The Princeton union., 1901-10-03

eiA AEAl' JdcK, sAe crleQ, Il thought
we had parted this afternoon! What
has happened? You have been run
ming. What is it?'
"a good deal has happened, Molly.
For one thing, you will not be married
tomorrow morning.
"Why not? Is my lord ill?''
mot that I know of, but you will not
be married tomorrow morning."
"You talk in riddles, Jack"
would you like to put off the we'd
ding, Molly?'
"Alas, if I could put it off altogeth-
er! l am downhearted over it, Jack.
1t weighs me down like lead. But
there is no escape
Il think l have in my pocket a means
OF escape-a respite at least-unless
there are worse liars in the world than
those we have at Lynn
Liars at Lynn, Jack? Who are
they? Oh, Jack, what has happened %
l sat down on garden bench. "NIol-
ly," l said, "you hold the private char
acter of Lord Fylingdale in the highest
esteem, do you not?'
'"Therc is no better man living. This
makes me ashamed of being so loath
to marry him.
"Well, but, Molly, consider. Who has
bestowed this fine character upon his
lordship?'
Everybody who knows him-Sam
Semple for one. He is never weary Of
singing the praises Of his patron
HE is a grateful soul and, on his
own account, a pillar of religion.
will show you presently what an orna-
ment he is to religion. Who else?''
1.-THE Rev. Benjamin Purden, once his
tutor. Surely he ought to know"
Surely. Nobody ought to know bet
ter. will show you presently how ad-
mirable witness to character this
reverend divine must be esteemed"
'"There is Sir Harry Malyns, who as
sured us that his lordship is thought to
be too v1rtuOus for the world Of fash
ion."
HE is himself, like the parson, a fine
Judge OF character. Is that all?"
mo. The Lady Anastasia herself
spoke TO me or his nobility"
"She has also spoken to me-of other
things. See here, Molly" I lugged
out the two letters "What have here
contain the characters of all these ex-
cellent persons - the latest scandals
about them, their regulations and their
practices.''
"But, Jack, what scandals? What
regulations?
"You shall see, Molly. Oh, the alle-
cations may be false, one and all. For
what I know Sam may have the wings
Of an archangel, and Mr.. Purden may
be already overripe for the new Jeru-
salem. But you shall read"
l offered her the letters. NO." she
said. 'Read them yourself"
"The first, then, is from my fathers
first cousin, Zachary Pentecrosse, a
bookseller in Little Britain, which is a
part Of London. He is, 1 believe, re-
spectacle, God fearing man. You will
observe that he does not vouch for the
truth Of his information"
I then read at,length the letter which
you have already heard.
"What do you think, Molly?'
II don't know what to think. Is the
world so Wicked?"
Here is another letter, concerning
the Rev. Benjamin Purden. Observe
that this is another and an independ-
ent Witness So read the second let
ter, which you have also heard
HW19t do Won fhinl- of +l;c xx.o,+l,r
gentleman, Molly?'
ooh, Jack, I am overwhelmed! Tell
me more, what it means''-
1T means, my dear. that a ruined
gamester thought to find an heiress
who would know nothing of his tar
nished reputation. She must be rich.
All he wanted was her money. She
must not have her money tied up; it
must be all in his own hands, to do
with it what he chose-that is to say,
to dissipate and waste it in riot and
raking and gambling''-
Lord Fylingdale? Jack, think of his
face, think of his manners. Are they
such as you would expect in a rake?"
''Ihere are perhaps different kinds of
rakes. Tom Rising would spend the
night drinking and hawling songs An
other kind would practice wickedness
as eagerly, but with more politeness.
What do ! know of such men? Ger
tain am that Lord Fylingdale would
not scour the streets and play the Mo-
hawk. but that he has found other vices
more pleasant and more, apparently,
polite is quite possible"
II don't understand, Jack. All the
gentlemen like Mr. Rising drink and
sing. Do all gentlemen who do not
drink practice other vices?'
"Well, Molly, you have seen the vicar
taste glass of wine. he will roll it in
the glass; he will hold it to the light
admiring the color; he will inhale the
fragrance; he will drink it slowly, little
by little, slipping the contents, and he
will not take more than a single glass
or two at the most. In the same time
Tom Rising would have gulped down a
whole bottle. One man wants to graf
ify many senses; the other seeks only