Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-03-25
CHAPTER vi.


ret in Lark lane, it shone
straight down upon the face Of Pegs
twin and also upon that of Sir Percy
de BOhun, just returned, after a tub
and a grooming at the hands Of his
faithful man Grigson, who even now
was performing like Offices for the
young host. The other gentlemen had
long since been set upon their legs and
fetched OF to their homes by their
men.
Percy held his chin between his
palms, his elbows resting upon the ia.
BILE. where cards and glasses still lit
tered.
Sheath, Kennaston! cries he with
out moving. II can i've this fashion no
longer! To be shot like q partridge
would be better. Flouted by Peggy, de-
rided by this upstart, Sir Robin, who,
by my life, is pretty fellow, all said
and done, is past endurance. Give me
pistol, GrigsOn, and I'll put an end of
myself now and here"
To this passionate declaration Ken
nastOn merely makes answer by lifting
an arm above the tub, waving it In the
air, and as Grigson scrubs him down
wagging his wet head and remarking:
Don't be ridiculous, Percy, and,
pray. hold your peace, since am at
this moment composing an ode to my
mistress SMILE"
"Your mistress be hanged, sir! What
know you Of love to sit in a tub and
make verses to herY
II know enough OFT" signs the host,
ito have been in like case with yourself
any time this twelvemonth, and its q
monstrous thing for you to thus I'M
peach me when it's you whom my Lady
Diana favors rather than myself"
Lady Diana be hanged! cries Per-
q, rising. "She's coQuette. sir, and at
bottom adores you as does the fish the
bait the while she plays and sidles
round 1t, being sure in the end she'll
swallow it. hook and all.'
every fine. + faith, yet while I sigh
you're the one she smiles upon. Oh,
Percy. had but fortune! Could I
but make my name in letters! Then
perchance I'd stand my chance. But
as 'tis"- Pegs twin fetches q sigh
that sends the water splashing about
the wine stained floor.
"As tits. sir, counsel me, an you love
me. Shall HE me to Kennaston and
wait upon your sisterY'
write her a letter Of fire and sword
and blood and famine; stun it full Of
oaths. protests. suicides, murders, az II
a Christmas pudding Of plums.
There's quill. ink and paper to your
hand"
'T'll do it and send it by Grigson ON
my fastest horse this day. l should
have the answer before Friday"
"Aye, you should" allows the host,
with an evident reservation. 'Now. for
goodness sake. sir, stop cackling and
let me finish my ode"
Which he did a-sitting in his bath,
while Grigson dressed his wig.
The toilet and the letter and the
poem were all three finished at once,
and without more ado Sir Percy dis
patched his man with the missive t.
Lady Peggy.
''Come not back until you deliver II
In person." Quoth the lover, IAN you
show yourself minus an answer, I'll
ship you to the colonies by the next
packet"
After seeing him OF the two young
men repaired to the coffee house they
frequented, and there the frst news
that greeted them was an account, ex-
aggerated to the last degree, as was
the fashion Of those times as well %
these. Of Lady D. We adventure with
footpads in Lark lane, where her chair
crossed en- route to her mantuamaker's;
of how Sir R-n Met had rescued
her ladyship and her ladyship's Abb
gail from the clutches Of these villains
at the hazard Of his own life: had sim
gle handed put the whole gang to
flight, and this although suffering from
a severe wound in the right wrist, the
which this gallant young scion Of Q no
BILE name had received in an affair of
honor with Sir Ply de BIN only that
very night previous" In point of fact,
gossip cried and print set forth that
the town was ringing with the valor
Of Sir R-n Nett, whose fame as a
buck and man of fashion was no less
than his experiences at the saving of
beauty in distress. For be 1t known
that no other parsonage than the re-
nowned Beau B-l had set his seal
upon Sir Rms mold by begging from
him the pattern of his cravat and the
mode Of his knot. That Sir R-n was
now a guest at Mr.. BIS home, and,
being up in town for the season, let
ladies fair beware and set their most
adorable caps, for twas well under
stood so fine young gentleman was
nowhere else to be met with, nor one
OF such courage and skill at cards, sad
die or the dance"