The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-04-05
MRS. MANSFIELD
ST ira 1-EGIST.
She Played Upon Her Husbands Van
ity to Accomplish IA Worthy
Object.


ObJftAs
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Il have made a discovery, John" said
Mrs. Mansfield. looking up from her knit
ting.
John Mansfield, retired merchant, al
derman and mayor of Pimpernc, looked
up from his paper.
"a discovery, my dear?" he said, as
suming his best magisteria manner.
'Pray what is the nature of this remark
able occurrenccY
Il find that Miss Ansom has a photo
graph of yourself, which she treasures in
secret"
What do you mean, my dear| cX-
claimed Mr.. Mansfield.
This morning. explained Mrs. Mans
field Il entered Miss Ansom's room and
found her absorbed in the contemplation
of some object which She held. She had
/ evidently not heard my knock, but the
noise of my entrance startled her, and as
she hastily hid something in a drawer a
photograph fell to the floor She snatch
ed it up, flung it into the drawer and
closed it, but not before had recognized
it as your photograph. | pretended not
/ to have noticed the photo, prefcrring to
have an explanation from you"
! Mr.. Mansfield was the picture of help
less amazement
Miss Ansom, it must be explained. was
bright and charming young lady whom
| Mrs. Mansfield had recently engaged as "A
companion.
Il am quite at loss to explain the af-
| fair" said Mr.. Mansfield in tones quite
unlike those of the mayor of Pimperne.
/ Possibly it was given to her by mutual
friend"
"Then why should she make a mystery
of it and gloat over it in privateY' de
manded Mrs Mansfield grimy.
My dear" said Mr.. Mansfield, with
a return of dignity. Il do not understand
you. If mistake not, it was something
she hid in the drawer which she 'goated
over not the photograph
Il am not sure which it was" said
Mrs. Mansfield with strained calmness.
Now that the first shock of amazemcnt
was over Mr.. Manstield's pomposity re-
turned rapidly.
"Ah. very possible, my dear. Miss An
som, whom | have every reason to think
is young lady of good discernment and
sound judgment, has found something in
my public life which she has been good
enough to admire. Miss Ansom has had
every opportunity of studying my work
for the past three months and also the
general course of municipal life in what
| think, may be regarded as a noble bor-
ough. What more natural, then, that
this young lady, seeing the portrait of a
gentleman clad in the robes and insignia
of the Office of chief magistrate of this
borough displayed in the photographers
window and, recognizing in that gentle.
man myself. should purchase that photo
graph"
Mrs Mansfield listened with immova.
BILE features.
"A very good explanation" she com
mcnted, ''if it had been one of your oili'
cial photographs. But the one in Miss
Ansoms possession is one of those you
had taken about two years ago before
you were elected mayor. We ordered on
! ly few of them, | remember and
thought we had disposed of them all The
/ question is. how did Miss Ansom obtain
one? did not give it to her"
Then | can only say that you must be
! iilotdN'l' llN h'hli Hilh VII b hllNilN''l
with asperity. "On your own confession
you only saw it for an instant. How can
! you be certain that it was a photograph
! of myscIff"
"If you think my eyes deceived me,
, perhaps you will believe your own. The
! photo is still in the drawer. Miss An.
! som has had no opportunity Of removing
/ it, for | sent her on an crrand 1t is in
the first drawer of her dressing table if
| you wish to satisfy your curiosity"
Mrs Mansfield. do you think that
am going to steal into a lady's room and
/ pry into her private afrairsI" cried the
magistrate, rising. You forget your
self, madam,"
Mr Mansfield went up stairs in high
dudgcon 10 make some alteration in his
dress preparatory to going out.
lie was forced to acknowledge himself
/ quite at loss to account for that photo
being in Miss Ansom's possession, which
admission was rather extraordinary ON
his part
/ He prided himself on his keen insight.
I his strict impartiaty and his Grmncss IN
dischargins his magisteral duties But
an exhibition of these qualities was not
( confined to the bench OF the latter he
4 had made a lavish display in his home.
as Mrs Mansfield found to her cost.
1t was only II months ago that his
unhondius. will had driven their only
soh, lacL/to South Africa
Mr.. Mansfield had determined that his
son should marry rank and beauty in the
person Of daughter of u local magnate.
But handsome Jack Mansfield elected
to manage his own matrimonial affairs
and upset al his fathers brilliant plans
, by falling In love with pretty nobody
whom Mr. Mansfield had never even set
eyes on, a goveruess in house where he
was visiting.
Finding all arguments. pprsuaSons ana
ommands alike useless, Mr.. Mansfield
finally told his son he must either fall in
with his wishes or leave his home for
ever and look for no further assistance