The Worthington advance., 1906-02-23

| swing. ! WA able 10 dnd q taOle IN
= line with the doorway.
lies Trois Eglises" was coon crowd
ed. There was an undulating buzz
of voices, and the violinists were dis
cordantly. tuning their fiddles. Not
| far of at q corner table on my LETT
= crowd of my friends were making
signs of recognition. Suddenly I was
aware that familiar face was gazing
at me across the table.
"Good Heavens!" gasped. "can it
be you. Uncle John?'
| "Why, yes," he said. warmly, and
| I'm delighted to meet you. The fact
! is, this is flying visit. l meant to
have called on you tomorrow at your
| rooms"
"But," said, In establishment.
what on earth has brought you to
Les Trois Eglises?"
"A man at the club recommended 1t
to me for my chapter on New York
Degeneracy,' he answered, compla-
Gently. "He was right. see around
me a dissolute company. think
see consumption of absinthe. There
is an air of dissipation and unre-
straint. AS for you, nephew, l am not
sure"
The orchestra interrupted what no
was about to say on the score OF N.Y.
self, and the strains of the Marsellaise,
with its wonderful suggestiveness, add
ed 70 q certain sinister effect produced
by strings, struck up and charged the
atmosphere with sense Of movement.
The buzz of voices was no longer low
and intermittent. People, speaking
at their normal pitch, lost the threads
of each others talk. and had to re-
peat what they said \ little more clear
" and a little more loudly. Thus It
happened that everyone's voice was
gradually being raised. Moreover,
| was not alone in realizing that the v!o-
linists were plying their bows with
verye more fascinating and inspiring
than they had ever displayed before.
Mems lips, generally closed by philo-
sophie silence, moved in torrents OF
eloauence: the lack-mster of eyes, usu-
ally contemplative of space, gave way
to a brilliant and significant sparkle.
And with all this access of animation
I fancied I could dtlect a certain ex-
pectancy.
Uncle John, whose eyes were every
where, was rapidly transcribing ma
terial for New York Degeneracy.
How l wished Maurice were with me!
Lucettc was waving recognition, and
I returned a cautious salute, glancing
at my uncle, whom l began to lind
embarrassing. The sooner I took him
off the better. l drained my glass.
touched his shoulder. and stood up.
At that moment there was a sudden
activity. The group in the corner
arose, too, glasses in hand, chanting
the Intoxicating chorus of the Mar
sellaise; they moved toward us. Moth
ing could have been more ill-timed.
And Uncle John, Of all people! His
florid brow was troubled.
I felt I must explain. l must warn
them. l turned hastily to my uncle.
II shall rebuke those brawlers,' l
said. severely, and advanced to meet
them. Lucette came first.
"Your cousin who is seeing life, and
she pointed derisively at my Uncle
John. was filled with horror. Then
it all dawned on me.
Maurice is not here" I shouted,
hit nv words were lost Before had
even spoken the contents OF liquor
glass we're trickling down my uncle's
astounded face, and the sickly smell OF
creme de menthe seemed to perVade
the atmosphere.
In another second, his hat smashed
down over his eyes, he was the
center of gesticulatlng combatants'
Shouts of laughter went up from
every side, and when the manager, at
tended by a posse OF hysterical walt
ers, swooped down on US, men mount
ed chairs and tables scattering bottles
and glasses with a noise like pistol
fire Instantly we were precipitated
through the doorway, struggling
mass of humanity, bearing somewhere
in its depths my uncle, angry and re-
sisting.
One thing more: surging past the
outer passage to the street l ca'ight
aeeting glance of a well-known figure
in the act of making cautious entry.
A seconds indecision and he was en-
quilted. Our momentum was irresist-
ible, and Maurice was whirled back
into the road.
Uncle John and Maurice retired,
arm-in-arm. Neither had any definite
charge to bring home to me, yet some.
how I did not join them. Nor did
they wait for me.
NY kind conspirators gave me their
breathless (but unaffected) congratu-
latioas, and one by one shook their
hands. It was their rnselfish triumph,
and kcw could disillusion them? Ana
| vet at one blow, it has closed my uncle's
hospitable doors and has dictated q
codicil in his will.
And Maurice has q sister,
What Change Little Time Makes'