Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1902-07-24
Breath of
Scandal
By ELIAS Isle
Copyright, 1901, by A. S. Richardson

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Young Mrs Verrell leaned on the
rail of the yacht and looked with dis
appointed surprise at the approaching
dingey.
'There are only Hugh and your cous-
in in the boat" she announced to her
guest "AIr. Cuthbert isn't there. I'm
so sorry"
Her intonation implied that the sor-
row was sympathetic rather than per
sonal. Sibyl Beach resented it.
"You needn't be, Helen" she said,
the curve of her lips Strengthening
firmly.
"Why, invited him to come, partic
ularly on your account"
"And l wanted him not to- particu-
larly on my account" said the girl.
"Why, Sibyl, dear, thought you
were such great friends or even more"
$50 did l." There was a suspicion
of tears in the bright eyes the girl
turned to her friend. $50 did until
until he disgraced himself. Oh, you'll
know all about it soon enough any
way. l may as well show you now."
She held out a clipping from a week
ly publication which makes business
of puryeying social sewage to it's read
ers.
"It came to me in the mail-anony-
nous, of course" she said.
Mrs. Verrell took it with an express
sion of distaste.
"You wouldn't believe anything that
wretched paper says. l hope" she OBJ
served. whenever read it feel as
| if needed bath to get clean again."
"The Era had little notice, too, say
| ing that Sid-Mr. Cuthbert-was there,
and that is reliable enough. l only
wish it weren't"
With pressed lips and frowning brow
Mrs. Verrell ran over the clippings. 1t
was comment, less yelled than is
common with that paper, upon the
presence of Sidney Cuthbert at the fu-
neral of a woman who had once been
well known in that dim border of the
theatrical profession where people of a
more dubious world claim habitation.
''It will strengthen Mr.. Cuthbert's
reputation for generosity among his
club and society friends" commented
the paragraph, "that he should have
borne the expense of the funeral from
his own pocket. The woman who was
once known as Viola Trevannion was
buried beside her son, whose death
two years ago was also the occasion
of burst of mortuary generosity on
the part of young Cuthbert."
isn't that nice thing to read about
a man you had thought you could
could at least respect?" said the girl
bitterly.
81 don't believe it about Mr.. Cuth-
BERT" began the other Indignantly
when the two men came over the rail. !.
After Verrell and young DR.. Dent
had greeted the two women the latter
turned to his cousin and said:
did hear you speaking about Sid
ney Cuthbert, Beauty"
"You may have if you were listen
ing" said the girl "And l do wish,
Harvey, that you would drop that
childish nickname. I've outgrown it."
"Well, don't know about your out
growing it." said Dent, looking at her
flushed cheeks and shining eyes, "but
you certainly haven't outgrown your
childish-beg pardon-your childhood
temper. But of course I'll drop it,
Sib, if you don't like it," he added
good naturedly. But was interested
in Sidney Cuthbert because I used to
know him when he was Typh and
was house in Sawgums"
"What's Sawgums?' asked Verrell
lazily from his deck chair. ''Lunatic
asylum? And was Cuthbert one of the
numbered patients and you another?
understood you to say you were
house. Singular delusion."
"Sawgums is short for st. Angus
tines hospital, where / disported my
self as house physician when Cuth-
bert became typhoid case No. T." ex-
planned the young physician. "As all
the private rooms were full he had to
go into the public ward and live at 81
per day between a profane and asth-
matte car driver and a charity con-
valescent"
very good lesson in economy" OBJ
served Verrell virtuously
He couldn't give many dinner par
ties and send the kind OF flowers he
| used to favor Sibyl with ON that basis
Helen, if my feet are in your way I'll
have 'em moved" he concluded, bliss
fully unconscious of his wife's savage
glances. did Cuthbert like it, Dent?"
Seemed to enjoy it tolerably after
he got convalescent. He got up quite
friendship with another patient
known as Tommy the Cod. presumably
because he lived in an empty fish box
down Fulton market way"
Don't remember having heard Cuth-
bert speak of the gentleman" MUIR
INJURED Verrell. 'Did he ever bring
him to call, Sibyl? Helen, if you kick
the only husband you're ever likely to
have on the shins he'll rise up and de-
Yert you"
''The Gods real name, as near as he
could tell, was Hannigan," continued
the physician. "Cuthberts previous
business one. Tommy used to sell
Cuthbert evening papers on Wall
street until one day truck ran over
| his ankle, and when we got him here
we found he had a very interesting
case of heart disease, so we kept him.
Well, the Cod used to give Cuthbert
all the news about the street that he
got from his friends who used to visit
him. 1t meant good deal to Cuth-
bert, for he was keeping his illness a
secret for fear it would bring his moth
er back from Newport and consequent
| ly didn't have any callers of his own.
Tommy generously loaned him his Wis
itors, and one day the superintendent,
a pious old party, came in unan-
nounced and caught them shooting
craps on Cuthbert's cot. They had
made dice out of lump sugar, and
Cuthburt had won s cents, when old
! Barber raided the game After that