The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1921-01-20

III Oue ltlteT tlllS NlrElnul imp WTOte |
as II / were her lover and that letter |
was as the song of the meadow lark |
from a 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 We're
the better. himself included, for their
experiment and that Mr.. Sdney's con-
ditlon would permit longer voyage In
his pleasant circumstances. Conse-
quently they were going on TO South
America. Mr.. Sidney wanted to revisit
Montevideo.
From Montevideo had letter from
Jed in different tone from his sarcas-
tic banter and taunting. / thought II
was the letter of a man who had suf-
fered shock. / could not say why !
thought so, but / thought something
had disturbed him. / 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 himsel 20 luxurious
temperatures. / then iDvogorats1,
as by a promise In March c. hepatica.
My winter was breaking up.
/ met an old-tine acquaintance,
dentist who had been several years In
South America. His name was Alcott,
Henry Alcott.
Alcott and never had been intimate
or affectionate, but we greeted each
other with ardor. I was lonesome. AL
colt may have been. There is lone
someness associated with a return to
a place which has forgotten you and
receives you as an alien.
We had dinner together and enjoyed
our meeting. There was furtively, at
dinner, a reminiscent amativeness In
his conversation. 1t suggested that he
was smirking over exploits which he
might relate If his restraints were
broken down.
He had a talent for merely carnal
stories. They gained additional car
nallty 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
ha oha Of a
venture in Latin America. l think he
wanted, by other instances, to suggest
| his own adventures.
A man named Sinclair-that was as
| Alcott remembered the name, but 1t
| might, he said, have been st. John or
else beginning with S; 1t was long be-
| fore Alcott's time In South America,
| and he merely told the story because
| 1t was standardized episode-thls
man Sinclair, an Englishman or man
from the States, fairly young man,
anyway, and attractive, had fallen in
love with a most charming young wom-
an OF excellent family.
| Alcott could not remember whether
| this little episode had been staged In
| Rio or Valparaiso or Buenos Aires or
where.
| ut 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
well agree upon Sinclair as name
had come out of somewhere or no.
where and had made a great deal of
money. When he fell In love, he was
accepted him gladly.
Sinclair and the young lady were
married, but he did not have the,Latin
genius for isolating and guarding u
woman. Neither did he have the
genius for completely interesting and
absorbing a woman. He was in the
shipping business. He was a very prac.
teal and business-ruled man, but, AL.
colt had heard, genial and jovial man
nevertheless.
Lovers came, as lovers will. The
lady was too charming and had toe
| huth iittuOii. toit WINS iiihottnt uhh
gulleless, but her husband was net 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 not precise as to the dilem
ma she had entered, how or why she
entered 1t. A man Of reputation fol
discreet gallantry. handsome man OF
attractive culture. was encouraged by
her frank and unchilled attitude to
ward him to try desperate measure.
There was designing servant In the
house. The lover corrupted the serv
ant and was introduced into the house
The husband was supposed to be away
on a business trip. he came bach
ahead of time, as husbands sometimes
do, and stopped at his club before hi
went home.
A friend OF the lover saw him and
knowing what was being essayed a
| the mans home was aghast. He In