The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-02-03
The Sunday Timcs-D Dispatch:

OF tho South Sea poor Louis steven
son idealized. j couldn't even give her
season in town. or a trip to Paris or
Homburg, much less races. and all the
bridge woman reeds; and so therc'd
be the devil to pay, you see. If she
would set up bonnet-shop, or place
for horribly dear frocks, and keep me
on the proceeds! but otherwise, I'm
rs poor as a rat, Mariol. and haven't
your resources, or royalties. remember"
"A small matter, my dear lad. with
the evcr-continuing Hood of American
dollars pouring from West to East
through the facile clasp of the fair be-
ings by whom we are presently sur
rounded. And you would not run great
risks. There is this to be said for
them. that American ladies rarely de-
generate into either bores, dupes or
pieces of household machinery: lie
familicr yulgaire, utile ct sans bou-
quct, CONNIE le vim qu'on bolt aycc
Icau.' They progress with the epoch
and the civilization that claim them
Take--as matter Of illustration mere
ly-either of the two young women
who grace our board"
AS II matter OF illustration, merely"
answered Clandonald. laughing, I'D
prefer to take the sweet child of ma
ture, combining, with the vulgarity OF
Il powdered nose, the eyes OF an in
tclligent cherub recently shortcoated"
.'As you please said Mariol. archng
his brows reslgnedly. my choice for
you would have been the fine grained
daughter of the Puritans. with hair the
color OF hazelnut the fiat straight
back. and resolute figure gowned by
Psquin. ] dare say both ladies' are
accessible to what you have to offer
them. or that either would soon fit
into place in the long walk at Beau
manor. among those strutting white
peacocks against a background of clip
"a ,t<.v,N
brick. No American girl could resist
that walk and those white peacocks.
Clandonald. take my word for it"
Then marry one yourself. and I'll
let the place to you for song"
Il have still to see Tibet" answered
the other, stopping to light fresh
cigar.
Their talk ended in a discussion wide
afield from the subject with which 1t
had begun. But when Mariol turned In,
1T was with throb of secret satisfnc-
ton that he had been able. in the
darkness. and apparently 'improviste.
to wing in the direction of his friend
shaft he had long held in reserve
for him.
He had been with Clandonald. side
by side. wadinS through the miserable
miro Of his divorce case. and rejoiced
when he saw him rid forever OF the
creature who had dragged him down
i
Africa, while Clandonald was lying i'll
of entcric, and Marioi, coming upon him
by accident in the course OF his own
explorations for observation and adven-
ture Mt the seat of war. had nursed him
with the gentleness and devotion of "a
woman. until he was out of danger and
ready for the voyage home. During his
first convalescence, Clandonald had re-
ceived the plainly unwclcome news OF
his wifcs intended journey out, ito hook
after her dear old boy" The arrival
of her Grant ladyshp. followed by the
untoward discovery OF her real motives
in making this heroic effort, and the
hardly concealed scandal of her COM
partnership on the voyage. precipitated
u relapse OF Clandonald's malady and
the ultimate severance, some two years
later. of his heavy marriage bond. borne
during the lifetime OF a boy who died
through her neglect.
In all this drcary time Mariol had
stood by him and held him up. The
brilliant mocker, the professed skeptic
of al! tenderness apart from the meta
physics OF the sex question. had de-
veloped into the best of hard-luck
friends: and their agreement to travel
together after Clandonald was free and
had left the army proved more than q
success
Now they were drifting homeward
again. Mariol to his bouleyards and the
fond congenlai life of Paris. Clandonald
to what? Mariol. with his keen In
sight and ready sympathy. saw that his
friend was returning to England. rest
less, unsatisfied, out Of tune with his
future surroundings; well in body and
healthy in his mind, indeed. but in no
humor to pick up his life from where
his late partner had cast 1t, like O
jewel. into wayside dirt
Mariol had hoped much from their
visit to America. where they had found
themselves. during the latter part of
the season at Newport, subjected to the
overpowering hospitality of the leaders
of the great world. But although Clan
donald's antecedents were as we'll
known and fanillnrly discussed there
rs in England and on the Continent,
and there had been displayed no dis
position on the part OF society to visit
his evil fortune upon him. the young
man passed but abstractedly through
ba nf hn