The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-03-03


We'll" said the lady Twas vel
enough at first But Oh, Sir Peter, how is
my poor cousin changed. Heavens, how
coarse hath he grown; how red in the
| face, how bulky in the figure
The old scholars innocent gray eyes
swept his own attenuated limbs with quick
! competency and for the first time snce
yesterday noon he smiled.
Twas but now and again that by a
look, gesture, 1 could trace the hand
I some youth l had loved"
Sir Peters smile faded.
"An went we'll enough at supper. My
lord was good enough to praise the prov
ender But when / retired, leaving him
/ with the young man, his secretary, who
travels wit him, it was then, Oh Sir Peter,
that my eyes were opened"
Then echoed Sir Peter, breathlessly.
Then, said Lady Barbara. Hearing
that two or three more bottles of wine
! had been sent for in succession and that
/ My Lords voice was waxing very loud. /
i" she hesitated, and. lifting the hem
/ of her purple and black-howered apron,
placed il between her white fingers
.'You-you overheard?'' faltered Sir Pc
/ ter.
The lady dropped her apron, smoothed
! il firmly over the knee and looked up at
/ the anxious face that was bent over her.
/ Sir Peter" she said, L listened; and
/ a very fortunate thing it was, too she
proceeded briskly. For, if it hurt my
1 pride. it saved my pocket. And something
else, too-my self-respect. What
dive think of my Con- Lord Damory
says, bawiing to his young man 'Ye'd
never believe. Jenkins that that old wom-
an was once the prettiest girl in Hamp-
shire,' -
..Oh. OH cried Sir Peter, as if in pain.
THE drunken ru:Iian, madam, knew not
what he said"
Nay" she made answer. The wine but
loosed his tongue. Not indeed that l am
one who would cast shame TO q gentleman
for an extra bottle of an evening. tbs
gentlemen's way, l know" said the wild
ow. with sigh of leniency to the con-
vivial ghost of the departed Squire. But
Cousin Damory was a trihe indiscreet in
his cups, as you will hear. remember
her he shouts. as slender as a willow
wand. | could compass her waist with my
hand I'VE were cousins, you must mind
Sir Peter. Lord" says he, shes run to
fat excuse that 1 should repeat his
coaFsenessD III have to take both arms
to her. he says
Sir Peter Coverdale clasped his hands
and wrung them in the extremity of his
emotion. oh" cried he. oh, madam,
how it is possible that any one could be
so british, so afflicted by Heaven with
Grass stupidity, to behold without awe
and admiration those noble, those males
tic, those goddess-like proportions, before
which the immature charms of girlhOod,
however beautiful Che laid his hand upon
his heart and bowed. as if TO some sweet
vision of Lady Barbara's youth. must
sink into utter insignificance. as the lesser
nymphs before Juno herself"
Why why" laughed the lady, and her
laugh rang without any hint of tears this
time only that my vanity was so well
disposed of last night, st. Peter, / VOW
you'd make me vain. But bark to this:
Did you see her double chin? asked His
Lordship and plump as she is, the wrink-
les about her eyes? But. Cad. she wags
her curls and oges one as if she were
half her age The widow Ogle.' says he.
It's a proper name" "
Tell me no more" calculated Sir Peter,
lifting up both his hands sternly; his fine
old face was flushed to his powdered hair
Tit upsets me. ma am. II can't bear
it. Wrinkles, Dare the sacrilegious mis-
creant so allude to those lines which
kindly mirth and tender sympathy for
others have writ .around younr beautiful
orbs? If l could describe 10 you. Lady
ID,
increase the charm of your countenance,
l fear you might chide me for offending
that exquisite modesty which. like veil
of gassamer. softens nut can not conceal
the brightness of your other virtues"
Lady Barbara smiled. but by reason,
no doubt, of the modesty so beiauded by
her adorer, proceeded as if she had not
heard.
- But she's rich His Lordship was
good enough to add. SO Jenkins. Wen
swallow her, fat and all, and she'll do
better than a young one, for III not have
to stay at home and keep the sparks
away -
Slowly. for elasticity of action had long
departed from him. and he was mueh
shaken by emotion. Sir Peter went down
upon his knees before Lady Barbara
Most beloved and mere lovely lady"
said he. wonder depraved and besotted
idiot held no mirror at all for your gaze.
but rather the stagnant pool Of his own
evil soul. into which Your divine eyes
should never have looked. Look now into
the mirror Of my faithful heart and be
hold yourself yourself in beauty. which
age can not touch which ny poor words
can never express.
BY loves religion, I must here con-
fess it.
The most love when / the least ex-
press it.
Quoted Sir Peter from his favorite poet.
~Oh, Sir Peter. Sir Peter" said the
lady. laughing and CRYING together and
holding out both her hands. Sfr Peter
took them. hardly daring 10 believe the
fact into his.
Cousin Damory offered me his cororet
this morning said Lady Barbara with
apparent irrevaleace. afte~ a Pause. And
thereafter. ! fear. he repraved somewhat
hurriedly."
Sir Peter could not speak. bet he kissed
the white hands. ore after another.
Have you any objection 70 my lips. Sir
Peter2' asked Lady Barbara.
she was q downright: dame. and. Young
as she was stu fala to believe herself.
with ST Peter she could afford to waste
no more time or shilly-shally- AEues and
Egerton Castle. in Cincinnati Commercial
Tribune.
A STRANGE MESSENGER.