The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-09-27
A QUESTIONING;
ROMANCE q REALITY.
By MISS ANNIE EDWARDS.


matters beyond my powers Of thought
II beg pardon, Of cerebral vibration.
Cerebral vibration is the correct term,
is it not, Clem?''
! Sir John Severne reddens. The per
feet ease with which that familiar
"Clem" proceeds from Mr. Broughton's
lips irritates him, more perhaps than
he would care to confess.
You see we have a highly scientific
German governess. / am afraid you
never had the benefit Of scientific
| governess, Mrs. Chester?"
II never had a governess at ALL
Daphne answers, with humility. "Auni
Theodore taught me the very little
that know"
"Severne," says Mr.. Broughton, turn
ing to Clementina's lover with as much
bonhomie as though be hal known him
all his life, ssyou will dine with us on
board the yacht to-day3 Better say to.
day, for if birmingham should get It'd
ings of superior conger cells off some
new abode of desolation we shall in
/ fallibly be carried away there, in oul
sleep, next tide. And you, Mrs. Ches-
ter? I am not positive what time we
dine, or if anybody but Glen ana my
self will be at dinner. Still, if you do
not mind such short invitation, or the
nature Of the invitation
He glances at Miss Hardcastle.
Il have no doubt Lady Lydia would
be charmed to see Mrs. Chester Glen
entina responds, obediently, but in her
coolest voice. 1--WE are not overbur-
dened with vain ceremonies on board
the Liberia"
1--WE are not" says Mr.. Broughton.
Indeed, the fundamental rule of life
observed is that no person shall ever
know what any other person is doing,
or likely to do. birmingham is one of
the most practical fellows living, when
you can get hold of him-the difficulty
is to get hold of him. He has not been
seen by daylight since we left Cowes.
Lady Lydia never remembered any
thing for five consecutive minutes since
she was born. She cannot tell you the
color Of her own dress if you take her
unawares. And for the rest of us
| Clementina," he turns to Miss Hard
! castle with something like increased
| animation, "who can it be that or
] ganizes the birmingham yachting par
ties? 1t is not Lady Lydia, of course,
and equally, Of course, it is not forming
ham. Is it the captain or the chef?
Hardly M. Jules. OF he would contrive
to render the dinner hour punctual."
''Your friend, perhaps, Mrs. de Maui
ley" suggests Cementina, her voice,
her look, still at zero.
Scarcely. In cny human society or
| ganized by my friend, Agatha, elder
sons, you may be certain, would be a
pronounced feature, whereas, on board
the Liberia pauperism, or at least gen.
feel destitution, prevails. 1t must be
Matte Rivers--I have It'll Matte Riv-
ers brings together all the startling
contrasts she can find as foreground
effects for the novel. Thus, the Arab
and Lady Lydia; Max and Mrs. de
Mauley; Miss Hardcastle and Felix
Broughton."
Cousin Felix actually laughs, in a
silent, tired little way he has, at the
whimsical combination Of images thus
presented to his mental vision.
"And now" remarks Seyerne. 'you
and /, Mrs. Chester, will doubtless com
plete the list of incongruities."
''Mrs. Chester could not, by any
juxtaposition, be incongruous, says
Cousin Felix, galIantly; ION board the
Liberia, as elsewhere. Mrs. Chester
must shine by her own light alone.
You will not be cruel enough to refuse
to come" he urges, Daphne's redden-
ing face bespeaking her irresolution.
IF was sure any one had invited
me, or could want me" she answers
in her shyness, crumbling a handful
of sand much as Sydney Smiths young
lady crumbled her bread. "But Fief-
/ de-la-Reine is so far from the harbor;
and should never find my way among
the sailors, and, and"
She glances appealingly at Miss
Hardcastle.
Miss Hardcastle gazes at the lining
! of her parasol with the peculiar, un-
seeing expression in which women Of
/ the world are so admirably proficient
when members of their own sex are
weak enough to look to them for help.
Mr.. Broughton comes quicqly to the
rescue. Mr. Broughton, evidently hard
hit by Mrs Chester's eyes, win hear
of no excuse. The dinner hour, as far
as can be conjectured, is eight; the
yacht. Miss Hardcastle has an idea,
must be lying somewhere in the
outer roads, and he, Felix Boughton,
undertakes personally to be in the har-
Dor on the lookout (Felix Boughton on
the lookout for anythingD as the hour
approaches in which he may have the
delight of awaiting Mrs. Chester.
"And now it is time for me to be go
ing says Miss Hardcastle AS she
rises. her pillowcase skirts, her fan
shaped train. fall into place with pre-
cision as mathematical as though the
hand Of lads's maid had arranged
them. II believe we.were to meet Lady
Lydia in the town at--no, think we
must have forgotten to mention the
hour. You have your watch with you,
Felix?n
Felix has his watch. but on inspect
Ing it finds the hands pointing to 1130,
and remembers he has not wound It up
since the day before yesterday in Sark.
On consideration, too. it appears uncer-
tain whether they were to meet Lady
4 Lydia Jorningham at all, az await her