The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1912-01-19
CHAPTER III.

~TlAFt En- Ill
The handsome townhouse of How
ard Jenries, the well-known banker. or
riverside drive, was one of the most
striKlng among the many imposine
millionaire homes that line the city's
splendid water front Houses there
were in the immediate proximitS
winch We're more snowy and had cost
more money, but none as completely
satisfying from the art lovers stand.
point. 1t was the home of man who
studied and loved the beautiful for its
own sake and not because he wanted
TO astonish people, with what miracles
his money could work. Occupying a
large plot on slightly elevated ground.
the house commanded a fine view of
the broad Hudson. Directly opposite,
across the river, busy with steam and
SAILING craft, smiled the green slopes
OF New Jersey; in the purplish north
trowned the jagged cliffs of the preeip-
itous Palisades.
The elder Jeffries, aristocratic de-
seendant of an old Knickerbocker
family, was proud of his home and
had spent large sums of money in
beautifying it. Built in colonial style
OF pure white marble with long
French windows and lofty columns
supporting a fiat, rounded roof SIR.
rounded by broad lawns, Widespread
ing shade trees and splashing foun-
talns, 1t was conspicuous landmark
Tor miles. The interior was full of
architectural beauty. The stately en-
trance hall, hung with ancestral por-
traits, was of noble proportions. and
superb staircase, decorated with
statuary, led off to tastefully decorated
reception rooms above. Tonight the
house was brilliantly Illuminated and
there was considerable activity at the
front entrance, where a footman in
smart livery stood opening the doors
OF the carriages as they drove I'D in
quick succession. h
Mrs. Jeffries' musicales were always
largely attended because she knew
the secret of making them interesting.
Her husbands wealth and her fine
house enabled her to entertain on a |
liberal scale, and she was a tactfuI
and diplomatic hostess as well. She
not only cultivated the right kind of |
people who were congenial to each
other, but she always managed to |
nave some guest of special distinction |
whom every one was eager to meet. |
her own wide acquaintance among
the prominent operate artists and her
husbands influential position in the
world OF finance made this policy an
easy way of furthering her social am
bltlons. She would always invite
some one whom she could present as
the lion OF the evening. One week it
would be tenor from the opera house,
another time famous violinist. In
this way she managed to create lit
tie artistic salon on the lines of the
famous political salons in which the
brilliant women of the eighteenth CEN
fury nodded public opinion in France.
Alicia knew she was clever and as
she stood admiring herself in front of
a full length mirror while awaiting
the arrival of her guests she congrat-
uiated herself that she had made a
success of her life. She had won those
things which most women hold dear 4
wealth and social position. She had
married man she did not love, it
was true, but other women had done ,
hat before her. If she had nos ,
brought her husband love she at least ,
vas not wife he need be ashamed ,
If. In her Paquin gown of gold cloth, ! ,
With sweeping train and a jeweled ! I
lara in her hair, she considered her !
self handsome enough to grace any 7
mans home. 1t was indeed beauty |
which she saw in the mirror-the face i
VI woman not yet 80, with the fea- y
ures regular and refined The eyes r
we're large and dark and the mouth r
nd nose delicately nodded The face / 7
eemed accidentally perfect, all but q
he expression She had cold, cal f
ulating look, and cynic might have ]
harged her with being heartless, of c
topping at nothing to gain her own b
nds. !
Tonight Alicia had every reason to C
eel jubilant. She had secured a So n
ial lion that all New York would talk O
bout-no less a person than DR.. |,
the celebrated psycholo- t,
list, the originator of the theory Of D
cientific psychology. Everything G
eemed to go the way she wished; her t,
were the talk of the town; e
er husband had just presented her ii
18th the ieweled tiara which now D.
raced her head; there seemed to be fl
othing in the world that she could ii
OF enjoy. r.
Yet she was not happy, and as she a
axed at the face reflected before her Fl
the glass she wonder ed If the world 81