SAINTS IN SOCIETY. INVALID AT 19.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13081, 22 January 1906, Page 3

SAINTS IN SOCIETY.

INVALID AT 19.

BY MARGARET BAILLIE-SAUNDERS, Prize-winner in Mr. T. Fisher Unwin's ' . . First Novel' Competition. " [COPYRIGHT.] PART I. CHAPTER IN. Thrke weeks after the foregoing events, weeks fraught with passionate interest to one small group of people at least, Lady Listower was driving home through the park in no happy mood. It was a glorious April day, one of the first really sunshiny days after a long and foggy winter, and though early in the year there was quite a small crowd of carriages and silent electric motor broughams spinning along the familiar bistre-coloured "way. The sun glanced in gaily among the thin stems of the trees, still " birth-bare," as Rossetti has called it, with little gummy points and greenish tips just beginning to appear; and the snowdrops still shone pure and pale in the grass, and the orange and purple flowers of the crocuses stood up erect in the greenness like an army of gorgeous knights arrayed for the jousts in a Golden Age of chivalry.

Lady Listower wore furs and a toque ot Parma violets, and, should have looked well in spite of the immensity of the black toupee and a certain purpling of her face in the keen spring wind; but she looked cross and haughty, and when she did this she was not beautiful. Neither, indeed, would Venus have been ; nevertheless, it is a favourite mode. 111-humour brought out in Lady Listower just sufficient resemblance to a nasty-tempered parrot to make it advisable for her to keep her face, in control; for she could smile very nicely, yet rarely would.

There were several very pretty women about that afternoon. Lady.Listower bowed to two or three and cut four as part of her daily duty, and stared hard at another who waved to her, a young and sufficiently handsome woman who had just gone into mourning and had consequently dyed hei hair red by way of contrast, with no warning to her neighbours, with the result that one at least did- not know her for the moment. Whereupon she tossed her newlytinted head and screwed up her nose and said, "I hate that horrid old Listower with her frowsy old wig. Let her go in for hei old bird crusades—what is it?— Protection of Song-birds:—and keep out of my way. No wonder she's bird mad— bead's "a tegular crow's nest." But Lady Listower did not hear. By the Achilles Statue she mot Henry, and suddenly her dull, wrinkled, violet face brightened '.ill over, like a Hash of sunshine. Henry came up at once, with cheerfulnesshe was a dutiful boy in quite small matters —and said without a blush: " Mamma, dear!" " My dearest boy," she answered, leaning, out and holding his hands, "how long it is, how very, very long, since you have been to see your old mother. Where 'have you been?"

He laughed. "Good heavens, where haven't I lieen'' I've had no sleep for weeks —don't I look it'.' But you heard, of course'' I got him through—he's in." "The rabbit-skin man''" said her ladyship, looking fondly into his eyes. " I heard something—yes. So he got in? Where are you going?" " Nowhere, for once,"' he answered. " Come to see me," she said.

"I was coming to see you." He said this with great sweetness, though it wa.s entirely untrue. He had como from his club and was taking a breath of air before going down to the House after his eternal hobby. But he wanted bis mother's help about something and here was a chance to get it. " Come back with me at once, my angel,'' she answered rapturously. The angel, very pinched' about the waist, .got.'in and sat beside her. Her plain face was changer* utterly by tho effulgence of her expression, .the jvpncleriul .mystery, wejcall ..the-'a mother, look.''" Between rouged face "then and the Madonna purity of Dorcas Deane's, could they have been put side by side, there was now a strong resemblance. No wonder Henry thought his mother " not a bad-looking woman." and was rather proud of her than otherwise. He only saw her when he' soul was in her eyes. " Mother, I want you to help me," he said at once. Angels can be very prompt. "What is it? Say, and it is done," she answered.

"I want you to receive the rabbit-skin man," he said, "and his wife."

"Receive them, dear? How?" she asked gently. { jV In their donkey-cart?" You see," said Henry, "they haven't got a donkey. They would have to come by train, or tram, or something. But they would behave quite quietly, really. All I want you to do is to be nice to them for about half an hour —show them what a typical great lady at home can be like. Won't you?" This went home.

" Certainlywhen?" "Any time. To-morrow?" " Yes, I can arrange that for you. dear. You know that. What will they do? Shall I offer beer?"

" Oh, no, dear. Not even whelks. Tea would do."

"Ah, tea —tea. I must remember. Do they wear pearl buttons?" "I don't think so," said Henry, knitting his brows as if trying to recollect ; adding eagerly, "They wash their hands — least he does. I saw him."

"How interesting/' said Lady Listower: adding, "I suppose they aw: quite safe? Wouldn't burgle, or pickpocket, or anything? I'd better warn .Limes to keep an eye on them in the. hall." ' " Oh! I think not, dearest. You see. they are not in actual want or that sort of thing. I've seen to that. All 1 want you to help me in is to teach the man to wake up to some sense of the world ho lives in—to see.something of the people not of bis immediate. world." . .

"I see. You mean, as lie is eventually to abolish the House of Lords ho may. as well have a look at- their furniture first to see what he will take himself?"

" No, it isn't quite that. You see. clever and brilliant as he is—he—he's such a Christian."

' " And you want me to teach him a little of the other.side." " No, dear. Only that Christianity is possible apart from black kid gloves and shiny boots." " I see. And is his wife :t Christian? You study character so ■ closely— must know."

•• No, [ don't think so. Site's rather, flighty or something, I hear. She jibs. She is vulgar, and all that, of course; that goes without, saying. But she's rather a drag, or she will bo rather a, drag, upon him unless someone shows her the 'better part' soon. I've got that man at heart, mother. I mean to make him great. 1 don't want it all spoiled by a little Cockney cat." "They ought to be very grateful, sweet," she answered, as she stepped out of the carriage and went indoors, followed by the mincing augcl, more than ever resembling Philip of Spain after the manner of Velasquez, with his light blue eves like a candle flame.

In the smaller drawing-room they found Vera just returned from Princes' with two men. pouring out tea and laughing ga.ily. Vera was a downy impression of immense white furs and a Paris hat like a cake resting on her nose; she was very neat and taut about the feet, and absurdly overscented with something like prayer-books and bird seed combined —a new Russian perfume then in vogue. Lady Listower, in addressing her and her friends, bad completely got back the pug expression, and returned to her ancient truculence of manner as by the passing of a magician's wand. Tlis two men, upon the entrance of this stern vision, fell into a feeble attempt at wisdom, or rather graver folly than that with which they had regaled the lively Vera, but Lntdy Listower remained obdurate. Consequently, .after a decent interval, the pair departed with many entirely insincere protestations of flippant sorrow for other appointments. "Well," said Veronica to Henrv. "I hope you are satisfied with your tiresome, man •--I forget his name. He got in. didn't he? Good for you. Now, who else will you take up?"

"His wife," said "Fade cheerfully; "that is the next business. ' , -That little Cockney person who saveo me from a scene, do you mean.' fl"* really funny! I' should advise a shampoo first; then"" gran'mar'book.*' _ . "No," said Henrv, "you cant begin with the surface. 1 shall put before Her first the ideal of an English lady. " How dull," said Vera. " What is that. "Mother," lie answered with his eyelids lowered. -Oh—oh—oh!" laughed Vera, ' that fearful person and mother: Is she reaJly coming here? When':" "To-morrow."' "Oh! I must bo in. I must see the playWhat a ridiculous thing! I shall watch to see her slip on the parquet and bite her bread and butter. Mother is charitable. Costers to tea! What next?" When the following afternoon arrived Lord Henry appeared with his protege and entered bis mother's sanctum at the time named. This was a vast white apartment, with yellow panels, on which were poppies and daisies and raised golden corn. It was a very gaudy apartment, full of gold chairs, and tables coveted with poppy-col-oured darna.sk. off which you slid as continually as off Mrs. Tombs' black horsehair, unless you kept your mind well on the matter. "But it had what Mrs. Tombs had not —some easy lounges and billowy seats that one could really sit on and lounge on, inviting with soft primrose, cushions and white daintin^sse-;.

Lady Listower herself, stately in pure 'white fine cloth and chiffon, with a few mauve jewelled brooches and lace pins among her rhiffinefses, came forward to greet the "Costers," his their names were announced, vit li an unusual geniality thrown into the Rochmane belligerence. .

She saw a well-dressed man with a face of startling interest and character come forward to greet her quite at his ease ; this to her amazement, though she did not show it. This, then, was Mark Hading. But the wife took her a little more by surprise. For though plainly dressed in- a grey stuff walking dress and a dark, plain, claretcoloured ha.t. a colour which suited her remarkably, she struck no note of vulgarity of any kind. She was strangely metamorphosed, considering her dress was, a? usual, save that her gloves and boots were new. The necklace fit" pearls with the ecstatic motto ten, three" was gone for ever, and in its place was a neat stock. Gone for ever, too, was the lumpy, untidy " halo, and the abundant hair was simply done in a knot at the back of the neck, its soft pale brown or honey colour being now for the Prist time apparent.' Her naturally pale face was a little paler as she entered, owing to her shyness; but her large, deep-set, aqvamarine green eyes, under the rather dark brows, shone out of its firm contour with great beauty, and the natural expression of reticence, defiance, sulks, what you will, which above all things might have stamped her of coster-blood, passed easily for stately reserve when combined with her erect walk, good features and neaifc dress.

She replied with simplicity to Lady Listower's greeting, and with that wonderful self-possession and dignity of the Cockney girl upon occasions, she quite calmly took the seat offered her. and did not, as Vera had predicted, slide on the parquet. So much for Fortescue,

(To be continued daily.)

WASTING AWAY FOR 3 YEARS. PALE, WEAK, AND BLOODLESS. LIZZIE LLOYD, OF NORMANDY, STRONG AND HEALTHY AGAIN. DR. WILLIAMS' PINK TILLS. "From the time 1 turned 16 till long after my 19th birthday, 1 was never done ailing," said Miss Lizzie Lloyd, daughter of Mr. Thomas Lloyd, of Normanby, Taranaki. "For over three years my blood had been gradually turning to water. Often I was so weak that I couldn't walk the length of the diniugroom. without catching hold of the tabic and chairs. Some, days I was too sick and helpless to got up out of bed. There I would lie all day long, with a splitting bilious headache- Mother used to say our house was nothing better than a Hospital. For years Father had .been in bad health, and, was always doctoring. He kept, getting weaker till lie" tried Dr. Williams' Piiik Pills' for Palo People—and they built him up like magic. When they cured him, he got some for me. Six months after I started them, no one took me to be the same. girl. There was a good colour in my cheeks, and 1 was just full of life. For more than four years I have been so well that I haven't had as much as a backache. " Often I heard Mother say what a healthy looiking girl I was before I turned 16," said Miss Lloyd, "but from that time, I was never the same for two days running. When I went to bed at night, 1 never knew whether I would get up the next morning with a splitting headache or not. Nearly every week I had a bilious attack. From daylight till dark, I was too sick to lift my head. Every time I moved, my head felt as if it would burst. Flashes of light used to dart before my eyes, and everything in the room looked blurred. One minute, 1 was in a burning feverand the next, I was shivering. Beads of perspiration broke out all over me. For nearly a quarter of an hour, I brought up nothing but bile. With every lit of vomiting, Mother had to sit and hold my head. I was weaker than a baby. "Gradually 1 began to break down altogether," Miss Lloyd added. "My face showed how weak and watery my blood, was. All my colour went, and left .me looking like a chronic invalid. Even my • lips were bleached. My cheeks fell in, and there was a deep black shadow all round my eyes. My feet were like blocks of ice, and my hands were just as cold. Month after month, I was never rid of a terrible dragging backache. livery scrap of life left me. J was utterly down-hearted, and never wanted to speak to any one. All I longed for was to sit .by myself and 101 l about the house from one dav's end to another. '"I did my best to shako off this utter weak feeling—but it was no good. If. I only gave Mother a hand with the beds, I bad to sit down to get my breath. My heart thumped and throbbed till . I thought it; would burst. My heart must have been dreadfully weaik. If [tried to hurry, i had to stop with the awful pain that caught me in the left side. Soon I got so bad that 1 couldn't walk from one end of the house to the other. I took no end of iron tonics, but they didn't make one ounce of blood 'for me. I got worse instead of better. , At night I could never sleep... I used to toss about for hours. Often, when it was just breaking day, I would drop into a troubled dozebut only to wake again with a racking nervous headache. For the rest of the day 1 was tit for nothing. My nerves wore strung to such a pitch that I couldn't bear to hear even the tea : cups rattling at mealtime. 1 was so utterly weak and sick that I often longed for Death. . "When I .turned 18, I was such an invalid that my friends gave- up all hope,' Miss Lloyd added. "But 1 lingered on for the next'l2 months. Then Father got mo some Dr. Williams' Pink Pills fur Pale People. When they had cured hint after he had 'been doctoring for rive years, he said they were bound to do me good. Three weeks after starting them, Mother said J was eating three times as well as 1 did. Little by little, the colour came back to my checks and lips. .Every day I grew stronger. When I got up in the morning, my head was clear, and my back gave me very little trouble. My heart grew stronger, and 1 started to be some help in the house. 1 can be on the go all dav now, and never feel tired. I kept on with Dr. Williams' Pink Pills till 1 finished 18 hoxes % By that time, I was in perfect health. It's four years last May since I was cured—but all "that time I haven't had a single thing the matter with me."

Remember, Dr. Williams' Pink Pills for Palo People actually make new blood —nothing more. No othe-r medicine strikes at. the root of disease as they do. They have cured the worst cases of Paralysis. Locomotor Ataxia, and even Consumption. Dr. Williams' Pink Pills arc also good in a special way for the secret blood troubles that ruin the regular health •of growing jrirls and women. Tf you arc not sure whether Dr. Williams' Pink Pills are suited to your own case, write for free medical advice to the Dr. Williams' Medicine Co., Wellington. From the same address you can order the genuine Dr. Williams' Pink Pills at 3s a box, or six boxes 16s 6d, post free.