Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-22
Copyright, 1907, BY
W. B. MAXWELL.
All Rights Reserved.

lilies: and. walking backward from the
house to obtain a comprehensive view Of
the conservatory and sundial. fell into the
oasin-but did not injure himself.
Nothing could injure him now-he felt
so light in body. SO free in mind During
the third wear he was able to allow good
Lady Vincent petty cash almost on the
old scale for her charitable needs-and
humble friends came for doles to Chisel-
hurst with nearly as much confidence as
they had felt when plodding up the hill
and through the white gates. More and
more snug little sums were coming from
Dondon-enough for immediate use:
enough to put by for the future. But
was 1t worth while bothering ones self
about the future? The future could take
care of itself. Out of the cloudy future
there must come sooner or later "a golden
sunburst. Sir John. with less and less
reticenc talked now of those settled
funds from which he was shut out only
by creaking door. Cousin Harriet could
not hang on forever. Nature has her In
exorable laws. which no poor old dear can
brush aside Some day Miss Vincent
must go-and she could not take the
money with her.
Thus. when Jack on these cold winter
evenings changed his working clothes to
the orthodox swallow-tails. and dropped
in for dinner at Chiselhurst.. IL was to
meet reconciled happy papa, as well as
proudly smiling mamma Every one
Was sldu TO see nlfns no one TepTodCneu
him. Time had won him full pardon for
all his absurdlties. Indeed. Sir John.
with so many little things to occupy his
thoughts. had ceased to think either very
frequently or very seriously Of his vagrant
son. He and Jack were the best Of pals,
but each had gone his own way. And
why not? Live and let live" was now
Sir Johns motto-except of course. as ap-
piled to the sad case OF people who have
long lost all the pleasures of life, and yet
will go on living.
You could catch all the lghtness and
tolerant geniality of Sir John in the tone
of his greeting when nowadays Jack
appeared.
Jack. my dear fellow-you're the very
fellow 1. wanted to see. Your mother Will
be down directly. Look here-at those
observation-disclosures. Picked 'em up at
Crossbv's in Water Lane. Deuced good.
amt they? Now. where are we to hang
them? Short wants 'em in the library. I
say In here-f We can make room Tor
them. Short, try this against the wall
Hold 1t up before that sea piece, Short"
Yes. Sir John"
Short-a docile and admiring parlormaid
under him-served the dinner with a pon1p
that was now tempered by snugness and
prettiness. There was the fine cutglass.
the grand china with the arms of the
family in their true heraldic colors, the
massive silver almost bearing down with
its hundreds of ounces the new spindle
legged Sheraton sideboard-all this was
of the old style; but the maid had fantas
tic little tricks of decorating the table
with streamers OF maiden-hair fern, and
was apt to tie up the French bread in
green ribbons: there were fluffy feathery
shades upon the candles: the freight
sparkled on quaint brass dogs, flashed In
little blue tiles beneath the white mantel-
shetland all this was of the new style.
Sir John throughout the dinner sus-
tanned the conversation = chattering
amiably to Jack, to his wife. to Short.
and to the maid-and never allowed the
talk to flag by unduly pausing for replies.
well, Jack, what's the best news with
you? Short, where do you get this pep
per? I don't like it. Cayenne. Nepaul.
Get Nepaul. Edith, go into my room
and fetch the Times I left 1t In my
police court case most consummate i'm
pudence I ever heard of. After the fish,
after I've done the fish Very good sole,
isn't it? We have saddle Of mutton to
here. Here we are;" and. adjusting his
glasses, Sir John recited bow and in what
manner a man pretending to be oarohes
had fraudulently obtained goods ana
cried Sir John. putting down the paper
to attend to the mutton. Id nave siseI
the fellow ten years hard. DefenseIano
it's no defense-was. the FELLOW hao a..
known as Sir William. and did not as
sumo the title for. purpose OF IrauIG
believed he was a baronet. Deuce Iake
the fellows impudence, ana . pr 'o ~
mutton. 1--WE looked him up IN Burke
and Lodge No such baronetcy, OF course.
Fellows no more baronet imam onoae
is. Eth, Short? If ever you i SaN.e y my
sarxjce'and 1 hope you wont-dont you
go about Calling yourseh Sir ih'"'"'
Short ,, sota Short
opening wine at the Sheraton sloeooaro.
oil
their hest wine for this guest. put mamma
was delighted to observe that the beloved
guest drank sparingly-no matter NV
rare the vintage. Her eyes grew orIsns
and her heart melted in thanktulness
a,hen she heard the maid asked for some
more apollinaris.
once Sir John unconsciously frightened
Jack by begging for his opinion as WINE
expert, ~ ae.- follow yor
must help me to crack a bottle OF pop 70,
night Short-that new champagne. we
try il now Jack, I want your true opinion.
Quite new wine. Only GOT tare t Uot ;sn.t
dear. New fellow-has his name TO make.
All! opens all right, anyhow
short releasing the cork. had produced
a. most tremendous bang, which really
aoh' I say. Sir john" he stammered.
don't say you've? Short, bring 1t
here" and he hastily turned up the white
napkin with which SNORT ndu sWdtHeu eho
bottle IF it's-well, If 1t is. you know,
you've just. No, It's all right; II
isn't
It was not Rosencrantz.
After dinner, when snort nau Ietcned
the coffee and put the cigar boxes by his
masters elbow, Sir John almost always
spoke-without reticehce-of his expecta-
tons. .x
Jazz
"No-she's better" and Sir John smiled
pood-naturedly "Confound 1t all-she Is
taking her time, isn't she? DIR. Lacy
writes-marked Improvement of stamina
but dead mentally. Death in life-Lacy
calls it,
When Mr. Jack was going her ladyship
always came out into the tiny hall to
make sure that Short was wrapping up
the guest properly against the cold night
air.
THANK you. Short. I say, Short. old
bow, do you know, you are putting on
flesh very fast. Do you think you eat too
much?''
IT don't eat any more. Mr.. John. than I
used to in the old days.
"Ah, but we all used to eat too mich In
the old days.
Then Lady Vincent came from the warm
little drawing room to make quite sure.
Goodnight my dearest boy. Kind re-
membranes to Miss Crunden. Ny very
kind remembrances," said Lady Vincent
graciously IT never misjudged any one
as 1 did her-such right views on all sub
jects.'
And Sir John. following his lady to the