Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-07-14

Lady Donoyle, who looked ~radiantly
happy, in the belief that life was at
last going to give her her little hour,
was doing her whimsical best to make
the local people and a few smart
friends who had arrived from London
mingle. ut is like mixing the yolks
and whites of eggs" she once com
planned to her daughter. THE yolks
are sticky, and the whites are slip
perry and frothy.'
MY dear Mrs. Vampenstein," she
observed to the latest fashionable Jew
ess, who staggered beneath the load
of overgPown diamonds her husband
had flched from his company in South
Africa, you positively must know
Sir Brian Commeragh. He is the most
delightfully."- rude man l ever met, and
the only consistent woman hater |
know, Promise that If he says my
thing originally horrid you will tell
me afterwards! Talk politics to him
he knows SO much about statecraft
that they wouldn't have him any long
or In the house they couldn't answer
his questions"
What a musty looking old man."
thought the Jewess, though, as a mat
tar OF fact, he had a magnificent head,
and the remains of great physical
strength,
fDon't you think, Sir Brian she
sinapared.
Not when there are ladies pres
ent," growled the woman hater, al
though he did not class smart
Jewesses In that category.
ooh, do tell me what he said, Mrs.
Vampenstein7 begged Lady Donoyle
to her ifate guest, as she sailed
away.
"T wonder why the Lord didn't
choose a people with more sense of
humer?" she pondered, as Mrs. YAM
penstetn complained of the insult.
Vandraken was moving ~restlessly
In the background, wondering what
made Lady Kitty SO late. The evening
was already spoiled for him by the
presence of Fabian Dare, for whom
his antipathy seemed to increase ev-
cry time he saw him.
"Yes," he overheard Lady Donoyle
say to a thin lady with an early Vic,
terian couture and an air of benign
resignation, Il, too, am troubled with
sackdaws. I am thinking of having a
jaekdaw drive put sweeps in all the
chimneys, and post the guns on the
roof"
Chimney pots! Ha! hal" suggested
the wit of the n%eighborhood.
mo; but seriously" insisted Lady
Donoyle. II think the breeding of jack
DAVIS for trap shooting at Hurting
ham might be a wonderful Irish in
dustry, now that pigeon shooting is
forbidden; and really"
The butler entered, wearing that
wistful look which means that he
would speak in confidence to the mis-
tress of the house.
Her ladyship's maid has SEN word
that an accident has befallen her
ladyship's dress, and please not to
wait for her." whispered the butler to
Lady Donoyle.
Then we will not wait, Richard
son." she answered %cheerfully.
A cold feeling of foreboding assail-
ed Vandraken as he walked alone into
the great b%anqueting hall, hung with
the armorial shields of the Pohers,
and looked gloomily at the empty
place on his right, where his fancee
should be sitting.
Something Of the apprehension
spread down the table, like a stain of
split wine. The conversation was
spotty, rising In little gusts, and then
dying out, leaving some v per-
O saying nothing in a loud voice.
Eyes," Mr.. Strayne was heard to
say to the lady on his right, regarding
her with that bland semi-possessive
look with which. some country cler-
gyHnen contemplate their female par
tshoneps, IT do believe that the tide
of conservation fell suddenly and left
him stranded with the commonplace
"the very hairs on our heads are num-
beFed."
by the other women" murmured
Lady Denoyle to Sir Brian CONNIE
ragh, who chuckled.
mo, dear Lady Runington," she re-
piled, In answe to a question from
that gay lady, who cheated at bridge,
fthat is not an early Christian mar
tyr, He is rather a dear, but his soul
needs a pill"
Il have always wished I had less
soul" said Lady Huntington to Sir
Brian, with an intense look.
That enlarged temperament,
which an atrophied conscience enables
a woman to call her soul, is the curse
Of modern civilization" growIed Sir
Brian, and was allowed to finish his
salmon In peace.
ut Is very naughty in Kitty, doing
thist" Lady Donoyle called down the
table to Vandraken, who tried to
Bmile responsibility.
The elderly bore who had rehears-
ed with himself a speech to dampen
the Joy Of the happy couple, began to
feel that 1t was evaporating, and the
dinner wore on to the entree.
What a fearful jobi" observed
Lady Runington, indicating a crude
~ made up woman at the other end of
the table. "She is partly American,
ISN'T shea"
"Only her teeth, I think" answered
Lady Donoy1e. But, there! l hear Kit
y coming at last!" she went on, as q
hustle of skirts was heard at the door.
Everyone turned round in anticipa-
ZION Vandraken gave a sigh of relief.
Fhe man with the speech thought he
eouId bring 1t off, after all.
A. H-1