The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-01-17
CONTINUED from Last Sundays Newa)
CHAPTER Mi.
THE SON OF THE SPANISH BULL
FIGHTER.

CHAPTER Mi.
THE SON OF THE SPANISH BULL
FIGHTER.
Pegs war for social eminence would
now move bravely. The tale of that
double reception with its polite throngs
pushing forward in honor of her and
her good little Secretary" and the
Generals presence thereat, stately yet
deferential. huttered from lip to lip like
viii, the farther it huttered the
brighter it grew. I've told you how
own no warrant, whether of education
or natural trend, to descant on wax
lights and polished floors and satins;
but so far a 1 might trap the muir
muir of folk who should have such
matters of gossamer and music on
their tongues ends, the most guarded
decision went to it that Pegs position
lad become thereby as surely fixed as
the pole-star, and might with as much
safety be observed and steered by
whenever any of your blind mariners
of the drawing rooms should lose a
course or find himself in deep. strange
waters
Like a great captain who in the
wake of victory makes speed to again
strike the enemy While yet the latter
is disorganized and before he can re-
collect formation or even hope, Peg
was next and swiftly in the field with
that dinner for her glory at the Rus
sion legation, rendered by the willy
Baron Krudener-he of the earrings
and the scarlet heels The Tartar,
10 inn ALI fn
the favor of the General and Van Blu
rem, was keen to note how a civility
done Peg would become a key to the
best good win of both. After Krude-
ner'S came the cabinet reception at
our good little Secretary's," where
Peg would reign; and since Van Blu
rem lived but a half-d dozen houses north
from Pegs, it was hardly to step be-
yond her own door Then followed
the ball given by the British with
Peg in the place of esteem, and the
Viscount Vaughn to lead Peg forth in
the first figure with his own diplomatic
hand.
Who could have been more delighted
than the General with this splendor
of salon success now spread to our
pretty Pegs uninterrupted feet, and
that under the jaundced eyes of her
enemies? The General could not be
present at either the good little Secre-
house; but he was indOmitable to hear;
and never exquisite, nor macarOni, nor
buck back London town, gave ear of
warmer ardor to the nightly annals of
Mayfair than did the General those
stories of Pegs victories. Who We're
there and what they did and said.
would be his constant curiosity; and
indeed he carried question putting to
the verge of what stood foppish.
But can't you see, sir" demanded
the General, when ] told him how his
heat to trace Pegs skirts through ev-
cry dance, or learn the calling list
of each reception, would jostle ones
better conception of him, cant you
see that with the world and the law
as made, this is the trial of Pegs
standing, and freighted of life or
death?"
NO" said I, full bluntly: land if
you will have my notion then, l call
these things mere antic matters of ape
ish trick and chatter, not worth a
mans attention"
You are a barbarian" retorted the
General, oracularly. Those functions
these dinners and dances and recep-
tions-are trials by jury where the
repute of folk, peculiarly the repute
of women folk, is passed upon. The
verdict in her favor means the world
and all for Peg. 1t is the law
And if il be- said l, 1T is but a
bad law and cheap law, and one
whereat l should snap my fingers.
And yet, sir" replied the General,
''wondrous highly as you hold your
self, you are not yet grown to be
the world It's Peg happiness mat
ter of being within the pale, without
which she would feel decided against
and spurned. And remember this, sir,
while you flourish with your defances,
that bad law is none the less a law,
with penalty in nowise to be Modified
because of that badness at which you
rail. Wherefore 1 deem, these draw
ing-room trinkets of a first weight in
Pegs concerns; l shall know as much
of them as l well may, and take my
chance of falling in your graces."
After that. and somewhat in the
broader manner of a jest, l would each
day lay out to the General whatever
of polite gaities took place the night
before; and While I recited those pres
Cnt. and what they did or said, or
failed to do or say, and particularly
when such relation told for Peg, he
would smoke. and listen and exult,
and on occasion comment like unto
any grandmother gossip who still en-
joys by second hands those scenes
which long ago her years taught her
to desert.
These exploits of waxed floors and
dinner tables, while the General might
me along with them-for all l loved
them not-like a magnet. For one
thing, / would behold how Peg Jared;
and then the General would have me
attend, to the purpose that he be given
their story.
1t was at the Russians I was called
on to witness the iron steadiness Of
Peg-albeit l could have wished the
Dutch jade. who offended, a man, that
might pinch his neck. You must
know, then. how the minister from the
Netherlands was a bloated creature of
beer and butter-tub proportions-a
Herr Huygens he was; and Frau Muy-
gems, his lady-save the mark!-was
as dropsical as he. The latter ungen-
tlewoman would be a wadding duck
built cabbage thing of fifty years; and
of no little standing for a money
prudence and strict economy, solve
while rich as that commerce of gin
by which her spouse had builded up
their fortunes, she owned celebration
for but one frock--a most fantastic
garment for color and flounce like the