The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-10-07
CHAPTER I.

oy poarders deslrous, Of seeing their
friends present OIL Friday evening.
N was really n scratch party of no.
bodies, and they assembled ms usuaI
IN the drawing room on this especial
evening to play and not to work. Mrs
Iaine laid aside her eternal knitting.
MISS buil dispensed with her game Of
pauence; Mr.. Granger sang his one
song OF the early Victorian epoch
Soheelmes twice when singers were
scarce-and Mr.. Harmer wore his an
tiquated dress suit. In her black silk
gown, her lace cap and "the diamonds
Mrs. dorsey looked-so they assured
her-quite the lady.
Was she a lady? No one ever asked
that leading question, as it would have
provoked an untruth or a most unpleas.
ant reply. She admitted In expansive
moments to having seen "better days"
but what her actual past had been
and from her looks she had one-none
ever discovered.
Few friends presented themselves
on this particular Friday evening, for
1t was extremely foggy. and none of
them could afford cab. Even those
who patronized the nearest bus line
had some distance to walk before they
Knocked at the Jersey door, and thus
ran chance Of losing their, way
Either In light or darkness the house
was hard to find, for it occupied the
corner Of particularly private square
far removed from the Oxford street
traffic.
1t was quite an asylum for old age.
Mono Of the guests was under fifty,
save a newcomer who had arrived the
previous week, and they wondered why
no came among them. He was young,
though plain looking, and he was fash.
tonably dressed, though stout. This
was the first time he had been present
at madame's reception. md he was ex-
planning his reasons for coming to
Bloomsbury. Mrs. Jersey introduced
him as Leonard Train, the distin.
guished novelist" although he had pub.
iished only one book at his own cost,
and even that production was unknown
to- the boarders.
: Fashionable novelists," said he In
tstif% smeii voice which contrasted GU
iSsrljrOveitione the business Of society;
and epigrams. We must revert to the
Dickens style. I have therefore taken
up my residence here for brief period
TO study old world types" Here he
looked around with q beaming smile.
81 am glad to find so rich a field to
CLEAN"
This doubtful compliment provoked
weak smiles. The boarders did not
wish to be rude, but they felt 1t was
impossible to approve Of the young
man. Notbeing sufficiently modern to
court notorlety, one and oil disliked
: the idea Of being put in q book" Mrs.
Taine, conscious Of her weak grammar,
looked uneasily at Miss Bull, whe
smiled grimly and then glared at Train.
Granger drew himself up and pulled
his gray mustache-he was the buck
OF the northumberland Harmer
nodded, saying, "Well, wellp' his usual
remark when he did not understand
what was going on. Only Mrs. Jersey
spoke. Train had taken sitting room
as well rs bedroom, therefore he
must be rich. and as he had not hag-
Rled over terms 1t was necessary that
he should be fattered. Mrs. Jersey saw
q chance of making money out Of him.
"How delightful" she said in her
motherly manner. II hope you will say
nice things about US, Mr.. Train"
II shall tell the truth, madame. The
truth does not natter."
Mrs. jersey became still more moth
erly and paid a compliment. '"That de-
pends, Mr.. Train. If the truth were
spoken about you. for instance"
1t was really a very nice compli
ment, but Miss Bull with malice afore-
thought. spoiled 1t in the utterance by
laughing pointedly. Train, who had
already set his face for q smile, grew
red. and madame darted look at Miss
Bull quite out Of keeping with her
motherIy manner. More than this. she
spoke her mind. II hope. Mr.. Train,
that you will speak the whole truth Of
some Of u.s."
Miss Bull shrugged her thin shoulders
and in direct contradiction to the tradi-
lions Of the evening produced her pack
OF cards. To abstain on Friday evenings
always annoyed her, and since madame
had been rude Miss Bull seized the op-
portunity to show her indifference and
2 enjoy by doing 50 her favorite pas
time. She was srnall, thin, dry old
maid, with pallid face and bright
black eyes. Her mouth was hard and
smiled treacherously. No one liked
her save Margery. the niece Of Mrs.
Jersey. But Margery was supposed to
be queer, 30 her approval Of Miss Bull
: mattered little.
Perhaps Mr.. Granger will oblige us
with a song" suggested madame,
smoothing her face, but still inwardly
furious.
Mr.. Granger, who had been waiting
for this moment, WINS only too happy.
He knew but one song and had sung