The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-12-25
cHAPTRR ".
The Favorite Son.


Victoria Station is not favorite re-
sort Of the fashionable world between
the hours Of seven and eight in the
morning. IN fact, that sweetest fresh
est. most enhancing hour is rather apt,
in London, to be dun and somewhat
dismal; therefore best spent in bed.
Tie early porters were busy sweeping
up with long brushes the dust shaken
from the feet Of many a weary tray
eler and sprinklIng water in strange
circular patterns upon the pavement
Of the station, when the first hanson
cab of the day made its appearance
with much CHATTER Of hoofs.
From it there salighted brisk little
lady who Instantly glanced up at the
clock. Her movements were very
quick without being In the least fussy.
Many a man in passing that girlish
form in the street had turned his head,
to be met by pair Of calm gray eyes,
with shock of surprise that the
pretty. energetic face was surmounted
by a mass Of silvery hair. Mrs. Mist
lev's white hair was an inherited pc
culiarity. Long. thick and silky, it
was gray at the temples when she
married Major Mistley. 1t did not
change much for two years after that;
but at the end Of the third year, when
she returned from India, a widow OF
TWENTY-FIVE, it was white. She wore
it piled up high upon her graceful
head after a fashion which vaguely
suggested Madame de Lambelle, or
some other gracious lady of the old
French court.
Mrs Mistley walked as far as the
platform, and finding no one there, re-
turned to the entrance Of the station.
Presently a small victoria arrived, and
from it Mrs, Wright alighted. The two
ladies kissed each other warmly, and
both remembered later that that form
Of salutation had not passed between
them since the caressingly affeetionate
days Of their glrlhood. Mrs. Wright
was somewhat pale, but she returned
her friends smile bravely, and they
turned toward the platform indicated
by the porter.
Presently they sat down upon high
~ polished seat, and, hidden in the folds
of their dresses, their hands met and
clasped each other.
"Do you remember" said Mrs. Mist
ley, with q pathetic little smile, "all
the nonsense we talked In the old
AeIun days? How we were never go.
ing to cease corresponding; how, If we
married, we were to be constant COM
panions; how our children were to
grow up together as brothers and sis
tiers; how-our husbands were to be
friends?'
81 am afraid replied Mrs Wright,
chat we were very foolish and TO
mantle in those daysp'
The brisk little lady stopped short,
She was at loss for something to say
"a very rare occurrence. Mrs. Mistley
had touched upon a page of her life
which was close to her friend. Those
three years of married life were as a
sacred memory, and Mrs. Wright
thought that the pages were better
left unread.
"Who would have thought" said
Mrs. Mistley, presently. that we
should have one day to be waiting here
for your husband and my son-walting
together for them to arrive togetheri
1t almost seems as if Providence had
heard our girlish vows; for we have
come together again after all these
years, and our children will be
friends"
Eyes, said AIRS. Wright, absently.
Eyes, our children will be friends"
Then they relapsed into silence.
It was only natural that Mrs. Mistley
should be thinking of her son at that
moment. and the thoughts were appar-
emily pleasant, for occasionally she
smiled with a passing CLEAN of pride in
her eyes. Her two sons appeared to
her maternal vision such as any
mother might reasonably be proud Of,
TO be continued)