hotel, Mount s.
bastian, TunbTidSe Wclls.-An discovered Never
return 70 my roof Am communicating solely
through solicitor.
HARVEY BASSETT WENTWORTH"
Naturally felt horribly upset and beWlldeIed,
and, y course, ] simply hadn't notion Of what
Il couG mean. The more read i aloud TO Mss
MIS- ana tre more she read Il aloud 10 me the
les bCth understood il. In the shadow Of
TIE Toad Rock ! took the resolution 10 ask
Harvey Wl2. was The matter I went indoors,
when another telegram was given 10 .ne at the
hotel. II ran thus.
Gone at once to ChItern Court VIII meet