Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-12-20
A CHRISTMAS TRUANT.


tactful, accomplished, with knowledge of
the world-a woman Of exquisite charm.
She wodle have made him an ideal wife,
and he Lad fully intended proposing to
her that day. Yet he got up to leave
with the fateful words unspoken.
Yes, without any doubt, she was a
woman OF rare beauty. He repeated this
obvious fact TO himself many times as he
walked home to his chambers in the
Temple Yet he did not love her.
A successful barrister, he was a com
paratively wealthy man. Devoted to his
work, he had pushed with logged per-
sistence through early ppointments,
though he had lacked the incentives
which to most men sweeten labor-a wife
and home and children.
He had met Mrs. Clarence few
months back, and she had attracted him
greatly. And yet only half an hour ago,
when he had been upon tie very point
OF asking the fascinating widow to marry
nin he had drawn back. This odd mood
OF Testiessness and doubt had come upon
him. unsettling his mind.
He was glad that this year he was GO
ing to spend Christmas out of town. He
got up from his chair and took letter
from a drawer. Its contents were crisp:
Take pity on an old woman's loneli-
ness, dear Mr.. Archeson, and spend the
hristmas holiday with her. | know you
love solitude, or ] should not have ven
cured to ask you to spend such festive
time at a very dull house. You shall be
left entirely to your own devices; and,
knowing your devotion to work. / give
Won full and free permission to bring
down with you bag stuffed with briefs
if you choose. Yours very sincerely, Ger
trude Laverston.
Up. S.--There is only one person in the
house besides the servants and myself,
end that is my grand daughter, whom
don't think You have ever met. But she
won't worry you in any way, for she is
quito a child, and seeks her own outdoor
;tmusenents."
When Philip Archeson had FIRST read
the letter it was not without a certain
half amused irritation.
She evidently thinks me crusty and
peevish old bachelor, welded to selfish
ways" he said, wondering what could
have induced Lady Laverston to send
him this invitation He had decided to
90, not altogether for her society as he
remembered that some property had been
left him in the same neighborhood- dan
old house, with good deal of ground
He had never had inclination or time to
90 there and view the old place, which
was little more, so he understood, than
ruin.
Lady Laverston, more yellow and more
han In. l,aI l..
met hi:a in the hall with a welcome.
"Tell me the gossip Of the town, my
dear Archeson," she said, eagerly, when
be was comfortably seated, bending her
bright, birdlike eyes upon him.
Christmas dinner was served with all
lis ancient rites, eveept that the spirit
of mirth was absent
My grandchild should have made
third Lady Laverston remarked but,
unfortunately, the child has, | assume,
gone off on one of her thoughtless wan
dering expeditions, needless of time.
| Anyway, she is not to be found. | fear
that she is a little beyond control-at
least, my control--and yet charming
girl really, girl filed with possibilities
| young and hayward, all impulse, but
sound as bell at heart. She requires a
firm hand-yes, very firm hand!s
! When the dessert was reached Archie.
son mentioned that house called the
Towers belonged to him, She knew the
place well, but had no idea that he was
the owner, and she asked him if he
might care to walk over and see the
place.
In the darkening light of the December
afternoon he came in sight of his des-
tination, and stopped in admiration at
the picturesque old place. Over every
thing were traces of neglect, vet the
building itself was a symphony in gray
and green-green where the ivy chung
to the old stone walls
Eventually, an ancient dame came
forth She lent deaf ear to Archeson's
announcement that he was the owner of
the Towers, and he allowed her to sup
pose that he was merely person curious
TO so over the house. She lighted a
number of candles in a large candida.
brum and he departed alone on his tour
of inspection.
He wandered from room to room
where widowed portraits frowned re-
proof at this disturbance of their yule-
tide dreams, lie rested awhile when he
reached rallied gallery which over
looked what had once been ballroom.
when some slight sound caused him to
turn round. He gazed up and down the
gallery, but could see nothing. A thin
strain of music came to him, a ghost of
melody, as if a spirit hand were PLAYING
upon an invisible harp. Then there was
silence once more. But after some see.
onds the music could be heard again
a thin wall, fragment of tune.
Archeson listened intently. his nerves
tingling in an absurd manner. Silence
again, broken as before by this mystic
music and the sound of laughter, a burst
of smothered mirth He determined
upon a close examination of the gallery.
The wall was covered with moth-eaten
tapestry, aud, lifting this carefully aside.
he came eventually upon heavy door
hidden beneath it, Discovering the han
die, he pushed the door forward. unclos
ing picture as unexpected as charming. !
Before a huge fire and seated around |
a table on which was spread a Christmas |