Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-25


if unfortunate enough to incur her dispeasure
But for the most part she sat- very much powed and
ace-shawled, in great armchair, reading books or
magazines with magnifyng glass. 1t was hypnotizng
to watch that magnifyng glass moving, moving NOV
ing the lines of print and to think how many miles
it daily travelled and what coolies and coolies of them it
had travelled, in those swollen patient old fingers
| always associated Mrs Berthwih latter the magni-
flying glass; with the word genteel, which was her one
criterion for everybody. Oh if could only have once
earned that priceless adjective that patent of American
nobility, which fell like halo about Farquhar Onsett S
shining black head. "An exceedingly genteel young
man, my DEAR | should have been happy with the
secondary commentator, "Quite genteel' but at
ention no dollhouse grapes at two dollars pound no
jumping for the paper knife crawling obsequousness
with stools and shaws could win me that! There
somewhere in that clockwork heart silent antag
onsm scenic artists, and don't believe Stella ever
called me "Wally but that the magnifying glass took
little dip Of disapprova and egions of dead ancestors
caught the shiver of Auntsys goosefesh
| suppose the explanation was simple enough, and
to oldashioned ideas man of my trade was not gen
temin. Looking back on it. | am rather inclined to
agree with the old lady about the profession itself
but that particular Wally Jones, who was certainly
lacking in many of the finer things until Stella took
him in hand. didn't know being polished and
improved and civilized Probably she didn't either
il all gradual and instructive that it passed un
noticed except that the women had formerly admired
now began to strike me as somehow common and I'M
attractive. My standards were being changed for me-
and there always before my eyes scarcely con-
scious comparison. Thus it went on, SO tendery,
beautifully and yet always with underlying dread
that the end must For had no hope
The more intimate grew the | realized it.
stea's unformulaed ideals as gradually peced them
together demanded such supernan Of looks, courage
brains, position, and individuality that | knew was
let out before the competition began
But there a constant trickle of would-be super
men that caused me many black hour. Stella
of those girls who always endowed stranger with
glamour, that how | started, no ubt,-and
then after an animated week two, while was pre-
pairing myself for the worst would announce conf
dentialy and with dispirited air that she had been
disappointed in that nice Mr. So and So"
When Stella was disappointed in a superman it
meant his disappearance forever though, alas there
always come drifting in like In
comparison with these ephemeral beings, Farquhar
Onsett and | had somewhat the qualities of the Old
Guard, and were often said to be "a comfort. found
it a gratifying distinction, which perhaps
than he did. With his money and position and quiet
arrogance he could not always conceal his impatence,
and it worried me to Stella such pains smooth
him down and keep him from Joining the great majority.
could quite fathom her feelings toward him;
which suspected kinder than she cared to confess.
1t would certainly not have surprised me at any time
to hear that they were engaged
one afternoon when was leaving the Casino The
- alter happened to be overtaken by Julian How
ard who asked me- with great show of having some
thing divuge if had heard 4the latest about Stella
Patton
answered no. though with paralyzing feeling that
he might mean her engagement to Farquhar Onsett.
4She's been left million dollars he announced.
Great isn't it,
"A million dollars!' gasped out. "How? What do
you mean"
"From her uncle you know, he continued, "Wison
r Patton the great Duluth banker and grain man. who
dropped dead three days ago. He might just well
have made it two or three millions one for he
big enough to have his death shake Wall Street. My
broker quite upset about it.sid the liquidation
Of such large estate thing they hated down there,
the change of control, and all that you know. But,
anyhow, Stellas got her million which means forty
fifty thousand year BY George. Wally just think
of it! Fifty thousand year, mother in law
nag bother, and one Of the prettiest in New
York! What are you boys about to let that get past
vouo"
1a1phcd irving Ia hide what n blow If was TO