The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-03-05


any truth in the remark that the nom
sense knocked out OF people at school is
at oxford carefully and painlessly put
back. IL was at oxford that Harvey-my
husband--formed his friendship for Wy
vern Maunder. Wyvern is nice boy
dear fellow" or good chap" ac-
cordlng to peoples age and point of view.
IL ne is a trihe better looking than the
average, he has neither any sort OF pose
nor any Views" nor, indeed, anything
likely to irrtate his fellow men. lie Is
consequently popular. particularly with
women; and they probably know how
enormously popular they are with him. liz
is not the sort of thing man Ike wy
vern would conceal from them. In TACT
he Is strangely susceptible, and / have
never met him yet when he was not more
or less desperately in love. Theoretically.
he IL what believe used TO be called
pessimist and never sees the slightest
glimmer OF silver lining without
promptly ealing attention TO the lowering
csyid But this does not In the least inter
fere with his spirits, which are quite ABB
normally high. our friendship has al
ways consisted chiefly I'm our confiding in
each other enthusiastically on matters OF
no Importance whatsoever, and giving 10
each other simultaneously excellent ad-
vice To which neither even pretended TO
listen. | talked To him about everything
under the sun. His own subject never va
ried.
However. after r. time / listened less
eagerly to the comfortable sorrows of the
sentimentalist but he still continued 10
write 20 me with some frequency, assum-
ing his condolences to be no less interest
ing than before. IL would, however, be
most unfair TO accuse him in this mat
ter of indiscretion. Wyvern Maunders
epistolary communications were liable to
remain as profound a secret from his
correspondent as from the rest OF the
world Clear and intelligible in conversa-
ton on paper he became dark, un-
fathomable mystery. As a matter OF fact,
no one had as yet been discovered who
could read a single word OF his hand
writing.
one day I received a letter from him.
written apparently. as usual. In bad Ara
bic. with the handle rather than the point
OF the pen. From the shape of the letter
/ thought IL did not seem TO require an
answer, and l had grown accustomed 10
Judging by appearances i'm these matters.
I therefore took no notice of 1T, although
IL looked 4 little blacker, the words were
larger and yet closer together. and al
fpRetnff III SetIfitu HlpTt lhANttSAiHb
usual. But our friendship was growing
fainter Besides ! was going To Tun-
bridge Wells for Easter by an early train
with little Gladys (Harvey was to join
me the next day.. and also | had some
thing on my mind that made me rather
absent az tho time.
Harvey had risen late and I went TO
say goodby 10 him. not at all liking to
leave him even for day. Then, as 7
n a IL l. aat q
IN the dining room. I found the letter In
my pocket; so / put IL ON his plate,
thinking II might amuse him TO try 20 de-
cipher "old Wyvern's scrawl.' and went
OF with GLADYS and her governess to
Tunbridge Wells. | WIS thoughtful.
In the autumn | had seen a palmist
known as the Wonderful Mrs. Hopkin-
SON. who assured me with the absolute
certainty OF the mistaken that man
with the initials a. II. would come into
my life" and "in the early spring would
save me from a terrible danger" For a
time | was sccptlcal. Yet, as l met M
steady succession Anthony Hope. Arthur
Humfreys. Andre HelionaloVich. Lord
Alfred Haverley and Algy IIazler. and
when neither OF them appeared 10 show
any desire go come into my life, felt dis
| appointed The only one who certainly
| did take "A little trouble at one time was
Algv Iazlcr. and ] am bound To- say tha
| NJ one had To be saved from danger
AlCv Hazler would have been the persoi
| I should have chosen To do it.
Rut after meeting him and discovering
| his good oualities--and his initals-at
! dinner party. after seeing him accidental
4 Is al the theatre aud ON purpose I'm th'
! mark hc connded I'm me that he was 'pri
vatclv engaged 20 dear girl down n
| lIertfOrdshirc
| Privately engaged indeed People will
! the appearance of Mr.. Algernon Hazle
/ ought 10 have the deccncy to be- publicl'
-cngaged. and they ought 10 wear no
/ tive 20 that effect. Not that II mattercd
what in heavens name had IL to do will
\ me- However. II was spring there ap
/ peared 10 he no dangers about. and tha
! absurd Agy u never liked him really
had gone 90 spend Easter down IN Hert
I fordshire.'
| GLADYS. Miss Mills and wanderc'
about the ronimon. bought for each othe
I paper knives Of curious Tunhridge ware
| and GLADYS presented us each With shel
! pinciishion. demanding first the money =
| nay for these useful gifts
Ihe next morning received teleEram
/ - which this o. an accurate copy.
] TN Mrs Wentworth. Tiles Hotel Noun
1 - t-aff.r Tffnhfi1rf Mglls All 1iagoV