Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1905-01-28


and personality, l think you call it,
and pretended she was her"
she" suggested the Author, with
the connivance Of the cousin"
NO. She told the cousin nothing
about IT, She left the omnibus and
drove straight 10 the Mans house in
q cab, and rang the bell and walked
| In. The Man was standing on the
hearth.rug alone In the room, and she
ran up TO hinl--remember, she hadn't
seen him for ten years-and, with q
wild gesture, exclaimed, Save mev"
YES" observed the Author, you
have hit upon a strong dramatic situa-
ton there What does the Man say,
thought"
"The Man replies, 4 will proclaim
your innocence with my last BREATH
or something of that sort-and she falls
into his arms. After soothing her for
few moments, he inquiries who che IL.
She tells him that she is her dead
| friend his sister-ln-laws cousin; but
the Man replies that there must be
some mistake, as lie has no slster-ln-
law The girl fixes her eyes upon his
face intently for several minutes be-
fore remarking, Then you are not
James de VcreY The Man answers,
No; my name Is Jones'-and the girl
discovers that she has come to the
wrong house"
"Ah! that, too, Is a fine situation"
murmured the AuthOr-"for the girl"
Yes, do not think it is bad. But
the strange part is that Jones and De-
We're are both members of club where
ladies' can be taken as guests, you
know-there are such clubs in London,
amt there?"
ooh, yes, several" said the Author.
$50 Jones offers to conduct the girl
to this club and hand her over to De
We're, and they drove off together.
Meantime, the girls husband has dis
covered her fight apd starts in pursuit.
Having heard her once mention the
name Of her dead school friends
cousin, he first seeks out this lady,
and from her learns that his wife and
she met that very morning in an OmHi.
bus. This treasures him. and he goes
home TO dinner. Jones ard the girl
reach the club, and Jones finds De
We're taking afternoon tea with-whom
do you think"
Il am at loss to conjecture" said
the Author, permitting his eyes 10
dwell dreamily on the Girls flushed
face.
"Why, with the school friendw ex.
claimed the Girl, clapping her hands.
The school friend"
eyes. She wasn't dead, after all.
1t turned out to be merely q malicious
and unfounded report On the con-
trary, she was engaged to be married
to De We're"
"Ah! Lucky De We're. And is that
allf"
"No. That concludes the first half Of
the story. The rest is principally eX-
plantations. l want to know how it
ought to be written?" said the Girl.
Its too exciting for me to give an
opinion straight Off" rejoined the Au-
thor. you say the girl knew the Man
for ten yearSE"
Yes"
But the SIan didR't know the glrl?'
mo"
at was his lOssw murmHred the Au-
thor Pray, how long have you known
me:'
"Oh, ever since I was ffteen-Or
thereabout," answered the Girl, exam
lining the pattern of the Authors car
.pet.--
And it seems only within the last
half hour that have known you!
calculated the Author, rising from his
chair.
What on earth do you mean?" de-
manded the Girl.
II mean," said the Author, "that we
will write your story together, il you
will; but on one condition"
And what is the condition"
"That. unlike the girl in the story,
you will promise never, never to run
away from me-not even for a lark!'
"Oh! said the Girl.
And
"Ah," said the Author, putting his
arm round the Girls waist. "but l love
you, love you, love yOu"
And the Girl didn't run away.-EIn-
eric Hulme-Beaman, in the Sketch.