The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-28

maiden
That in the dance 30 swestiy sansf
All, IN the midst OF It there sprans
A red mouse from her mouth-sufdcient
reason!
ToR years--the best years Of her
life, for that matter. - she Of
ten reflected In lonely moments
Miriam Chailoner had been
trying to prove to her own satisfac-
ton that her husband was no worse
than the majority Of young men mar
ried to rich women, but she could
never nnd the arguments whereby she
might arrive ut the desired conclusion.
It II not to be wondered at. then, that
eventually there came u day when the
Information was brought to her that
even in the say and ultra fashionable
world In which they moved people
spoke OF him ~ ''that mad Challoner."
and were saying that be was going
pace that was rapidly carrying him
far beyond the horizon Of anything
like spectability-going to the dogs.
in truth. as fast as her money could
take him there.
Eociety's estimation? Illusions in
that direction were hardly possible.
There. too. doubtless she would Incur
the loss Of a certain amount Of con-
sideration. And even the nonposses-
sion OF a highly imaginative fempera~
ment did not prevent her from fancy
ing the expressive shrugs and ooh. Of
course, his wife h to blame which
would be voiced by more than one
impeccable dame Of her acQuaint-
ance, as often as not superbly gullibie
souls whose eioquence increases In d.
rect proportion to the worlds lack OF
belief in the fidelity Of their liege
lords.
But, whatever were the opinions Of
the women. there was no disposition
on the part Of the men to hold her in
any way responsible for his behavior
Far from It. And In favorite corner
Of an exclusive club, when the names
Of fair ladieS--mostly Of the stage
were banded about as figuring In
young Chaiioner's escapades. old GRO
niles Of his father. between sips of
their Scotch and sodas. were won't to
boil over with contemptuous indigna-
ton and explosiveiy give thanks to the
gods for willing that their lovable.
old time friend should not i've to see
the confirmation OF his fears. And
how well they recalled those fears!
For notwithstanding bis very moder-
ate circumstances the elder Challoner
had been that rarest Of mottals,
man blissfully content with his lot In
life and one who seldom missed an
opportunity to deplore the Unsuitable
craze Of the rich for more riches. for
ever protesting that blatant CONNER
ciaiism. haste and artinciaiity were
the gods Of the present day.
1t soon came out that thsre had bean
Z scene between father and son. These
two for many years had been the only
members Of the family. and probably
better than any one In the world the
father had known the sons weak
nesses--hy representative to new infiu-
ences. vanity and Inability to shy no
and he had pointed out to him the
many disadvantages. dangers to one
Of his temperament. which he could
see In such an alliance. To the f..
Tiers thinking the hoy would have
no home-onIy establishments. yachts.
racing stables and motorcars-and he
had coutended that there were far
more desirable things In life than the
possession OF these from which II can
easily be surmised that j. Lawrence
Challoner. ST.. was man little In
sympathy with the ideas Of modern
fashlonable society.
xn this was yeass aga. Parontn On
both sadss had parsed away. and yet
things had turned out .pestU much =
the Old naaA hsA drsadsd lndssd,
matters had como to this pese-hsW
long this indulgsnt viii would con
tinus to keep her eyes shut TO her
husband making ducks and brakes Of
her fortune aud why she did 1t were
questions which Interested .all who
knew thls couple. but which ChalloHeF
apparently thought wholly unneces-
sary % ~ hiusslk
~ anloaebile-1gss. Chaiionss'u ~
bssnshila-was hzssiS Instrumental n