Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1904-08-18
THE CONQUEST OF
MRS. VIVIAN.
THE BRIsT. .yE garden party wa,
BY CHARLES kEnnErr euRRow,

convince myself that went from
sense Of duty, but when rapid suryc,
failed to reveal the slight figure an,
delicious irresponsibility OF Jack Viyi
an, the sense Of duty theory collapsed
Mrs. Vivian, i thought, had been in
clined TO treat me somewhat coldly
and / wondered, rather angrily, how
she came to have such daughter a,
Jack. There was a certain vague sem
blance between them, certainly, bu
nothing could convince me that Mrs
Vivian had ever been slight, and my
imagination was not strong enough
even TO suggest that she had ever beer
irresponsible.
There we're not more than half a
dozen people whom / knew, and OF
them not more than two whom cared
to talk to. Most Of the men seemed
TO have got together in the middle OF
the tennis lawn, the ladies were Ian
gushing in the shade Of the beeches;
only one or two couples seemed TO be
engaged in occupation for which, sure
ly, garden parties alone were invented.
Mrs. Bristowe, my hostess, seemed very
much depressed.
why don't things move faster, Mr..
MildmayY she asked, plaintively.
why don't those wretched men do
somethlng"
my dear lady," said, "they never
do at these affairs. don't know why
1t is; perhaps there's too much daylight
for them"
But one must give garden parties"
she said.
Il thank Providence / have no gar
den," said. II might manage a little
dance, very little one, in my studio,
but bachelor can't do that kind Of
thing, you know" +"
Il wish you'd go and talk to Mrs
VIVIAN" she said; She's sitting all
alone there, and thinking OF nasty
things to say afterward."
wanted TO talk TO Mrs. Vivian, so
went. The fact is, knew that Jack
had great talent for drawing and
wanted TO cultivate II, and | had
vague idea that | might induoe Mrs. !
Vivian to allow me TO give her daugh-
ter lessons, particularly as IL would
cost her nothing. 1t was a wild no.
ton. but worth trying, and Jack agreed
with me. / therefore strolled up to
Mrs. Vivian and sat down by her in a
casual way.
"The parties here are always 30 slow,
aren't they2" she asked.
"a pa tbay slou. ha ~ Al.
else?"
II trust ours are not SO dull" she
snapped.
"Ah, but you have genius for social
organization" I said, unblushingly;
and so few people have even talent"
] do not wish to deprecinte Mrs. Vivian,
but her love Of flattery was as great as
her capacity for small and totally un.
necessary lying. She condescended to
smile upon me. people are so differ
ent." she said.
"You would notice that all the more
after your stay in the country. said.
How charming the coast Is at Pen.
quite. and what glorious sketchiLg
ground? | suppose Miss Vivian did
some work there7"
She ignored the last part OF my ques-
tion.
DO you know that part OF the
world ?" she asked. I
"Oh. yes" said, perfectly.
That reminds me-" she said. smiling
again, "thnt | met a Col. Mildmay at
my cousins house. II did not occur
to me that he might be relative OF
yours. Is he?" {
Hes my uncle, and n dear old boy. %
too; but don't see much OF him now" .
Her manner Instantly thawed; I be 1
Iieve she had an idea that an artist i
must necessarily be the son Of fraud.
ilent bankrupt or a fourth.rate actor. 7
,r something OF that sort. Then she
TO answer my previous
question.
Indeed, how strange that we should u
meet In that wayl Phoebe painted a =,
rood deal while she was there" u
1 wondered, for moment, who >
Phoebe was-I had called her Jack for
quite three months.
felt that was getting on famously, y
md was Just arranging In my mind y
low TO make the next step when Mrs. :,
Vivian spoke again, II
What charming place Lord st,
Illeyn has at Polgarth," she said.
Very" ! answered, eying her fur \
lively.
"And what delightful man he is," = =
he said; tive dlned there twice" . .
Hes IN old chum OF mine" said; q
we were up at oxford together" "
aw her vince, and her manner re-
lxed even further. felt profoundly " ',
orry for Jack. ~
How interesting" she said. =,
II see almost more Of him than OF ~
NY Of the old set" / said. Eve used -,
o get into glorious scrapes together.
lie never did any work"
And I suppose you did?" she sug-
ested.
"A little" I admitted.
"Oh, you young men" she laughed. l.,
nd wagged her false old head. -
l have not, rs a rule, been partlcu- :!
lrly lucky man, but certainly that aft
rnoon The fOtcs were on my side. As
turned TO see what had become Of =,
irs. Bristowe | beheld the familiar -,
gure OF my old friCJd 81. Alleyne
ONE round from the west side OF the
ouse. He was strolling along in his ~,
sual dreamy casual way, very well =,
ressed, perfectly at ease, apparently
Of nothing Ikucw the atti. 7,
ide well; II meant that he was in T.,
nne for any kind OF FUN. =,
Happily he turned into the oathway =,
ihieh ran before the see, ,n which .,
Irs. Vivian and I were t't.rr. lie y,
aused for five minutes q talk with l..
Irs. Bristowe, and then. sighting me a;