Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-07-19
NOBODY'S MAN
BY e. Phillips Oppenheim
the best thing we could do would be to
prove ourselves human like other peo-

'hc UcSI tnlug we COul0 90 WOulu De 10
prove ourselves human like other peo-
ple.' -.
"And people call you clever! ~ her
mother scoffed. "Why, nv dear child,
any slight respect which we still receive
from the lower orders is based upon
their conviction that somehow or other
we are, after all, made differently from
them. Sometimes they hate us for It,
and sometimes they love us for It. The
great thing, nowadays, however, is to
cultivate and try to strengthen that
belief Of theirs"
How did you come to see this rag?'
Jane inquired mildly.
; "Your Aunt Somerham brought II
around this morning while I was In
bed," her mother replied. ut was q
great shock to me. Also to your father.
He was anxious to come with me but
is threatened with an attack of gout." )"
"And what do you want to say to
me about It? Just why did you bring
that rag and show me those para
graphs?"
my dear, I must know how much
truth there is in them. Have you been
going about with this man Tallente?'
ITO a certain extent. yes," Jane ad.
mitted. after a moments hesitation.
"Chaperoned?"
"Pooh! You know I finished with
mother"
II am informed that Mr.. Tallente is
a married man.
Jane finched a little for the first
time.
"All the world knows that she an
swered. "He married an American,
one Of William Hunters daughters.
"Who has now, understand, left
him."
Lady Jane shrugged her shoulders.
| II do not discuss Mr.. Tallente's mat
rimonial affairs with him.
Surely" her mother remarked,
acidly. ''in view Of your growing in
timacy. they are of some interest to
you both?"
Jane was silent for a moment.
Just what have you come to say,
mother?" she asked, looking up at her,
clear-eyed and composed. Better
let's get 1t over
The Duchess cleared her throat.
Jane" she said. 1--WE have become
reconci'ed, your father and l. against
our wills. to your strange political
choose to live. but when your eccentric
tiles lead you to n course of action
which makes you the target for scandal.
your family protests. l have come to
beg that this intimacy of yours with
Mr.. Tallente should CEASE
Mother" Jane replied, "for years
after left the schoOlroom ] subjected
myself to your guidance in these mat
ters. went through three London
seasons and made myself as agreeable
as possible to whatever you brought
along and called a man. At the end of
that time rcvolted. am still in re-
volt. Mr.. Tallente interests me more
than any man l know and shall not
give up my friendship with him."
Your aunt tells me that Colonel
FosbrOok wants to marry you
HE has mentioned the fact contin- =
ually," Jane assented. Colonel Fos.
brook is very pleasant person who
does not appeal to me in the slightest as
husband"
The Fosbrooks are one Of our Oldest
families" the Duchess said severely.
Arnold FosbrOok is very wealthy and
the connection would be most desirable.
YCu are twenty nine years old. Jane,
and you ought to marry. You ought
to have children and bring them up to
defend the order in which you were
Mother dear" Jane declared, smil.
ing. this conversation had better
cease. Thanks to dear Aunt Jane,
/ have an independent fortune. Wool :
hanger. and my little house here. I
have adopted an independent manner
of life and I have not the least idea
Of changing It. You have three other
daughters and they have all married
to your complete satisfaction. | don't
think that l shall ever be IA very black
sheep. but you must look upon me as
outside the fold. | hope you will stay
to lunch. Colonel FosbroOk Is bringin:
his sister and the Princess is coming"
The Duchess rose to her feet. The
family dignity justified Itself in her
cold withdrawal.
"Thank you, Jane" she said. ~
am engaged. am glad to know, how
ever. that you still have one or two
respectable friends"
The setting was the same only tho
| atmosphere seemed somehow changed
when Jane received her second visitc r
that day. She was waiting for him in
the small sitting room into which no
other visitor save members Of the FAM
lily were ever invited. There was a
comfortable fire burning, the roses which
had arrived from him few hours
before were everywhere displayed. and
Jane herself. In soft brown velvet
gown, rose to her feet. comely and
graceful. to welcome him.
$50 we are immOrtalizcd she eX-
claimed. smiling.
THAT wretched rag !"'he replied. ~
was hoping you wouldn't see it,
Mother was here with copy before
II o'clock"
Tallente made n grimace.
"Iyayp voI sworn m nhiuro ma n
| all my works?"
80 much so." she told him, "that
have been here waiting for you for
at least half an hour and I have put
on the gown YOU said you liked best.
| Some one said in book was reading
last week that affection was proved
only by trihes. | have certainly ncvnr
before in my life altered my scheme OF
clothes to please any man.
He raised her fingers to his lips.
"fou are exercising" he said, "the
most wonderful gift of your sex. You
are providing an oasis--more than that,
a paradse-for disheartcncd toilcr. |,
seems that l have enemies whose very
existence ! never guessed at.
"Wcll, does that matter very much ?"
your late party. wasn't 1t, who said
that the making of enemies was the only
reward of political succosS?"
"a cheap enough saying Tallentc
sighed. "yet with the germ of truth in
it. ! don't mind the nilusion to n sin.
lister rumor. The air will be thick with
| them before long. The othcr-well, it,
beneath criticism. but it hurts"
She laughed whole .hcartcdly.
Andrew" she said. for the first
time in my life ! am ashamed of you.