Newark post., 1911-08-02
OLD SHIpTON
CHAPTER XIl--The Literary Club

lys-these last being popular
army officer and his wife on detail
at the college. The Devines al
ways took to West Point people,
as ducks take to water.
Its because of their travel and
breadth o: experience" Robert
surmised.
Its because of their human
ity," Marian fancied. In any case,
the Lister Birketts, the Beverlys
and the Devines made a pulling
tandem along the road Of social
pleasure and intellectual feasts, Of
which the Literary Club was a
feature.
1t was customary for the Club
to select an object of homage for
each evening, the members con-
tributing }n turn one or more
grains OF incense, or even lash
of censure according to taste and
discernment.
Marian had not yet read much
of Jane Austin, or homiletics. Had
she done SO, she would have found
out that the exceptions which
she had way Of taking, the dis
tinctions which she was prone to
make out of the bulk of human
character and inanimate things,
was due to her faculty of under
standing, and not captious at all !;
for the more understanding you
have, the more impossible it is to
admit that AL men are born free
and equal or that one thing is as
good as another. Jane Austin
makes Darcy point this out to you
very clearly.
Marian, who showed her limi-
tations by being unable also to
worship at more than one shrine
at time chose on one occasion of
her evenings at home, the poet
Keats.
The chaste refreshments that
followed were interspersed with
candles held aloft by her her-
looms the candlesticks from Ches-
ter Cathedral, black with thous-
and years of incense smoke. They
failed, it is true, of the effect of
branching candelabra, but were
cheerfully assisted by kerosene
under a white-and-gold shade.
White and gold expressed Mar
ian's royal taste in the matter OF
furnishings in those days, albeit
the size and proportions of her
drawing room were anything but
royal.
A portrait of Keats on an easel
was encircled by frame of dou-
Bile holly-hocks these being for
day in favor after a su inner pass.
ed by the Devines near the Fay
gardens at Woods Holl. A low
basin of the holly-hocks in fairy
tints also adorned the center of
the table. 1t was a feast of rea-
son and flow of soul" at which
unlike the Whist Club-salads and
ices played but an Indifferent part.
Rojer Birkett never ate anything
and delayed all dinners.
love, Roger!' Lister would
exclaim in irritation, Cant you
see you're holding back all the
courses?'
But Roger would wave a hand
OF amiability, bidding the guests
go ahead, and himself continuing
to talk.
On the evening mentioned, all
having conceded without demur
to Marian that Keats was demi-
god, and the British public toad,
the hostess, hike bird too long
confined in its cage, poured forth
her notes of praise.
so familiar were these thoughts
that no paper or book of refer
ence was needed, and when she
conceived that she had done scant
justice to her theme, she sank
back i'll her chair quite spent and
cold.
When she rose, Mrs. Beverly
and Roger Birkett followed her
into the hall, where she stood be-
tween the beaded reeds of a Japan
ese curtain.
Roger as usual was inarticulate
when friendship and pleasure
strove for expression, but Mrs.
Beverly cried at once, 80 will you
do that FOR my reception next
week.
But Marian was sure she could
not do" it for any Old Shipton
audience. The excitement of that
burning flow in her veins would
be over in half hour, and noti:.
ing could stay its exhaust.
HayipO t,ppnclraJ l,o. .Jo1 ~