Morris tribune., 1904-08-13
A HITCH

w 90 DCduIJ
Eva's soft blue eyes and brigh
little ways wrought dire destruction
I, in the ranks of the stronger sex
but she appeared quite unconsciou
of her power or Indifferent to it
10 all intents and purposes she hac
promised to marry Charlie Mel
thorpe. His will was her law and te
please him the chief object Of hel
life. In short, his programme seem.
ed in a fair way to be carried out.
Her total submission delighted
him, and he took every advantage
of it. 1t was not in him to show
generosity to woman or indeed tc
anything he thought weaker than
himself. He was the sort of man
who is brutal to his dogs and horses
and overbearing to his servants,
who, in short, tyrannizes whenever
he can do so without fear of retalia-
ton. His nature asserted itself in
his dealings with the woman he
loved, and he took the keenest pos
sible pleasure in trading on her for
bearance, taxing her endurance to
the utmost and showing off her
plant will and obedient temper to
the world at large. 1t was all part
of the system that could not fail.
Charlie went on giving his petty
arrogance full play until, as was on
ly to be expected, things came to a
crisis. The wonder was they had
not done so long before.
On the occasion of Lady Brown
Jones' ball he went the length Of
forbidding his fancee to dance round
dances with any one but himself,
and, though she received his COM
mands without a murmur, her soul
rose in passionate revolt against his
tyranny. This last test that he had
devised seemed to her tie worst of
all. AS a matter of fact, she had
submitted patiently to far harder
ones, but we all know the female ca
pacity for swallowing a camel and
at gnat, and Eva was no
less inconsistent than the rest Of
her sex. The gnat stuck in her
throat and obstinately refused to
be dislodged. There always must be
a last straw, and this was it.
When the ball was half over, Lord
Dolly put in an appearance, and at
that moment Eva happened to be
sitting quite alone. Charlie had left
her for minute or two to speak to
! friend, and she was looking visit
fully at the maze Of couples that re-
7olved before her. Lord Dolly
made straight for her.
'Not dancing, Miss Darlington!
Luck for me, by Jove! Ripping
waltz, this. Have turn %
He stuck out his elbow inviting
y, but Eva turned away, biting her
ip. !
'No, thank YOU" she answered in
low tone. Il can't dance with
'ou, Lord Dolly"
"Can't ?" echoed his lordship. |
'How's that? What's up? Not i'll, |
re you? Nor cross with me, eh?"
Eva shook her head.
''No, | am not i'll or cross, but
'ut I have promised Charlie to waltz
My with him. He doesn't like to
ee me waltz with other men,"
Lord Dolly choked down the
orcible but inelegant remark, clear
d his throat violently and ran his
ngers through his hair. The two
alter proceedings were signs Of Sc
ere mental disturbance.
There was slight pause.
"And he dances so awfully bad !
=" Eva went on, with a queer lit
e catch in her breath. ''He can't
altz a bit-not little wee bit. He
holds you all wrong"
Her voice quivered and broke on
ne last word, and she looked up at
ne man at her side with great tear
III eyes, like forgetmenots drowned
| dew.
That look finished it. Lord Dolly
as only man.
"Beastly shame!" he said hurried
:. "Come with me. Nice and quiet
ut on the veranda. A fellow can
Xix there, don't you know. Come
long"
And Eva went.
y =
Charlie Nelthorpe was bristling
18th outraged pride and wounded
elf esteem when he went to pay his
visionary visit to Eva on the day
Glowing Lady Bfown-Jones' ball.
he fact that Eva could forget her.
IF and tbs respect that was due to
i'm so far as to sit on the veranda
18th JDlH Dolly for half an hour