Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-02

al vi tnem alt'uiStiC. Lazy Betty had
the rare faculty of knowing when to
be restful. Tied cab'net m'1'-ters.
overworked lords of the Admiralty,
leaders in all parties, knew that in
Park lane there would he no quest ms
asked which It would not be possible
TO answer, that there was always an
excellent dinner to be had without
frills. lounge in quiet room, or,
indeed, pair of pyjamas and bed IL
necessary.
But since the desperate character
of the war with Germany had been
driven home into the hearts of the
people of London, change had taken
place In the complexion of many pri.
vate entertainments and the same seri.
Gus air which was to be noted in the
mien of well.informed people of all
classes upon the street was reflected
IN the faces of her guests. Her scien-
lists were engrossed with utilitarian
problems. Her literary men were send.
ing vivid word.pictures of ruined
Rheims and Louvain to their brothers
across the Atlantic, and her cabinet
ministers conversed less than usual,
addressing themselves with a greater
particularly to her roasts or her spare
bedrooms. Torn between many duties,
as patroness to baZaars. as head of "a
variety OF sewing guilds. as president
OF the new association for the training
and equipment of nurses. Lady Heath.
cote herself showed signs of the wear
and tear of an extraordinary situation,
but she managed to meet 1t squarely
by using every ounce of her abundant
energy and every facuitysof her re.
Many secrets were hers, both politi-
cal and departmental. but she kept
them nobly. aware that she lived In
parlous times. when an unconsidered
word might do a damage irreparable.
agents or the enemy. she knew, had
been discovered in every walk of life,
and while she lived in London's inner.
most circle. she knew that even her
own house might not have been i'm
mune from visitors whose secret mo-
yves were open to question. 1t was,
therefore. with the desire to reassure
herself as to the unadulterated loyalty
OF her intmates that she had carefully
scrutinized her dinner lists. eliminating
all uncertain quantities through whom
or bV whom the unreserved character
or the conversation across her board
might in any way be jeopardized. So
1t was that tonight's dinner-table had
some of the COMPLEXION of a family
party of art. in which John Rizzio. the
, bright particular star III London's
= armament. was to lend his effuloence.
John Rizzio, dean of collectors,
, whose wonderful houen IN pertalv
, Square rivaled the British Museum
and the Wallace collect 'on comb ned !;
, an Italian by birth, an Englishman by
, adoption. WHO heoauee 80 ~ 'h' -
benefactions had been offered kni-ht-
, hood and had refused it: John Rizzo,
who had been an intimate of King
, Edward friend o. """'net m'n'T
n, hp
T, workings of the Government as maj
esty Itself. Long n member of Lady
Heathcote's circle it ha been her
custom to give him dinner on the
anniversary of the day of tho a"q"isi.
:, tion Of the most famous picture in his
collection "rhp ror~ ~ ~
which had. before the death of the old
Earl been the aim of col ectors
= throughout the world.
!. AS usual. the selection o. her grests
9 had been lie t to Rizzio, whose variety
of taste in friendships could have been
q no better shown than in the company
which now graced LADY II athcote 4
: table. The Earl and Countess of Kip
I shaven the one artistic, the other lit
$ e~ary; their daughter, the Honorable
Jacqueine Morley; CaDtain Byfield. a
retired cavalry officer now on special
duty at the War Office: Lady Joyliffc
I who had loS' hey eH'l at Mons =
:. teresting widow, the bud of whose new
!. affections was ALREADY emerging from
her weeds; John Sandvs. under-secre
: tary for foreign affairs, the object oi
I those affections: Miss Doris Mather
q daughter Of the American cottor
q king, who was known for doing un
. usual things not the least OF winch
k was her recent refusal or the haN" ol
John Rizzio one of London's catches
and the acceptance of that of the Hon
r orable Cyril Hammers ey. the last tc
be mentioned member OF this distin
l., guished company. gentleman sports
!, man and man about town, VINO, as
:. evervbodv knew, Wou'o never set 'i's
a world afire.
d Not one knew how this miracle had
:, happered for Doris Ma'her's brains
y were above the ordinary: she had 9
s discriminating taste in books a"'
KNOWLEDGE of pictures, and just be orc
% dinner upstairs in u burst OF conn
! dence she had given her SURPRISED
!, hostess an idea of what man shoule
n be. :, ,o,,,,n oh,
sighed, "a worker. dreamer OF grea
% dreams, firebrand in every goot
c cause. a patriot wiring to fight 10 th'
l. last drop of his blood
Lady Betty's laughter disconnected
70 her and she paused
"And that &c why you chose tn
!, Honorable Cyril|
~ Miss Mather compressed her lins anC
frowned at her image in the mirror.
IL Don't be nastv, Betty l couldn'
:, marry a man as old as John Rizzi =
II Lady Betty only laughed again.
81 "Forgive me, dear. but 1t real II
"a most curious. wouldn't laugh II yol
lg hadn't been so careful to describe I,
re me all the virtues that Cyril-hasnt.
10 Doris powdered the end OF her nos
20 thoughtfully. ,
e: II suppose they're all myth--mel
ot like that. They simply don't exist
As Lady Betty pinned a final jewel ol
1e "I'm sure John Rizzio is fiattered
vour choice. Cyril is an OLD deai
I'd Rut to marry I'd as soon take IN
,g automatic chess player, why az yo
Going to marry Cyril, Doris?" sh
OF asked. ,,o,,aer .
"I,m not sure that l am ooh
.ven know why ] thought him po
sible. i think it's the feeling OF th
hotter for his clay. Something migf
he made OF him. He seems SO neil
less somehow. Men or his sort aiWas