Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-08-04
Mary or
Eloise?
Which
Should Win
Unusual Hero?

VTtn, unu, trnnsplanted to new
sou. u had struck deep root and had
York not vet entirely submerged and,
Of course, greatly more 10 In Sluypen-
XII, which had grown up in the shadow
OF Grinscoombe. Manor, Miss Grins.
coomoe stood for an idea so deeply
rooted and many -branched that. It
caused a powerful observation on the
mind of the observer. There Is this
advantage in having known few men
ana women in very raw intimacy,
one knows the bones of all men and
women. Prejudice sits like distorting
lens across the nose Of Mr.. Worldly
Wiseman. He sees this button and that
stripe, this arrangement of feature and
that decoration, but the bones of
humanity are for the most part nom
existent for him. Q. T. sat and slipped
MS tea and his eyes contemplated ns
through serene miles of clarity Miss
Selda Grinscoombe's bones. And they
were the first eyes to take cognizance of
that secret waver that was hers.
Besides the sensation of shock, Miss
Selda had further sensation of release.
She found herself rather more looua.
cious than was her habit. She was free
to indulge without caution, as she fire.
quently rather carefully INDUCED,
delicate impulse of cruelty. This
young man who did not belong to her
world, who could never belong to It.
and yet for whom with a very definite
purpose she had negligently let down the
bars that kept such young men in their
heaven ordained place. was fair game
Tor her experiments. Slaves that buried
treasure and were effectually silenced
by death must have been as welcome an
audience to the unbending humors of
their tyrant. Q was to be allowed
acquaintance with the treasure of Grins-
coombe and the, end of his experience
was to be the death of his hope and
his ambition---this Miss Selda knew.
She considered it wholesome lesson
for the man. She found him. in the
meantime. therefore, amusing and lik-
deal Of him. She told him so.
II think" she said. 1--WE shall enjoy
our conversations, Mr.. Kinwydden."
She spoke delicately and carefully as
though she were picking her way along
dirty path--on stones of impeccable
purity. And ! think you will enjoy
meeting my niece's friends. You did
| enjoy them this afternOon-?'
Enter the Miss Grinscoombe
When Q had arrived. there had been
half dozen of Lelo's friends and he had
met them and listened to them and
watched them, he had answered pa
tiently. their questions and had been
somewhat startled by their intense
amusement over his own rare comments.
Yes, ma'am," he said, and added
with queer ironic fash mot one half
so much as they're agoin' to enjoy me-"
"Really?" Miss Selda INDUCED her
| self in the smile of Sir SYDNEY
Grinscoombe.
"Yes, ma am. I'm sure agoin' to get
paid for all the times I've laughed to
myself over the plum foolish ways of
Eastern folks with hosses and in camp
and on the trail, got behind sagebrush
and willow clumps and laughed myself
loco. Now it's their turn"
And you'll find. my poor boy, that
| they won't get behind anything to do
their laughing. This generation is not
sensitive for itself or for its Victims"
When she called him poor boy"
q blinked and inwardly he was seized
old lady was pitying him Plying
him-Q! Aloud he said inexpressively,
"Ain't that the truth now" and his
face was gentle mask.
THE average New York debutante." ;"
pursued inflexibly the "old lady" who
had been unwise enough to pity Q, sis
a little vulgarian. Lelo is not. That
is the difference, which you, no doubt.
are experienced enough to observe. l
have given her cosmopolitan educa-
ton. She has been presented in more
than one European court Through the
mind of the listener flashed a picture
of some unimaginably stately ceremony
not unlike a heather sacrificed. "She
Is fitted to be the companion Of states
men. men of the great world. She has
glad''--here Miss Selda extended her
palm. her gesture of friendliness. in a
light upward movement-'1 am so glad.
my dear Mr.. Q'-her eyes cleaned
at the Queerness Of her name for him
that you have arrived at Just this
juncturc. I.elo is bored. And when
one Of us is bored" She lifted eyes
and hands to let them fall. THE
variety Of mischief and danger the
Grinscoombe impatience of boredom can
drive them to -
"She amt afraid OF any danger there
might be in her lo0kin in my dircc-
ton" was the cowboys shrewd inner
ln"ment aloud he laid said "ls that so;" ,;,,'
for the GrinscoOmbe fashion of escap-
ing boredom.
Miss Selda looked at him, suddenly
aware that she had been vastly more
communicative than her visitor.
what do you and Lelo find to talk
about?" she said.
q set down his empty cup ana rose.
lie was aware of a great weariness, a
great desire for solitude. II reckon
you'd say we talk about one of the
best ways of not gettin' bored ma am,
ne said and added. meeting her gray
stare with n steely intentness, "Ill
be goin' now and thank you kindly
Their eyes remained for an instant
fixed--it was like the crossing of blades
and Just for that instant there was
a curious resemblance between Miss
Grinscoombe and her guest.
The interview lett Q smarting, rest
less. and excited. That night he could
not sleep. He sat at his window.
listening to the grinding intermittent
passage of the trolley cars, the occa-
si0nal hum of II motor, the laughter Of
town lovers and the clapping of feet.
The coarse lace curtain sucked in and
out behind his head. Hour by hour he
sat there. immoble as savage, except.
Mt almost rhythmic intervals. for the
rolling and lighting of cigarette.
In the corner saloon n Victor sang
and laughed and screamed dance music
like lunatic until, soon after mid
night, hand was clapped across its
mouth. Gradually the town yielded its
hoarse small clamors to the silence OF
night. There We're some roistering
farewells in front Of the saloon, un-
steady footsteps. Z thought that under
his window II girls voice spoke with
surprising gentleness, just one word
softly. \ little tender touch of brogue
reminded him of his small schoolmarm.