The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1910-08-19
CHAPTER v.-continued.

When Clara happened to breach the
subject OF music at their third or
fourth meeting she found she had
touched the dominant chord of vii.
frid's nature: being no mean execu.
tant herself. they at once met on com.
mon ground. She found that he had
seen most Of the modern operas lat a
dollar admission) and some others Of
which she had never even heard. and
he laughingly confessed to the pos
session OF a tenor voice.
But you know what the great Won
Bulow said about tenors. Miss Pas
savant?"
mo: tell me. please: something
spiteful. am sure
Judge for yourself: he said that =
tenor was a diseased"
Clara laughed. THAT recalls Her
vey's-was It Hervey's?-clever gen.
eralization OF the human race" she
said. You know he divided us up
into men. women. and curates."
THAT was certainly rather severe
on the gentlemen of the CLOTH" COM
mented Stennis. unless he had in
mind the old saying about the last
not being the least
Upon another occasion they were
discussing the feminine passion for
tine clothes.
Women dress to please them
selves" valiantly asserted Clara.
championing her sex.
Are you sure?" said Stennis. mo
true woman would be content with
such a simple motive as that; 1t must
be something far more complex"
For instance?" she asked. with
one Of her challenging glances which
dared him to do his best or say his
worst.
Il think they dress to please them
selves first: secondly. to please the
men: and. thirdly. to make other
women envious."
For shame." was the laughing re,
tort. tapping him with her fan: time
enough to be cynical when you get to
be as old as papa"
Such little verbal passages at arms
as these-and there were many oil
them as time passed. for upon Stennis
was conferred the freedom of the
house in Park avenue after that initial
dinner-seryed to put them more and
more at their ease and to cement theil
friendship. The rather shop-worn SO
ciety woman OF eight or ten seasons
discovered a new sensation; in match
/ Ia x~,leh Oh =.
strike responsive FIRE In him everJ
time. nor was 1t certain that in 81
doing her own wings were not IL
danger of being singed: she certainly
and perhaps unwittingiy. revealed I,
him oftener than to others a softer
more womanly side OF her nature.
On Stennis' part he ever delighte,
to be with her. because she possesse,
the happy knack of educing his bright
est thoughts: she became his socia
mentor and the arbiter of his slowl
forming tastes. He really wondere
at himself. after an evening In her &C
ciety. when he recalled the consumed
~ bright things he had said. and b
began to take no little pride In hi
social and fashionable progress. Fo
he was everywhere voted success
His wealth. bis pristine freshness. hi
total freedom from the too freQuen
vulgarities Of the newly rich. mad
him everywhere welcome: he was pu
up at two or three good clubs; star,
Ing with q few valuable introdut
lions from the Passavants. his circl
Of acquaintance widened rapidly. an,
not the least surprising feature Of
al to Stsnnis was the ease with whicl
hs assumed his place among the cleo
Of New York society. It was q
though hs had been to the manne
born
30 The winter passed. In high jink
AnA perpetual holidays.- and tn