The Topeka state journal., 1903-01-16
CAPITULATION OF CELIA.
A LOVE STORY FOR THE MAR
RIED.

A LON II STORY EOk IEdE Man
RIED.
did I tell you that I had asked aun-
de to come here, Len2"
mo, you certainly did not, replied
leonard Vancourt, his forehead lower
ing into a frown as he helped himself
20 second piece Of toast. AlsHt
inquire which of the two is gong ep
afford us the delirious delight OF Ael
presence-Clarissa the saturAlhe' Oi
Amelia the magpie imitatorf
LEM" The dehcately traced eye
brows were raised in indignant expos
tulation. II think that it is particular
ly unlIind of you to speak IN tnat man
ner of my relations You useu 70 say
that Aunt Amelia was a snfeWd ousl-
ness woman"
Il would be the last to deny her that
Qualification Celia" remarked VAN
court. grimly TT was positively q
stroke of genius the way the old rep
le-ahem-lady palmed of on to me
that property in southwaTk- tiIteeh ll.le..
houses my dear, with only rudimen-
9ary drainage and hungry county
council waiting on me to render the
Same effective Aunt Amelia ought to
have been a company promoter. Esaa-
she would have made her fortune at
the game. my respected aunt-in-laW
has it In her bones. Where is the Daily
Express"
CeHa's lip commenced to CULVER
II think that you are horrid. Len,
she TOuchsafed at length, giancing re-
proachfuUy at her husband. who sud
denly became immersed in the money
market column of the paper which ne
had discovered under the table.
.'T must say that / think you are par
ticuiarly unkind to speak of my rela-
tions in the way you always dol you
should not forget, dear. that Aunt
Clarissa has been more than a mother
20 me, and brought me up since I was
a tiny tot. the first time YOU ever met
me, Len, was at her house
II know replied VancOurt casually
"But if it hadn't been for Gus Harring-
ton taking me to Rutland Cate I shouli
never have seen either of you. I remen-
Der the evening we'll. I took IN instinc-
tice dislike to your respected, more than
g mother of an aunti A feeling Incl
dentally which has intensified ever
You used to say that you were very
fond of her-before we were married,
Len"
Vancourt coughed dryly.
II was diplomatic. Celia" he said qui-
city. as, laying aside his paper he but
tered a piece of toast. You see. as I
could only see YOU in her house. [ was
obliged. i'm sort of way. to hold the
candle to the-yOur aunt"
"She was very fond of you, Len
Celia Nancourts eyes were bent re
proachfully on his.
"Aheml That was very kind Of her,
dear You see. Celia, L had shekels' in
AAOMQOn HOClELN j Was tDIS4UEIEu Hllltt
q decent match at the time I married
you" His accent was irritatingly sar-
donic.
DO YOU mean to insinuate that Aunt
Clarissa liked YOU because YOU were
well of and had a house in Park lane?
demanded Celia, her face flushing an
angry pink
Aunt Amelia did. anyway" smiled
Vanc0urt unfeeingly My spare cash
made her Southwark property boom in
manner which brought a smile to her
face. She had me on toast. Celia.
She raped her knife impauentlY on
che immaculate damask Leonard, = she
remarked. with dignity. II would have
you remember that you are speaking OF
my relations"
Il have no desire to rob you of their
ownership. dear remarked Nancourt
then added as he commenced his break
fast in real earnest II wish to goodness
that you would manage to see that we
get bacon for breakfast that is not salty
enough to skin the inside of ones
mouth. I don't believe that the trades
men would dare to sell such abominable
meat to anybody else but us
Celia's face grew fearful looking as
she poured herself out a cup of tea'
aethen glancing across the table at the
sombrely annoyed features of her nus
band. said irritably:
IT never met such a growing man as
you are i'm my life. The moment any
thing puts YOU out YOU quarrel with
your food Goodness knows / ann fan
oiful enough but L don't find this bacon
q bit salty"
"Of course not, Tt is quite suficien,
Cor me to say that it is for you to de-
clare to the contrary" said NancOurl
angrily. "I never met such contra
diCtOry woman as you are in the whole
course of my existence. am just about
sick os it,"
And L am tired to death of YOU an6
your grumbling,' retorted Celia, flush
ing with anger Everything that I dr
is wrong I can't make out what OF
earth made you marry mel"
Because 7 was a victim of the throe'
OF driveling lunacy that's why" sai6
Vancourt savagely. Il wish now that
had never set eyes on you Why. evel
since my marriage I have never knowr
what it is to have decent brea kfas
If L don't get a high egg I get sal
bacon which a sailor would kick at ans
II / get neither of those two things
have piece of fish which would dis
grace an East end cook shop put IL
front Of .ne."
lie shifted Indignantly as. turning in
his chair. he picked up his discarded
paper and flattening 1T out angrily com
menced to read its contents
Very well Leonard" said Celia. dig
nifty struggling with tears for master,