Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1910-07-05
CHAPTER XVI.


human race as a whole When people
were kind to him he did not-as most
Of US, unhappily. so soon learn to do
ask himself what motive they had for
being kind. but took 1t for granted that
they liked him for his own sake (Which.
to be sure, was generally the TRUTH,
and felt this to be an excellent reason
for liking them in return. His cousin,
therefore. obtained without difficulty
the friendship which she mad declared
that she coveted. Fred called every
orning to inquire whether he could
be of any use to her. and her reply al
ways was that he could sit down and
talk to her. If he wasn't in hurry.
You must go away the moment you
are tired of me-" she would add; I'VE
should lose all the advantage of being
nrst cousins unless we could dispense
with ceremony"
However. he was seldom in any hur-
~ to go away, and it was generally
sne who had to dismiss him at length;
for she had good many engagements
of one kind and another
You can't think" she said, what a
funny sensation it is to be spoken to
as an equal after one has been either
patronized or trampled under foot all
ones days. Sometimes l have to pinch
myself to make sure that there Is no
mistake about 1t and that l am not
the victim of a wildly improbable
dream. These great ladies-I suppose
Lady Clamborough must be a great
lady? She is a viscountess and she
lives IN Belgrave Square-that makes
her great lady, doesn't it?"
Il don't know" answered Fred.
Yes; dare say it does"
Anyhow you must allow me the sat
isfaction of calling her great, because
she Is certainly the biggest person on
my little list. l was going to say that
these ladies really behave as though
1 were one of themselves"
We'll, so you are. You are as good
as any OF them by birth. imagine"
She made a gesture of dissent Il
shall never be able to feel that. /
have been crawling about in lower
sphere for too long. Still, as l am
pretty good mimic, l daresay that with
little more practice 1 shall be able to
pass muster as one of them. This is
Lady Clamborough."
She rose and crossed the room With
shore, tripping steps, screwing up her
eyes and murmuring, WHO Is IL!
oh, Mrs Fenton-how do you do, Mrs.
Fenton? / couldn't make out who you
were. l am so wretchedly shortsight-
ed, and 1 can't think what I've done
with my eyeglasses"
Lady Clamborough is fond of plain
language, as l notice that they all are.
Why, | haven't quite made out yet. but
fancy it must be to mark the differ
ence which exists between them and
a lvNT1 a
afraid of being vulgar. Viscountesses of
course can't be vulgar. so they may
say what they please"
One morning she announced to him
with some pride that she was social
success There's no doubt about it;
have met with acceptation. Last
night I dined at Lady Clamborough's,
and met the best of good company.
After dinner l was begged to sing. At
first l thought of declining, because.
YOU see. the days are past when | used
TO be invited to Government House in
Acknowledgement OF the fact that /
had a voice, and when 1t would have
been almost dishonest of me to refuse
10 raise it, But said to myself Don't
be too uppish, my dear. After all, what
are YOU, with your paltry eight or nine
thousand a year, among these high
magnates?'4 When had finished sing
ing they literally rushed at me In
compact mass, and fought over me.
am now going to dine with every one of
them"
You must have wonderful voice"
said Fred.
my voice has never brought me
anv money worth speaking of, and so
have always felt more ashamed than
proud of 1t; but now | begin to sea
that 1t may be of use as passport to
the society of the great"
do YOU think the society of the great
such an immense boon?"
She made a slight grimace. Per
haps not exactly that: still like It. 1t
is altogether new to me. you see. and
II gives me a kind OF pleasure that
can't quite describe. 20 shake hands
with duchesses. Is that very snobbish.
wonder? Anyhow" she added. aftrs
moment of consideration. Il don't
care whether my friends have coronets
or not. and you are my only real friend,
Fred"
He was very willing to be so de-
scr,bed and when he next met Mr..
Rreffit. he spoke OF his cousin with a
warmth OF appreciation which delight
ed that benevolent schemer.
Leave 'em alone and they'll come
home" said Mr.. Brefit jocularly -
Sir James lie Breton who shrugged
his shoulders. and replied that he asked
nothing better
But Fred's heart. as we know, was
no longer his own; and his cousin. "a
stead of wanting 10 marry him. shove
every disposition TO promote his mar
riage with somebody else. At least.
81 huoyed him up with encouraging
speeches and listened very patiently of
his hopes and fears More than that II
was not in her power TO do. since she
was as vet unacquainted with the OBJ
tect OF his adoratiSn She was ex-
tremeIy anxious TO be introduced to the
Moores. and he professed himself
eoIyatiy anxious to effect the In
reduction. but these things are not
very easily managed without the aid OF
chance and as the season was now on
the wane. II was more than likely that
Susie might leave London before Mrs
Fentcn had found an opportunity OF
expressing an honest opinion about
her.
Chance. nevertheless. did bring
about the desired meeting one evening
whens at her request. Fred had taken
his cousin 10 the theater. Mrs. Fenton
enjoyed The play just as she enjoyed
everything else; that is to say. after y
most hearty and unaffected fashio1
She deeply regretted that Fred's little
comedy had been withdrawn from the
boards. but could not agree With him
that. since that was so. there was no
particular necessity for their witness
ing the farce which had replaced r.
Anybody who offers to take me 10 the
theater must make up his mind that
he is in for a night OF it," said she.
Good or bad. duh or funny. l want to
see it all"
consequently they had been for
some time In their places before =
nartv OF four persons arrived 10 take
r.nssirr, of the four vacant stalls IN