Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-07-19

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Ran Ellis Glance Up and Down TIL.
Columns of Visiting Cards.
soling ends Of his abundant mus.
taehe. Curious; but all these persons
were occupying or about to occupy
adjacent rooms. There was truiy
nothing mysterious about it, save that
tho stranger had picked out these vely
names as a target for his banter. Foc-
| tune Chedsoye; it was rather an W.
usual name: but as she had arrived
only an hour or so before, he could
not distinctly recall her features. ARD
then, there was that word bucolic.
He mentally turned it over and over
| as physically he was wont to do with
| postcards left III his care TO mai.
He could make nothing Of the word,
except that it smackeG Of the East
Indian plague.
Here he was saved from further
cerebral agony by timely Interrupt
ton. A man, who was not Of bucol.c
persuasion either in dress or speech,
urban from the tips Of his bleachei
fingers to the bulb of his bibulor5
nose. leaned across the counter anl.
| asked if Mr. Horace Ryanne had yet
arrived. Yes, he had just arrived; h
was even now on his way to his room.
The urban gentleman nodded. Then,
with a finger slim and well-trimmec,
he trailed up and down the guest-list.
"Ha, l see that you have the Duke
of What.d'ye.call from Germany here,
III give you my card. Send it up 10
Mr.. Ryanne. No hurry. shall be iN
again after dinner"
He hustled off toward the door.
He was pursy, well-feG, and decentiy
dressed, the sort of man who, whc,
no moved in any direction. created the
Impression that he had an importart
| engagement somewhere else or was
pairing minutes from timetables. For
g. man in his business it was a clever
expedient, deceiving all but those who
knew him. He hesitated at the doo",
however, as if he had changed his
mind in the twenty-odd PAGES 1t took
to reach it He stared for a long
period at the elderly gentleman who
was watching the feluccas on the
river through the window. The white
mustache and imperial stood out in
crisp relief against the ruddy sunburn
on his face. If he was aware Of this
scrutiny On the part Of the pursy gem
tleman, he gave not the least sign.
| The revolving door spun round, send
ing a puff of outdoor air into tho
lounging-room. The elderly gentleman
then smiled, and applied his thumb
and forefinger to the waxen point OK
his imperial.
In the intervening time Mr.. Ryanno
entered his room, threw the bundle
on the bed, sat down beside it, and
read his letter Shadows and lights
moved across his face; frowns thai
hardened it, smiles that mellowed Il
Women hold the trick Of writing let
tiers. Do they hate, their thoughts
fash and burn from line to line. Dc
they love, It's lettered music. Do they
conspire, the breadth Of their imag;-
nation is without horizon. At best,
man can indite only polite business
letter, his love-notes were adjudged
long since q maudlin collection CO
loose sentences. In this letter Mr.. Ry-
anne found the three parts of life.
"She's a good general; but hang
| these birthstone efforts Of hers. She
talks too much of heart. For my part,
l prefer 20 regard it as mere phys
ical function, a pump, a motor, pow
er that gives action to the legs, either
in coming or in going, more especially
in going" He laughed. well, hers
is the inspiration and hers is the law
And to think that she could plan al!
this on the spur Of the moment, down
TO the minutest detail! It's science"
He put the letter away, slid out his
legs and glared at the dusty tips Of
his shoes. "The United Romance and
| adventure SUllpfihs, SSu', ~ -NN'
York, London, and Paris. She has the
greatest gift of all, the sense OF hui
NOR"
He rose and opened his kit-bag
doubtfully. He rummaged about in
the depths and at last Strengthened
up with mild oath.
mot a pair Of cuffs in the Whole
outfit, not shirt, not u collar. Oh.
well, when a man has to leave Bagdad
the way I did, over the back fence,
so to speak, linen doesn't count"
He drew down his cuffs, detached
and reversed them, ne turned his fold
ing collar wrong-side out, and USED
the under side of the foot-rug as a
shoe-polsher 1t was the ingenious
procedure of man who was used tc
being out late nights, who made al
things answer all purposes. This rapid