The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1920-09-16


was as the song of the meadow lark
from snow-covered field in March,
as the odor Of lilacs on warm night
in May
The Sidneys went to the Bahamas,
but did not remain there. They wrote
me that Mr.. Sidney was WELL. Doctor
Brownell was convinced that all were
the better, himself included, for their
experiment and that Mr.. Sidney's con-
dition would permit a longer voyage in
his pleasant circumstances. Conse-
Quently they were going on to South
America. Mr.. Sidney wanted to revisit
Montevideo.
From Montevtdeo had letter from
Jed in different tone from his sarcas-
tic banter and haunting. I thought it
was the letter of man who had suf-
fered a shock. i could not say why I
thought so, but I thought something
had disturbed him. I gathered the
idea that something had changed Jed's
view of life.
Early in March came letters saying
that my folks shortly would be on their
way home, to arrive after our uncer-
tain spring had resolved itself securely
into weather safe for feeble man who
had accustomed himself to luxurious
temperatures. then felt invogorated,
as by promise in March of hepatfca.
My winter was breaking up.
met an old-time acquaintance, a
dentist who had been several years in
Henry Alcott.
Alcott and never had been intimate
Or affectionate. but we greeted each
otherwith ardor. I was lonesome. AL
colt may have been. There is a lone
someness associated with a return to
q place which has forgotten you and
receives you as an alien.
We had dinner together and enjoyed
our meeting. There was furtively, at
dinner, reminiscent amativeness in
his conversation. 1t suggested that he
was Sinking over exploits which he
might relate If his restraints were
broken down.
He had a talent for merely carnal
stories. They gained additional car
nality in his telling of them. l must
have been given the record of half the
amatory experiences of South America
for two years. AlcOtt told them with
gusto The one that fascinated me he
did not emphasize more than the 9TH
ers. AS he told these stories he was
trying to convey the charm of sex-ad-
venture in Latin America. l think he
wanted, by other instances, TO suggest
his own adventures.
A man named Sinclair-Athat was as
&hn hint
might, he said, have been st. John or
SOuthgrOve or Sergeant or anything
else beginning with S; it was long be-
fore Alcott's time in South America.
and he merely told the story because
it was a standardized episode-this
man Sinclair, an EngfiSkman or a man
from the States, a fairly young man,
anyway, and attractive, had fallen in
love with Il most charming young wom-
an Of excellent family. D..
AIcOtt could not remember whether
this little episode had been staged in
Rio or Valparaiso or BuenOs Aires or
where.
''It might have been in Montevideo,"
he said. He did not emphasize the re-
mark, but the remark subsequently, en-
phasized the story for me.
Sinclair-Alcott thought we might as
we'll agree upon Sinclair as g name
had come out of somewhere. or no
where and had made a great deal Of
money. When he fell in love, he was
an advantageous match. The parents
accepted him gladly.
Sinclair and the young lady were
married, but he did not have fhe Latin
genius for isolating and guarding
woman. Neither did he rave the
genius for. completely interesting and
absorbing d woman. He WIS in the
shipping business. He was a @ery pr;lc-
teal and business.ru ruled mar, but. Al
colt had heard, q geniaI and tDvi9i man
nevertheless.
Lovers came, as lovers will. The
lady was too charming and had too
much Freedom. She was innocent and
guileless, but her husband was not the
barrier needed. Alcott said he thought
she was of noble sort and was betrayed
by her idea that human beings had
character.
He was no: precise us to the dilem-
ma she had entered, low or why she
entered it. \ man of reputation for
discreet gallantry. handsome man of
attractive culture. was encouraged by
her frank and unchilled attitude to-
ward him to fry desperate measure.
There was Il designing servant in the
house. The lover corrupted the sery-
ant and WAS introduced into the house.
The !lusbnrd was supposed to be away
on a bus aess trip. He came back
,tiea,' OF time, as husbands sometimes
10. /. nd stopped at his club before he
went home.
A friend Of the lover saw him and,
Knowing what was being essayed at
the mans home. was aghast. He in
duced other friends of the lover TO try