The Evening standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1910-1913, 1910-10-01

E Larchcr was the harshest everybody said
~ that the New Workers OF our generation had
Ea52 known. There seemed unsuitable
malice in the sharp winds, persistent
city in the thick, icy atmosphere. Even the
November day that | first saw her l remember that
rcsstlcss chill was creeping, like thing OF shape
and sinister purpose upon the city and |
shvering miscrably when ] in just before din
ner and ran up our two flights OF stairs chldishly
yearning for the warmth that waited at the top.
Our outer hall rather dark and could not
plainly the lady who happened to be coming down
from the floor above but knew that 1t must be Miss
Larcher. We lived III old-fashioned house com
fortably rcmadc into studios and apartments whose
caSy-going tenants moved out only when they
ried died or in the OF the Neil GleSpieS,
who had the big studio the top floor abroad
il was only week before that the Gillcsplcs had
sailed, the arrangement having suddenly been made
with this old friend OF theirs that she should take
the studio during their absence. Mrs. GilcspicS
flowing condolences had included, somewhat to my
dstaSte, a great many points OF Miss LarchcrS
sombre history; and although the new tenant was,
her friend said very far from the type of woman
expects to find living in studio Mrs. Gillespie
had nevertheless been sure that | should like her
very much,
So, as VIC stood there facing each other in the
dusk, l ventured to speak 10 her-to tell her that
was Mrs. Southmayd, and to say few welcoming
things that should still not seem ovcrcordal, for
had quickly caught that there something pccu-
iary formal and elegant in her unaggressivc pres
ence, and did not wish her to think me obtrusvc
familiar She had only arrived, she said, that
afternoon and had left her maid to unpack while
she 10 get dinner; and she asked inc.
rather casually, and by way OF response 10 my own
ovcrtures. to tell her of some good place to dine
by for she had never lived SO far downtown
before and did not know about the restaurants.
ooh won't you in and dine with me, Miss
Larcber?" | impulsively begged her forgetting the
formal manner | had assigned myself. My hus-
band will not be at home. and is desolae dining
alone"
She accepted very readily and was therefore my
guest before had really her face; and it was
not until led her into my own bedroom and helped
her TO take off her wraps that got complete i'm
OF her She managed gracefully slender
height and it not until you looked her squarely
in the face that you realized that she as people
say mo longer young Mrs Gillespie, | remem
bered had at least been Loyalty vague the point
OF her friends age. Her dark face too thin,
and there look, deep i'll her eyes that one
does not like 10 Sec but She OF the scruPulously
worldly type that allows itself TO go to
pieces" exteriorly, and her dark hair beaut-
fully arranged her smile so charming, and the de
tails OF her quiet dress, feminine perception, at
least ravshng. that she could still pass for
pretty woman She, too, seemed cold, so ] gave
her some sherry and had fire built in the dining
well as in our little library We both com
placently absorbed the warmth as we sat and talked,
and Miss Larchcr inquired a little anXously.
whether she could have many open fires as she
liked in her studio In a hurried, explanatory
way, she added that she had been ordered South
Tor the winter, usual, and had been on the point
of starting when she heard of the Gilespies plans
and changed her own. | looked little dubious at
this whercat she laughed and said she believed that
she had been supcrstitiously obedlent to medical
prescription and tired OF 1t. At all events. she
had spent year after year in California, the
Riviera in Sicily. until she was bored to despcra-
ton and her throat seemed no better after all 50
she had decided to spend one winter as she pleased
seeing her old friends. hearing all the music that she
wanted. and Ignoring with delrous imprudence,
the stupid matter OF climate. The next day she
should have a piano moved IN and go to Phll-
harmonic in the evening. She believed She should
quite content nothing for years had promised so
richly We had barely finished dinner when Sid
ney Fenncll, whose opposite ours,
stopped in as usual II had become his custom TO
have cigar with Dick before he went out for the
evening; or when, as was now coming oftener TO DC
the case. Dick not at home, he would stop lohS
enough tell something amusing or TO play
to little. My guests encounter seemed sngu-
lary fortunate for Sidney still young enough TO
feel j devouring JOY in any ono who genuinely
understood music as ] knew that Miss Lareher
did aud guided their instant plunge into what was
for them the great topic. Sidney had already com
posed some credltablc things. and he brstled with
an artists divnations but he felt hampered, think.
by the narrowncss of his experience. Miss Larcher.
the other hand. IN addition TO a taiT amount or
solid knowledge. had easy familiarity with musi-
cal people and performances the world over there
seemed to be nothing as his eager questioning drew
out she had not seen and heard. II some time
previous that l had aband0cd the use OF Sidney
social pawn. greatly as his good looks and
good spirits and kind OF youthful radiance teTpted
what is supposed to be young matrons pfe.em-
nent obscssion. The danger Of inviting the obIging
youth to meet the pretty girls" of my acquaintance
had proved to be that the pretty girls had liked MN
than was necessary and that he, seemingly
invulnerablc never thought OF them again But
these two already on solidcr basis. had
only to sit by purrngly, and contemplate them
BY the time that they both had to leave they were
IN the midst of amiabe quarrel over Strauss
SO 81, l invited thew to come to dinner lew msh'S
later, and have il out at their leisure.
Because we honestly liked each other and had,
each OF US, many empty hours. Miss Latcher ana
fell shortly into unburdcnsome intimacy
had, to tell the truth. been wrctchedly lonely before
she came because Dicks work his pleasure l
weakly preferred not to know which, allowed him
TO be at home little, fact which / preferred
that my older friends should, far possible. not
suspect II was different with Constance Larcher;
one could not mind her knowing. II was her
exquisite way not to appear, by the least implica-
ton. 10 see or TO know anything that I had not
specifically told her; and she no less scrupu-
lousy reticent about her affairs than about
mine. And ii. unspokcnly, came to be more inter