The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-07-04
The British Invader.
eY HOWARD FIELDING.



and my laugh was tribute such as
| might have given to comedian who
had appeared upon the stage in a make
up that surpassed all possible anticipa-
tion. .... .. .....
The noble lord at breakfast was such
study that forgot the trihing matter
Of $500 which my friend had men
toned and thought only of the re-
finement OF manner which enabled
Colewyn to preserve a languid indiffer-
ence while slowing away meal that
would have filled an alligator. His
valet minlstered to his wants with well
trained difference and the walters with
amusement tinged with admiration Of
his magnificent appetite. ..
Tom and spent the forenoon lazily,
lunched at his fathers house and about
2 o'clock rode all across the city and a
little way beyond its verge to the Bran
don place. Description had not pre-
pared me for the beauty OF this estate
nor for the remarkable effect OF old
world exclusiveness which 1t produced.
The great house upon the crest Of the
vast green wave Of lawn dominated the
scene, and the windows stared haughti-
ly at the public highway which pre-
sumed to pass within thousand yards
OF It. Gigantic elms flung down broad
masses Of shadow upon the green, and
1t Is painful to speak of the number
of the vulgar who were enjoying these
refugees from the burning heat of the
day. The common people are always
most distressingly plebean when ac-
companied by their children, and
judged that these could not have left
any at home. at
Upon q veranda at the rear of the
house we found Mrs. Brandon and her
daughter drinking tea with a select few
| culled from Stanchfeld's society. Mrs.
Brandon was one OF those annoying
women who make up for a full face
view with no thought of any other.
From the front and at the proper dis
tance and in just the right light she
was a fair young creature of less than
was a mask. In figure she was lean
| and eager as a greyhound, and the
placidity of demeanor which she af-
fected was as easily detached from her
real nature by an observing eye as
was the film of rouge from her face.
Her daughter was an amazingly pref
ty girl, healthy and natural, but OBJ
viously too young for her years. A
glance at her convinced me that she
had not accepted Lord Colewyn at her
mothers behest or because of any
sinful craving for q title, but merely
because he had the good fortune to
be idealized in her childish imagina-
| sidering 1t an excellent literary invest
| ment, to buy an accurate knowledge of
| what Lord Colewyn seemed to be when
viewed in the enchanted mists Of this
| schoolgirls dresms. At 20 or a little la
ter she would be as sensible as most
| young women, and then she would see
him at the very best as hollow and
conceited donkey; at the worst, as a
| selfish and mercenary cad. The thought
| made me look at Mrs. Brandon in
wrath. She happened to be standing
so that strong light poured over her
shoulder, and saw the rouge upon
| her cheek as If 1t had been a great
smear OF blood.
At this moment the appearance Of
Lord Colewyn's carriage reduced Tom
and myself to a state of invisibility;
| indeed, the miracle went so far that
| our feet made no audible sound upon
the floor Of the veranda as we hur-
riedly left that place.
In a grove beyond the house we found
Mr., Brandon, picturesque figure tall and
active. He was clad in a rough gray suit
and an old straw hat was tilted back upon
his head, revealing his wavy white hair
abundant as in youth. His face was
smooth and ruddy, and the hand he gave
me was steady and strong. He was clear
ly cultivated man, and there was some
thing in his manner which suggested the
SpiSHNlu VI IL COucBe-dS IL uSeQ
to be, before II was the fashion to ride to
| chapel or the lecture room in ones pri-
vate automobile.
MIR. Brandon was comforting with his
fellow members OF committee on sports.
and the others listened to him with de-
ference which disappointed me until dis
covered that II was due TO his great knowl-
edge OF the subject and not to any less
worthy consideration. A fine official OF
the games was old Sam Brandon, and
under his eye the best man had to win.
l discovered presently thai he had a
great affection for Tom Mason, and as
they stood together there-ideal figures OF
American youth and age-suddenly the
whole truth leaped into my mind. Here
was the man whom Mr.. Brandon had
chosen in his own heart 1 understood in
fash Toms letter to me, which had
! been a cry of anguish for the ear OF a
| friend, the cry of a man crossed in love.
Then there arose in me the desire that
feel too seldom and can never summon
at will the desire TO do a tremendous
amount OF work in the shortest possible
| time. Boundless confidence always ac-
companies this impulse and a clearness of
| thought which vainly seek 364 days In the
year. l excused myself TO Tom and Mr..
Brandon, and for the remainder of that
afternoon was the busiest man In the
state or Illinois. ..
shortly before 5 o'clock, having had no
dinner meanwhile though apparently 1t
was being served all over the place,
hunted up Mr.. Brandon. who was super