The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-04-19
Jenny Latinter wrung the flannel
out into the pail and got UP from her

IT was Saturday afternoon, and she
had only to draw her weeks money
for acting as charwoman at Dane
bury Lane School, and she would be
free to spend the rest of the day--and
the lnoney--as she chose.
Mrs. Latimer was fair and fat and
aust over forty. She had been n good
looking woman In her day. and she
still retained the traces of her former
Comeliness.
But these traces Of comeliness were
marred by certain signs, which were
libellous, IL Jenny Latimer was an
labitually temperate woman.
The headmaster of Danebury Lane
School had limited on more than one
occasion to Jenny that he was afraid
she took more than was good for
her; but as she did her work quickly
and well. and never betrayed any
gagged in her duties at the school, the
lleadmaster contented himself with
giving the good-looklng charwonan
friendly advice
Jenny had been recommended to him
by lady whose little hoy attended
the school The lady had told Mr..
.Scholes--that was the headmasters
name--in confidence that Jenny was
a Woodworking honest woman, who
had been rather badly treated by her
husbands relations.
Mr.. Scholes had listened to Ienny's
story with considerable interest, for
1t was rather peculiar one.
Jenny was a servant in a lodging
house in Blooms bury. when there came
to occupy the dining-room floor a
gentleman of rather eccentric habits.
Mr.. Harold Latimer was thirty,
studious, short-sighted. odd. impulsive.
and absorbed in the great task of his
life, which was to prove that Shakes
peares plays were written by noble
recluse, who had horror OF pub
licity, and moreover. dared not
acknowledge any association with
Etage performances, owing to the strict
views on the subject entertained by
his wife, of whom he stood in mortal
terror.
Had Mr.. Harold Latimer pursued his
researches in the ordinary way--that.
is to say. had he kept his theories to
himself in ordinary conversation--he
might have passed for an amiable
crank. But, unfortunately. he insist
ed on reading aloud every extract he
made at the Museum to people whom
they did not in the least concern
He was a member of an exceedingly
weli-to-do family, and had n father
ana mother anu SiSlei, WIZ "ciG
prepared to treat him affectionately
as the son of the house. But his
theories of the plays OF Shakespeare
wore them out.
When every day he returned from
the Museum with n black bag full of
extracts, and proceeded to read them
aloud at the family dinner table, even
endeavoring to convert the butler, Mr..
1.atimer, ST., concerned for the health
L. ,,.tE r., Ia, ~,
ter. limited TO his only son that his
handsome allowance would be in
creased if he would arrange to live
away from home and take his extracts
with him.
Harold Latimer was by no means
hurt by the proposition. He had long
since come 10 the conclusion that his
family environment was uncongenial
TO an earnest fathomer of the Snakes
peare mystery, and so he packed up
his Shakespearean library and re-
moved to some lodgings in Bloomsbury.
which he had seen advertised.
Bloomsbury was handy to the
British museum. That was it's only
charm. but to Harold Latimer 1T was
compromising ole for the gray gloom
of its long. monotonous streets.
"ctwen the British Museum and his
Bloomsbury lodgings, Mr. Latimer
fou.d few peool- TO interest in his
extracts.
He had at one time great hopes of
=an attendant in the entrance hall OF
the Museum with whom lie deposited
his umbrella. But when the attendant,
after listening to him for five minutes,
replied gravely that he was there to
receive sticks and umbrellas and not
theatrical chit-chat. Mr.. Latimer took
the rebuff and his umbrella in silence.
All this the lady interested in Jenny
did not, of course, tell the school
master. She did not know it. Her
narrative began when Jenny, waiting
on Mr.. Latimer at his lonely meals
made her debut in his life's story
Mr.. Latfmer. Willie Jenny was chang
ing the plates or handing him the
vegetablesi broke the silence by im-
parting ITO y3,er his theory of the au-
1horship of Hamlet" "Otheilo', Mac
beth and Romeo and Juliet OF
which plays Jenny had doubtless
heard.
Jenny, with gigsle, confessed that
she had seen '"Amlet" and The Mer.
chant of Venus" when she was lit.
tie gal, but that now, when she had
an evening out, she preferred n AN
because you didn't have to 'urry over
your tea for fear of missing the plot
Mr.. Latimer, finding that the young
woman who waited on him had hat
some acquaintance with the Bard 1,
her childhood. proceeded at once Il
explain TO her that Hamlet" wa!
| written by a nobleman. who did 1t Sc
cretly because his Wife considered tht
stage improper.
All that Jenny said was Lori
But the student felt that he ha,
made an impression. and from tina
time forward he read extracts TO Jenn!
at every meal
Jenny did not follow the argument
she did not attempt 10. She ATTENDED
TO Mr.. Latimers wants, and said 'Lor
mechanically whenever he stopped 70
breath.
The 'Lor" fascinated the studen,
and the girl began TO fascinate tn
man. She was the first person VIII
had ever listened to him with patience
Two months after he first took u
his residence In the Bloomsbur apart
lnents, Mr.. Latimer asked Jenny TO b
his wife.
The proposition startled her and sh
could only say LORI"
The student took her hand and said
WE. can be married at registr
office"
Jenny said: "Lor, Mr.. Latimer!"
Than tnlS ber hot