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; ;^P??I l? <1. 1 -X3B1 JpThe 1 I Holly .1 Copyright. 1005. by G. CHAPTER I. SHE did not put the sacramental phrase on her cards, as no Invitations were sent out. These were delivered verbally by boarders desirous of seeing their friends present on Friday evening. It was really n scratch party of nobodies, and they assembled as usual In the drawing room on this especial evening to play and not-to work. Mrs. Talne laid aside her eternal knitting; Miss Bull dispensed with her game of "patience;" Mr. Granger sang his one /in** A# * "** lutj cany Victorian epoch? sometimes twice when singers were scarce?and Mr. Harmer wore his antiquated dress suit, in iter black silk gown, her lace cap and "the diamonds" - Mrs. fersey looked?so they assured her?quite the lady. Was she n lady? No one ever asked that leading question, as it would have provoked nu untruth or a most unpleasant reply. She admitted in expansive momenta to having seen "better days," but what her actual past had been? and from her looks B"he had one?none ever discovered. Few friends presented themselves on this particular Friday evening, for It was extremely foggy, and none of them could afford a cab. Even those who patronized the nearest bus line had some distance to walk before they knocked at the Jersey door, and thus ran a chance of losing their way. Either in light or darkness tho house was hard to And*, for It occupied the corner of a particularly private square far removed from the Oxford street traffic. - It was quite an asylum for old nge. Nono of the guests was under fiftv. save a newcomer who had arrived the previous week, and they wondered why be came among them. He was young, though plain looking, and he was fashionably dressed, though stout. This was the first time lie had been present 'i. / at madame's reception, and he was explaining his reasons for coming to '7 Bloomsbury. Mrs. Jersey introduced ? him as "Leonard Train, the dlstinCk i gujshed novelist," although he had pub, llahed only ono book at his own cost, and. even tbnt production was unknown to the boarders. fS t "Egshfonable novelists," said he in a 1 Latil'i, any 11 vofCe whiqh contrasted cu,, -fVitllufBT'LtiO ouslnesa of society* and epigrams. We must revert to the Dickens style. I have .therefore taken t ( op my residence here for a brief period to study old world types." Here he looked around with a beaming smile. "I am glad to find so rich a field to glean." This doubtful compliment provoked weak smiles. The boarders did not wtah to be rude, but they felt it was Impossible to approve of the young < man. Not being sufficiently modern te court notoriety, one and all disliked the Idea of being "put In a book." Mrs. Talne, conscious of her weak grammar, looked uneasily at Miss Bull, wbs smiled grimly and then glared at Train. Omnger drew liiipself up and pulled ' his gray mustache?he was the buck t Of the establishment?and Uarmer nodded, saying, "Well, well!" his usual remark when he did not understand . what was going on. Only Mrs. Jersey { spoke. Train had taken a sitting room as well as a bedroom, therefore he must be rich, and as be had not haggled orer terms it was necessary that he should be flattered. Mrs. Jersey saw a chance of making money out of him. "How delightful," she said in her ,? motherly manner. "1 hope you will say pice things about us, Mr. Train." "I shall tell the truth, madame. The truth does not flatter." - . Mrs. Jersey became still more moths erly and paid a compliment. "That depends, Mr. Train. If the truth were spoken about you, for Instance." It was really a very nice compliment, but Miss Bull, with malice afore t thought, spoiled it In the utterance by laughing pointedly. Train, who had already set his face for a smile, grew red. and madame darted a look at Miss Bull quite ont of keeping with her motherly manner. More than this, shs spoke her mind. "I hope, Mr. Train, % #!>?# waii aarlll anaalr Hio tirha1 a fwniti a# iuhk /uu n tn opvua mv nuvio vcuvm ome of us." Miss Bull shrugged her thin shoulders and in direct contradiction to the traditions of the evening produced her pack of cards. To abstain on Friday evenings always annoyed her, and since madams had been rude Miss Bull seized the opportunity to show her indifference and enjoy by doing so her favorite pastime. She was a small, thin, dry old maid, with a pallid face and bright black eyes. Her mouth was hard and smiled treacherously. No one liked her save Margery, the niece of Mrs. Jersey. But Margery was supposed to be queer, so her approval of Miss Bull mattered little. "Perhaps Mr. Granger will oblige us with a song," suggested raadame, smoothing her face, but still inwardly furious. Mr. Granger, who bad been waiting for this moment, was only too happy. He knew but one song and had sung it dozens of times In that very room. It was natural to suppose that he knew It by heart All the same he produced his music and read the words as h? asrrg. lAsrgvry pflfcyvd tea nwm a. * -?,* s ? ?V' ** ' vi- ft fellow By FERGUS HUME, Author of "The Mystery of n ! Hanson* <ab," Etc. ^ > W. Dilllntflinm Company pnniraent without looking at the notes. 1 She was as familiar with them as she was with the moineut when Mr. Granger's voiee would crack. This night he cracked as usual, apologized as usual, and his hearers accepted the apology us usual, so it was all very pleasant. "If Mrs. Taiue will piny us the 'Caunry Bird Quadrilles,'" Mrs. Jersey hastily Intervened, "how pleased we shall be." Mrs. Taine obliged, and mndamc, under cover of the music, talked with Train. "You mustn't mind the guests," she said; "they are old and require to be humored." , "It's most amusiug. mndnme. I shall stop here three weeks to pick up types." "Oh, you must stay longer than that," said mndniue, smiling and patting his hand, still In a motherly way. V/x... - iwn nut i .run unve round us out, we cannot lose you. Dy the way"?here Mrs. Jersey's eyes became very searching?"how did you find us out?" , "It was a friend of mine, limdaine. He knew that I wanted to get into the Dickens world and suggested this house." "Do I know the gentleman?" asked ' madaine. who seemed anxious. "1 don't think so. But he Is coming to see mo tonight." ."You must ask him in here nnd Introduce him. 1 should like to thank him for havin.; recommended my house." "Wo were going to have a conversation in my room " said Train dubiously. : "He's such a s!i,. fellow that I don't think he'll con e in." "Oh. but he must. I love young people. Will your friend remain overnight?" "He will if he comes at all," replied Leonard, looking at Ills watch; "but If tlie fog la very thick I ilon't know If he'll turn up. It is now 9 o'clock." "We usually disperse at 11," said mndame, "but ou this night I must break up at 10, as 1 have"?she hesitated?"I have business to do." "I won't trouble j'ou, mndame," said Train. "My friend and I can have supj per In iny room." "That's Just It." said mndame, and her voice becamo /other hard. "I beg, ;*rsr- Tralp J-hat van .nrs.'l, vm?- " ! "Why not? We both wish to smoke and talk." * "You can do that in the daytime, Mr. Train. But my house Is most respectable, and I hope you will be In bed be. fore 11." Leonard would have protested, as he ! objected to this sort of maternal government. hut Mrs. Jersey rustied away and he was left to make the best of i i k '?J "1 am glad to find so rich a field." It. Before be could collect his wits a I message came that he was wanted. "By Jove, It's George," lie said and ' hurried out of the room. Mrs. Jersey overheard the name. "I suppose his friend is called George," she thought, and frowned. Her recollections of that name were not pleasant. However, she thought no more about the matter, but sailed across to Miss Bull. "The music doesn't please you, Miss Bull." she said In rnther nil acicl tone. "It'? very nice," replied the old maid, dealing the cards, "but I have heard it before." "You may not have the chance of hearing It again," fin Id mndame. "It's a world of change," replied Miss Ball in her Bharp voice, "Margery, was that a heart?" Margery pointed a fat finger to the card in question, and Miss Bull muttered something about her eyesight getting worse. Madame knew that this was just done to annoy her, as Miss Bull's sight was excellent. To revenge herself she took Margery away. "Go and tell the servants to send up the negus and sandwiches," she said sharply. Margery rose heavily. She was a hugo girl twenty years of age and apparently very stupid. Why sharp little Miss Bull, who loved no one, bad taken to her no one knew, but the two \ were Inseparable. Seeing this, mad a me xmtaNf kept lUrrg?xy hiqkl at work to ^ S* _ /: -a -++?rDR. I. IV .PEN Crown and Bridge W ?rk a SnnriftltT % other quarters so as to part her fron the old mnld. But with the cunning ol an unimal?and Margery was very much of that type?the girl managed to see a groat deal of her one friend Madame had an idea of the reason foi this, but at the present moment did not think it necessary to interfere. She was quite cupable of crushing Mlsa Bull when the need arose. Meantime she vented her temper by sending Margery away. The girl departed with a scowl and an angry look at her aunt, but Miss Bull never raised her eyes, though she was well aware of what was going on. Madame was not to be beaten. "I tell you what, dear Miss Bull," she said, smiling graciously, "since you have broken through our rule and have produced the cards, you shall tell all our fortunes." "Yours?" asked Miss Bull, looking up for the first time. Madame shook her head. "I know mine. Tell Mr. Granger's." "I am at Miss Bull's service," said the polite old gentleman, bowing. Miss Bull swept the cards into a heap. "I'm quite willing," she said in a voice almost pleasant for her. "Anything to oblige dear madame." Mrs. Jersey smiled still more graciously and sailed away to send Mr. Harmer to the cards. But she wondered inwardly why Miss Bull had given way so suddenly. There was some reason for it, as Miss Bull never did anything without a reason. But Mrs. Jersey kept her own counsel and still continued to suiue. one uau quite made up ber mind bow to act. "Ladies aud gentlemen," sbe said, standing iq tbc middle of tbe drawing room, "we must disperse tonlgbt at 10. I have some business to attend to, so 1 request you will all retire at that bour. In tbe meantime Miss Bull bas kindly consented to tell your fortunes." Madame tben retired to ber throne and saw that the servants arranged the tray properly. Sbe had a gigantic chair, which was jokingly called ber throne, and here she received strangers In quite a majestic way. Mrs. Jersey was not bad looking. Sbe had a fresh colored face, bright black eyes and plenty of white hair like spun allk. Her figure was stout, but sbe yet retained a certain comeliness which showed that she must have been a handsome woman In her youth. Her manners were motherly, but she showed a stern face toward Margery and did not treat the girl so kindly as she might have done. As n rule, she bad great self command, but sometimes gave way to paroxysms of pa^dou and Mrs. Jersey passed for a dear, gentle old lady. A moment later Train entered, and after him came a tall young rann, fair haired and stalwart. He was handsome, but seemed to be ill at ease and pulled his yellow mustache nervously j as Train led him to the throne. "This Is my frieud," said Leonard, presenting him. "He just managed to get here, for the fog is so thick"? Ilere he was Interrupted. "Madame," cried Mrs. Talne, "what Is the matter? Mr. Harmer, the water?wine? Quick." There was need of it. Mrs. Jersey had fallen back on the throne with a white face and twitching lips. She appeared as though about to faint, but, restraining herself with a powerful effort, she waved her hand to intimate that she needed nothing. At the same time her eyes were fastened not so much on the face of the stranger as on a piece of yellow holly he wore In his coat. "I nm perfectly well," said Mrs. Jersey. "This is only one of my turns. I am glad to see you, Mr."? "Brendon," said the stranger, who seemed astonished at this reception. "George Brendon," interpolated Train, who was alive with curiosity. "Have you seen him before, madame?"' . Mrs. Jersey laughed artificially. "Certainly not," she replied calmly, "and yours is not a face I should for get, Mr. Brendon." She uttered the name with n certaiu amount of hesitation, as though she was not sure it was the right o?e. George nodded. ? ^ "My name is Brtfndon," he said, rather unnecessarily, and Mrs. Jersey nodded in her most gracious manner. "I bid you welcome, sir. Any friend of Mr. Train's is also my friend. If there is anything to amuse you here?" Sho waved her hand. "We nro simple people?fortune telling, n little music and the company of my guests. Mrs. Taine, Mr. Ilarmer!" She introduced them, but every now and then her eyes were on the yellow holly. Breedon remarked It. "You aro noticing my flower, Mre. Jersey," he said. "It Is rather rare." "Most extraordinary," replied Mrs. - (IT MAA. KAIU ovvnvy uwjuy. a uu \c nrcu uuiijr nuu red berries before, but this yellow"? "There was a great bush of It In my father's garden." said Mr. Hanner, "but I have not seen any for years." "Perhaps you would like It, Mrs. Jersey," said Brendon, taking It from bis coat. She hastily waved her hand. "No, no! 1 am too old for flowers. Keep ft, Mr. Brendon. It suits better with your youth," she looked at his face Iffecnly. "I have seen a face like yours before." tirendon laughed. "1 am of a commonplace type, I fear," he said. "No; not so very commou. Fair hall and dork eyes do not usually go to gvther. Perhaps 1 burs met yon (MMT ???M?^E??? I. IIAIR,^ Office Bank Building Union. 8 < i "Perhaps," replied George phleg ? matlcally. "Or your mother?" persisted Mrs i , Jersey. ^ "I dare sayl" Then ho turned thi conversation. "What a delightful old f house you have here!" i Mrs. Jersey bit her lip on finding hei i Inquiries thus bullied, but, tnking hei i cue. expanded on the subject of th? house. "It was a fashionable mansion ,in the time of the Georges," she said, ""Some of the ceilings are wonderfully painted, and there are all kinds of queer rooms and cupboards and corners In It. Will you have some negus, port wine negus, Mr. Brendon?" i She was evidently talking at random, and offered him a glass of negus with a trembling hand. Brendon, evidently more and more astonished at her manner, drank off the wine. He made few , remarks, being a man who spoke little In general company. Train had long - ago gone to hear Miss Hull tell for'tunes, and from the laughter it was videut that his future was being prophesied. ? "No, no," cried Train, "I shall never ?f marry. A literary man should keep himself away from the fascinations of female society." "Do you agree with that, Mr. Brendon?" asked Mrs. Jersey curiously. He shook Lis head and laughed. "I f am not a hermit, Mrs. Jersey." "Then Miss Bull must prophesy about your marriage. Come!" At first Brendon was unwilling to go. but after some persuasion he submitted to be led to the table. Miss Bull was quite willing to do what was asked of her, and spread out the cards. n i "You will meet with a violent death." Brendou waited beside Mrs. Jersey with n mo&t Indifferent air. She was j far more anxious to hear the fortune than he was. "You are in trouble," announced % r(nn x> * 11 i ? ? ? i ,.t \ i. " > oxinu duii in a Hqiuii'iirui luiiu, uiiu the trouble will grow worse. But in the end nil will he well. She will aid you to get free and will bestow her hand on you." "She?" asked Brendon, looking puzzled. Miss Bull did not raise her eyes. "The lady you are thinking of." Brendon was rather taken aback, but seeing Mrs. Jersey's curious look he crushed down his emotion. "At my age we are always thinking of ladles," he said, laughing. Train touched -his arm. "It is"? he began, but Brendon frowned, and Leonard was quick enough to take the hint. Miss Bull went on telling the fortune. There were the usual dark and fair people, the widow, the journey, the money and all the rest of the general events and happenings which are usually foretold. But there was always trouble, trouble, and again trouble. "But you will come out right in the end," said Miss Bull. "Keep a brave heart." "I am sure Mr. Brendon will do that," said niadame graciously. While (Jeorge bowed to the compliment Miss Bull again shuffled the cards aikl fastened her keen black eyes on uiadame. "Will you have your fortune told?" she asked coldly. "Oh, certainly," said Mrs. Jersey in a most gushing manner; "anything to umusek *But my fortune has been told so often and has never come true? never." And she sighed in an effective manner. Miss Bull continued hc-i mystic counting. She told madam* a lot of things about the house which were known to most present. Mrs. Jersey laughed and [ aneereu. t>u..ueni.v .wss mm lurue i I up n black card. ' You will meet witli a violent death," alio said, and every one slmklojed. CITAl'TEIl II. IV Mis J 1? II wished to make mndfiuio uncomfortable she eerir.ir! ?.:c. ic oi. From being Voluble, . '.v.i. .1 orsey boeame silent, tilt* in-ill color died out of lier face and I,or lips in ived nervously. Twice i.iil s;io make an effort to overco-.ro l.tv e..i >. i >n. but each tbno failed > Afterward e took a scat by the Arc and at;.rod into the ('.antes with an nnx ions look, as though she saw therein 1 a fulfillment of ihe dismal prophecy, ' Her cojircs i'.on communicated Itself tc the rest of tlie company, and shortly before 10 the friends took their departure. The Idea of being alone seem ' cd to cheer Mrs. .lorsey, and she ne compaulcd her departing guests to the (Qonflnittd on Qlh J V H ? Humor on? Philosophy By DUNCAN M. SMITH ? . Copyright, 1904, by Duncan M. Smith. PERT PARAGRAPHS. To rcncli the dazzling, satisfying heights of success too many men want to take the elevator. I A weather prophet has a way of t loftily overlooking the guesses that he missed. A mosquito has such a way of prov? Ing an alibi Just at the spot where a man's hand comes down for the purpose of crushing It! ' Any court that could give a man a divorce from work would have all of , the business It could take care of. Appearances are deceitful. A woman Is not always as cool as she looks. Man Is a creature of circumstances, I but women are often the clrcumi stances. Cold In the Icebox Is worth two In J the head. | A free lunch is one of the things that n man pays for indirectly at double rates. A Wise Old Boy. The man who writes In to the paper With knowledge Is filled to the brim, And he Is dead willing to share it With all who will listen to him. He knows that officials are crooked And that with corruption they reek. And It Is his pleasure to show It In two or three columns a week. j He knows that tTie war's misconducted And how the election should go, l And how the police should go at It jlo maKe automobiles go slow. Ho knows how to cut down the taxes And thus save a dollar or two, He knows how to doctor the tariff And Just what the council should do. The man who writes In to the paper Wants everything cut to his mold, And when things don't go to his liking His privilege then is to scold. | His pen runs along like an engine When he should be sleeping at night. Because It's his Job, self appointed. To keep the old earth running right. Revels In Gore, knock the sklllflil pnatfmg census report take the unconflrmed ru; mor. When two nations are at war with each other and the outposts are taking an occasional shot at the scenery to keep their guns from getting rusty the unconflrmed rumor steps in, ; Rnd there Is something doing from one end of the cable line to the other. It goes forth before breakfast and lightly kills off 10,000 or 20,000, Just as the humor seizes It, and that Is only a starter on Its day's work. It Is Just as easy for It to kill off a regiment as i a company, and sometimes whon it feels that the world's supply of shocks Is running low will wipe out a division i and never turn a hair or shed a tear. But it has a beautiful system of economy, for it can use the same men over and over again, and they will not be one bit the worse for wear. No nation that contemplates going ! to wnr should fall to stock up on un1 confirmed rumors if it would use the i Infest nnd deadliest of weapons. i ~ One Drawback. I Ho thought that he could write (yC^tiC^v 1 point and >- u . , And could have? j but he couldn't^^^^^^*r-J/fn IgSA Of anything Cheap Pleasure. "lie Is thinking of buying an automobile." "I didn't suppose he had that much money." "It doesn't cost anything to think about It." , What's In a Name T "lie certainly was a humorist who i first called a vessel without a regular run a tramp steamer." "Where is the Joke?" "It lives on water." A Double Favor. "His uncle died and Left him several millions." "IIow kind of him!" "To die or to leave the moneyT* "Both." The Difference. The man who owe* you money You hunt for far and wide; The fellow whom you owe It to Turn* up on every *lde. May Be the Greater. "Of two evils do yon think a man Bhould choose the lesser?" nI can't say that I do. I am a great believer in matrimony." Something Like It. "Can you square the circle?" "Not exactly, but 1 <eaa#et round ? Quote amk* - ? iii iiia^a > * A> Cough " I have made a most thorough trial of Ayer's Cherry Pectoral and am prepared to say that for all diseases of the lungs it never disap points."?J. E. Finley, I ronton, O. Ayer's Cherry Pectoral won't cure rheumatism; we never said it would. It won't cure dyspepsia; we never claimed it. But it will cure coughs and colds of all kinds. We first said this sixty years ago ; we've been saying it ever since. Consult your doctor. If he says take It, then do as he says. I f lie tells yon not to tako it, then don't take it. lie knows. The first law of health? <s Keep the bowels regular." Ayer's Pills are gently laxative. One is a dose. J. C. A. YER CO., Lowell, Mass. Wood's Seeds. Crimson Clover Sown at the Vast working of the Corn or Cotton Crop, can be plowed uniler the following April or May in time to plant corn or other crops the same Beason. Primwnn Plntrof ?* ? * ? ....wvu VJU*^,1 ^icvnitn winter leaching of the soil, is equal in fertilizing value to a good application of stable manure and will wonderfully increase the j iel.l and Quality of corn or other crops which follow it. It also makes splendid winter and spring grazing, fine early green feed, or a good hay crop. Even if the crop is cut otf, the action of tlie roots and stubble improve the land to a marked degree. Write for price and special circular telling about seeding etc. T.W.Wood & Sons, Seedsmen, RICHMOND, - VIRGINIA. Wood's Descriptive Pnll Catclog, ready about Alig ht tclisali "bout Farm and Vegrtr.b ?? S-*ds for Foil planting. Mailed fr ?*on rrcjueat. , .jL^^^^Lakes shoit roads. J j A ^^*1 i|jrllEA9JG . 1 for everything 2 that runs on wheels. P Sold Every wl. ,-e. t Made by STAKDAUD f T*. 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