The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-08-11

To hear these men and women talk
stranger never could have guessed that
there was such thing as SUFFERING IN ava az
ana and s1e Gowers ana e beaasy sy ana @ sentimentsl
phrases that had no meaning or , a9up,r tnr
one. The whole thing filled stuart i9r
ioathing. Ii seemed TO him Ike a dance
In a cemetery. where the dancers in.sn.
imagine they were waltsing 2ysr rhlossoms
when In reality IL was on, human sra,nSsss raves
they, danced, black with the fregniy nsr lv.r
earth earth OF new mad. sssd bqEiais; ihs evening T lie
sang with Miss Vasplalne when Louise
requested It. lie heard great Ia appSlnuse Srelss
ed beautifully. She was handsome, with
great black eyes and much color. OF IN, me
type of English girls. so dinsr,snt, rom ai
one time during the evening lie tonnn s,
great difficulty in conversation ae ns,s nsa
never been very apt at the slight notniiass "
Tonight he wondered II the world was
so happy and satisfied everywhere that
men and women. made IN ,hs nd i,nSs heir
time than 70 meet for hours every week
dressed In their best clothss, eating Tx, tx
songs that ala not contain one noble as
piration higher than sickly sentmsnt,
exchanging idotic words q threw99t cr9t,ca ii'op or
heroism or humanity IN them. sitting at
little tables and Playins and GaIus srepsyt,tion tom
hour with a persistence anu repSSSitvxs ~
never shown for any enduring needs OF
human suffering and then going nome 10
sleep late next day and get up 70 pre-,
pare for ANOTHER eysning IN rne csrd "a. "a.
bles menus and decorations al innnltuH
ad nauseam after the manner ot wna'
niea sed 10 call itself the "bsst society.
Yes' the world must be getting on
very smoothly. There is no real suffer-
ing. no inequality, no need or heroism
or sacrifice. no call for using human
speech in any better way than TO eN-
change compliments. no use IN Trying
10 use time except TO make money ana
enjoy spending IL, where women smile
and sing. and flowers give out their
perfume. and dancing feet strike the
polished floor TO the music Of the strings
behind the palms I'm the alcove. For
the world Is society. What other world
is there that calls for tears ana groans,
and sacrifices and crosses, and bloody
sweat and agony? Strike up the music
faster. faster Let us eat. drink ana
be merry for tomorrow we die Surely
society must be right. The Aunt Royals
and the Louises are certainly very prop
er and correct I'm their estimates OF what
constitutes the right thing TO do. II can
not be that they are mistaken In TINS
matter Yet. IL they are II Is possible
the great Judgment day viii reveal IL
10 them. After all death and the tudg-
ment are two disagreeable facts. We
beg society's pardon for mentioning them.
strike up the music faster faster! Let
us not think too much. Thinking leads
to action. and action leads 10 sacrifice,
and sacrifice is not agreeable.
At IL o'clock most OF the guests mao
gone The hour had been fixed at III by
Aunt Royal out OF Difference 10 the re-
cent death in the family. The Vas
PLANES had frequently. when at the
Duncans'. sent their coachman home
and walked back themselves. They had
been trained to the English constitu-
tional habit of walking.
Its an elegant night. Won't you
walk over with us?" asked young Vas
plaine as they stood In the hall looking
out at the snow covered hills, vision
OF loveliness in the moonlight.
"Yes. let's go Stuarti' cried Louise.
Aunt Royal gave her consent so be-
fore Stuart knew II he was serving as
escort TO Una. as he could not very well