Evening journal., 1905-02-21
AVICE W|NDLESHAM'S NATURE
BY Herbert A. Moran

Avice Windlcshanss appearance in
Sandwith gave rise to a number of ques-
tionings Mrs. Saxon, her hostess, an
swered them all in that decisive tore
which is one Of her mcst delightful char
acteristics.
yes she is the daughter of Horace
Windlesham. Certainly he was the man
who ran away with Lady Feheia Cioyne.
il is quite true he is me'hng OF a
scamp. II is also a fact ths he broke
many hearts as a young mall. Luckily,
the cement of sympathy men'led most of
the fractures. The girl is quite an heir
ess Her home life has not been happy.
The pair have quarreled over her terribly.
Six months with one and six months
with the other-what life! And all the
time such jealousy. because, while he has
run through his own and HIS wife's for
tune. the child has her own from her
grandmother. and consequently the father
and mother are more OF Less dependent
on their own child's good viii. IL is a
frichtful position for her, but it is much
better that people should know all about
II now that she is coming 10 stay with
me. The object of her visit is that She
shall have peace, and / mean TO see that
the object is not defeated-'
Naturally enough. Mrs. SaXon's words
went far and wide and created mild
sensation.
sandwith turned up the record Of
Horace Windlesham and talked IL over.
Then came a careful scrutiny of his
daughter.
A eood-loolSing girl; no question about
that. Perhaps a triiie too tally Non
sense. the Cloynes were always tall
nh ttsnulH
member n picture of her Elizabethan
counterpart The discussion became
chilly at this point; everybody did not
know Cloynham.
SO Avice settled down at Mrs. SaXon's.
She puzzled her hostess considerably.
1T is your outlook on the world the
latter explained. 81 suppose Sandwith
people either amuse you enormously or
bore you TO extinction. In my youth
people were not SO hard"
Hard to pleaseg"
'No. dear; / didn't mean that. On the
whole, ! think YOU put up with your af-
terthouahts which are so perpleNing to
my mind-your considered judgments, as
it were: they are SO sweeping in their
condemnation"
~Well, try to look facts fairly in the
face"
"And you seer
"Recurrent failures Repeated cycles
of meaningless effort
"Ihore you go.'
II speak as ] think"
eat twenty-threeg
- have had plenty Of time for read
ing"
"Ahlr said Mrs. SuNon, with the smile
of n wise woman. there are things you
..4 D. ,,f In
books. And ] had hope d--"'
"Nou are thinking of marriagel'
How your wits iu'mpl'
81 have seen SO much Of it,
Il have seen so much of it,
Mrs Saxon was wriugirg her hands.
"But these things go i'm alterations -
she cried. 1T is n weIl-knoaNn law. AZ
any rate, every individual is a fresh
start. If everything had been amiss to
date you might make, or be, the germ of
happiness"
Il think.9 said Avice, ainiably, "you
have hit on rather pleasantly original
idea I wish Z could live mp 10 IT,"
Haven't I introduced yoE to some
very nice peopleg Aren't same of the
men round here Just what 70 healthful
and practical mind would find IL decided
ly interesting 10 subducGn
u am not bent ON conquests-'
"Heaven help me TO choose my. words
bettcrl You are SO critical Euckfy,
] can leave it to you TO refine my mean
ing But it is all very disappointing"
"rhen | seem ungatefuly"
please, Avice, please do not begin to
blame yourself"
Il am full Of imperfections, but l am
not ungrateful"
I..I 30. a1t.H =. .,,
the tip of my tongue. Mr.. Grayfeld has
already shown YOU some attention. His
place, Frantifoy Hall. is quite adorable
There are peacocks-'
Il am fond of feathers, Mrs. Saxon
but / could not marry Mr.. Grayheld even
If he Kept ostriches"
"And that beautiful, deep lake" muir
INJURED the other lady, toarfully.
"Would only serve for a drowning
place if my husbands soul were shallow
You forget / should have to live with
him."
"Well." eNpostulated Mrs. Saxon, un.
daunted by rebufis, "you cannot speak So
slightingly of Mr.. Follicle- Burdenstone
His estate may be incumbered. but. al
any rate, he is a clever man who is Ger
tain to go far"
sHe thinks / have money" said Avice
coldly.
Sand haven't your"
Possibly. But the idea of being mar
ketable nauseates me. I would rathei
marry Sir Alexander Smellie."
TIhis is new TO me-"
1T is an old story
"Then there is some one TO whom yOl
are not entirely Indifferent"
"Ihese things sometimes have 20 be
There would, at any rate, be plenty TO dl
in the Smeilie establishment. for Sir Ale
has large family. If l did no worse,
suppose / ought TO be grateful, seeini
how disordered is the world"
"There is something behind all this,
thought Mrs. Saxon to herself.
And then she was seized with an idea
This resolute cynicism, this DISCUS
with life, could surely be only pose.
Avice could be persuaded to see the foil.
Of it by observing the same affection i
another would there not be chance Of
cuey
II so happened that Sandwith boaste
a misanthrope of the first water
Mrs. Saxon resolved that Avice Win
diesham and Selwyn Moore should meet
So she asked the young lawyer to he
next dinner party.
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