The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-15
GAIL HAMILTON'S CONUNDRUM
She Kept a Party of Notable Persons
A-Guessing.
Los Angeles Times.

Los Angeles Times.
Gail Hamilton had been in Italy, as she
told me, with the pleasantest party in the
world, seeing everything that was beaut-
full. enjoying everything that fine.
studying old pictures. rummaging old
shops, getting the best of Rome and
Florence and Venice, and looking at the
Old World from her own original point
OF view-sweetnes and light and laughter
following, as always, wherever she went.
They had come slowly north; and, after
crossing the channel. a very great gentle
man took the party-the statesman and
his delightful wife, the young girl, the
musician and Gail-for a coaching tour
through beautiful England to his castle in
more beautiful Scotland.
Once in Scotland, Gail felt a dream of
her life fulfilled. The romance the poetry
OF Scott, which had been a joy of her
youth, had become real, and filled all the
air. But one day the mists had thickened
into rain and the rain had become a
downpour, as if all the fountains Of the
air had been loosed IN showers not OF
drops but of torrents.
In what way could the party at the
castle pass the long day before them?
Finally. and after various suggestions. il
agreed that each individual should do
mon entertainment What the host did or
proposed TO do; whether the statesman
told, for his part of the exercises. some
before unknown and secret piece of dplo-
natic history; what his wife or the young
girl did, what the chatelaine-none of that
is any part of the story. But when Gail
was asked what she had to offer her
share OF the morning entertainment. Il
will give you she said, after a moments
thought, the opportunity OF beholding
and contemplating something which ought
s.l,.
guarded as secret, and which you will
confess to be one of the most satisfac-
tory things of its sort which you have
seen in your travels. Provided" she add
ed. with a wicked sparkle-she who feared
neither king nor kaiser-'you will guess
what il is
This to them, fresh from the Vatican.
from the manuscripts and missals and
marvels of boOkbindings the glories of old
bijouterie and goldsmith's work. from ivory
ton. with all the loveliness in and about
this place before them!
Must guess?" asked one We'll
them remembering old game of their
childhood, Ito what kingdom does it be-
Iong?"
Perhaps the vegetable partly" said
Gail
Nothing of the Sort with great gayety
and good humOr.
But partly DO you mean that it be-
longs to more than one kingdom"
Yes; | think So
ITO the mineral?"
Your mind is running on jewels and the
! high priests breastpIate. Yes
"Why not the animal kingdom, too?'
| asked another, with mockery.
Not amiss. Yes, certainly, the animal -
/ "Animal-yegetab le-mineral--wh i'm the
world can it be? All three kingdoms? 1t
wouldn't be surprising If you added the
Without any doubt. the SPIRITUAL said
! Gail, decidedly.
You are going to tell us q ghost story
/ i'm broad daylight" said one, deprecatingly.
lis II white?" another asked, still humor-
/ ing her conceit.
''In some degree.
/ lis il pink, them
lin some degree.
ut is a chameleon on a chain2'
/ "Pshaw, Very different.
us it large"
Not too large"
lis 1T tall?
1T reaches just to my heart"
Il wonder what extravaganza YOU have
| been secretly committing. Is il that little
| Fra Angelica you longed fOrf
NO. Nor the little Andrea del Sarto
| painted on lapis lazuli.
81 know 1t is that Sevres cup.
Il may be brazen. But am not made
From whom did you say you bought it,
might we ask"
i didn't say l bought it at all. But l
stood in great awe Of the people who put
1T is a rosary blessed by the Pope of
/ course
1T is a Kelmscott book.
1T is one of those charming fgurines.
NO no. 1t is something much more sim
I ple and near home. is il not?'
"A great woman, great statesman, a
/ great financier, a great musicisn-to say
| nothing of the rest-and all such poor
/ guessers! What is becoming OF the Amer
/ lean prestige? ! won't keep you in sus-
I pense any longer
/ out OF sight she hurried. and before long
/ she descended with a pastebosrd box I'm her
nd -har ne "A
/ Paris bonnet,
Confess she said. Did you ever see
| anything more beautiful more satisfac-
| tory? Here. as / told you. are all the king
| doms-the silk. the velvet, the plumes, for
| one: the lace. the straw, for another. the
pins. the wires. the clasps. for the other.