The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-01-14
CHAPTER /.


My Friend Virgins Is Introduced.
R DINED with Hartley Virgins at
the Hare and Tortoise on an even
ing in October not very long ago
1t may be well to explain that the
Hare and Tortoise is the smallest and
most select OF clubs, whose windows
afford pleasant view of Gramercy
E.park. The club is comparatively young,
+. and 1t is our joke that we are SO far all
tortoises. creeping through our several
professions without aid from any hare.
. ] hasten to explain that I am a Chin
ney doctor. Virgins is a lawyer; at
least have seen his name IN a list of
/ graduates of the Harvard Law school,
and he has an Office downtown, where
/ i have occasionally found him sedately
splaying solitaire while he waited for
some one to take him out to luncheon.
: He spends his summers on South
Dakota ranch from which he derives
considerable income.
Virgins rs an athlete, and his sum-
mers in the west and persistent train
Z ing during the winter keep him in fine
: condition AS L faced him tonight in
cur favorite corner of the Hare and
Tortoise dining room the physical man
Ewas 1T enough, but saw at once that
: he was glum and dfspiF1ted. He had
through many years honored me with
I his confidence, and I felt that tonight
after we got well started I should hear
what was on his mind. 1 hoped to
cheer him with the story of a visit
! had by chance paid that afternoon to
the Asolando tea room, for, though Wig
gins is a most practical person, 1 i'm
: agined that he would be diverted by
Z my description of a place which, l felt
/ sureHnothinE could tempt him to visit
j shall never forget the look he gave
me when remarked at about his third
spoonful of soup:
BY the way, I dropped into an odd
place this afternoon-Burne-Jon ones buns.
Rossetd macaroons and all that sort of
thing. They call it the Asolando'-
was ambIing on, expecting to
sharpen his curiosity gradually as 1 re-
cited the joys of the tea room, but at
stared at me blankly. 1t should be
known that Virgins is not a man
whose composure is lightly shaken.
The Asolando,'' repeated, to break
the spell of his blank stare. "Know
the placer
He recovered in a moment, but he
surveyed me quizzically before reply
ing.
of course 1 have heard of the Aso-
! lando. but 1 thought you didn't go in
for that sort of thing. It's a trifle girl
ish. you know"
That's hardly against it! I found
the girlishness altogether attrac tive."
You always were tolerably suscep-
4ibIe. but broiied butterflies and moth
wings souff1e seem to me rather pale
food for a man in your vigorous
health 4azzzzz
They must hare Disseminated in
your favor saw no such things,
slough to be sure. was afraid to quib-
Die over the waitress suggestions May
] ask when you were thereT'
.'Oh, [ dropped in quite accidentally
one day last spring. l saw the sign
and remembered that somebody had
spoken of the place, and 1 was tired,
and it was a long way to the club.
Bnd"-
DfssimuIati ton is not an art as Wig
gins attempts to practice it at times.
He is by nature the most stra ightfor=
ward of mortals- 1t was clear that he
was Withholding something. and L re-
solved to get to the bottom of it.
Il don't think the Asolando is place
that would attract either of us, and
yetothe <5ands are good as such stuff
goes. and the gentle handmaidens are
restful to the eye-Pippa, Francesca.
Gloria and the rest of EN-
Virgins prIed open his artichoke
with the care of Il botanist. He had
regained his composure, but l saw that
the subject interested him.
-.xeu we're there. this afternoon?' he
ihqufrsd - %.ezf+-r=---
--<--- my 6rst and only appearance"