Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-09

''Oh. no. sir of course not. We've a
dozen nominees"
That's good-that's very gDod. When
this is through: Dixon. you'd better take
holiday. I'd go to Madeira. If / were
you: It's sunny and pleasant at this time
of the year
Then the door suddenly burst open and
a slip of a girl. cloaked to the eyes with
costly sables. danced into the room. clap
ping her hands with childish glee.
Papa. papa!" she cried. Look at my
new motor coat. Isn't it beautiful?''-
The little girl paused in an attitude
in woman. Both men looked at her.
but the expression on their faces was
very different.
Gus Dixon thought he had never seen
anything more beautiful than the flushed
f1Owerlike face of this child.
Mr.. Lampirthy, on the other hand. re-
garded his stepdaughter with glare of
disapproval. The. price of the new coat
was nothing to him and he never give ii
a thought. But he was annoyed at the
look of<pleasure i'm the childs face. 1t
was unnatural. according to his ideas of
how children ought to behave. His face
was like an ugly mask as he looked on a
picture that would have delighted the
eyes of an artist.
''SibyL" he said. quietly. .how often
have / told you not to rush into the
room like mad dog?'
The child looked at him and her lips
Quivered with vexation. Then she moved
swiftly to his side and leant over him.
I'm SO sorry. papa and she kissed
him lightly on the forehead.
"Ah, Miss Sibyl," said Dixon. you
know how TO manage men already"
Mr.. Lampirthy frowned. Il think you
he said. coldly. You'll mss the coun-
try post"
Gus Dixon said nothing. but left the
room with shrug of the shoulders and
a smile.
When he had gone little Sibyl Lam
pirthy sat down on the arm of her step
fathers chair and nestled herself against
his bony shoulder.
You're cross. papa" she said. plain
lively.
mot cross. Sibyl but tired
Are you always tired. papa? Mother
says you are"
The man did not answer and the little
girl looked wistfully at his stern face.
You haven't said that you liked my
lieve you've looked at It,"
It's nice and warm" he replied. apa-
thetically.
"Oh. papa. is that all you've got to say
about it? Why. lots Of coats that only
cost twenty pounds are nice and warm
This cost one hundred and fifty pounds.
It's real Russian sable. think mother s
dear to have bought 1t for me-"
Take it off at once" said the million
the house. and I think I've told you.
Sibyl. that it's very vulgar to talk about
what your clothes cost. Where is your
mother?"
She rose from the arm of the chair and
walked slowly toward the door. Her
sweet little face was hot with anger.
Just as she reached the door. however.
Mrs. Lampirthy entered. caught her In
her arms and kissed her affectionately.
cried
doesn't Sibyl look little darling? Isn't
she a sweet. fluffy little pet in this coat? %
Mr. Lampirthy did not turn his head to
look at his fluffy little pet" Sibyl freed
left the room. And when she reached her
own bedroom she took off the fur coat
and flung it angrily into corner.
Whats the matter. Harry" asked
Mrs. Lampirthy. when the child had left
the room.
You're making a fool Of that child"
he replied. without looking round at his
wife. 'She's got all the airs and vanities
of grown-up woman. She'll be insult
ferable in another year or two. I've half
a mind to send her to a boarding school
in France. some place where all the
pupils wear black calico and have their
hair done up in pigtails.'
II wouldn't let her Co." said Mrs. Lam
pirthy, settling herself down in a chair
by the fire. How can you be 50 cruel,
Harry?'
Mrs. Lampirthy's face grew fearful as
she thought Of the possibility Of a sep
aration from her daughter.
It was the face of a shallow. worldly
woman. only redeemed by the expression
in the eyes. The whole face laughed
through life. as butterfly fits through a
garden. But the eyes never laughed.
They were deep. serious and even clouded
with the memory of some time that ought
to be forgotten. Perhaps Mrs. Lam
pirthy remembered the hard days when
she was the wife of a working man who
earned five dollars a week.
Il suppose it's no good asking you about
Sibyrs motor car while you're in this
beast of temper?" she said.
Sibyfs motor carr"
Yes. She wants little car Of her very
own, with q man to take orders from
her. We saw such a sweet little car to-
day. 1t only cost"
what does the cost matter?' he ex-
claimed. angrily. you know that you
and Sibyl can have whatever you want
to buy. That's the curse Of this life.
to save up, to stint ourselves. in order to
get something that We wanted. Buy the
motor car. buy twenty motor cars If you
like. but don't worry me about 1t.
He rose To his feet and stalked out Of
the room. banging the door behind him.
When he had gone Mrs. Lampirthy re-
seated herself in the armchair and picked
up an evening paper from the floor. She
nufrleQly glanced AT the news ana tnen
turned to the advertisements.
Her eyes fingered over one which
headed the Personal column and which
had been there for the last FIVE years.
violet Hexamer.-If this lady will COM
municate with Messrs. john Sarl & Son.
ga Lincoln's Inn Fields. she will hear of
something to her advantage. Any one
giving such information as will lead to
the proof of this lady's death or the dis
covery of her present residence will re-
ceive E2OO reward
She looked at the words for two or
three minutes, and then she laughed. But
there was no laughter In the large gray
eyes.
Then she idly turned over the pages of
the paper and her attention was ar
rested by the following paragraph:
"A WINDFALL FOR CHARITY.
Every day for the last five years the
same advertisement has appeared i'm all
the leading papers in England. Our rep
resentatve called today on the old estab-
lished firm of solicitors who are respon-
sible for the insertion of this advertise
ment. We are authorized to state that
it will appear only for another fortnight
and that If the missing lady is not found
by II o'clock noon on December the 29th
large sum of money left to this lady by
her half-brother. the late Mr.. George
Crawshay. will be, under the terms of the
will, applied to charitable purposes. Our
representative inspected the will at Som
erset House. and it is pretty certain that
deserving charity will benefit to the ex-
tent of nearly half million pounds
Half a million pounds.'' said Mrs
Lampirthy to herself. m! That is
about Harry's income for one month";