A FPalpitating [ntervicw.
By Mrs, L.
“Lincoln’s Inn, May 5, 18— Y DEAR JACK,--Your lctter ] of yesterday has completely
staggered me. Of course you will rely on me for the 2sth, although your cxtraordimary sceretiveness about the affair
the gloomiest forchodings.
fills Oh! Jack, Jack! has the fascinating Kitty really succeeded in bowling you over at last? Her efforts on board the Wilmots” yacht would enable me to credit anything with regard to her powers of persuasion — - but
me with g
you, no : I'll not believe 1it! You used to be blessed with the usual average of mtelli- gence. I hereby chuck Miss Kitty overboard, neck and crop, and await your answer to this, And be so good as to remember that I am only human, and don't keep me in suspense. Who s “she’? What 1s hername ? Where did you meet her? And where, oh I where have all the matrimonial prejudices fled ?
“If Tam to be “best man’” on the 2sth, it will never do for me to appear on the scene 1osuch a condition of benighted ignorance upon current events ; so 1 insist on full and detailed particulars by the next post, pending which T oreserve my congratulations. —Yours most anxiously,
“Murrron WiNTHROP,
“ P11t turns out that 1t zs Kitty Sim- monds, after all; you can look up another best man, for Ull not assist at the ceremony I any capacity.”
While converting this characteristic epistle into pipe-lights T pondered my reply. 1 was sorely tempted to keep up the mystery a little longer, but 1 finally rejected the idea. It would be a shame to Kitty Simmonds, whom I remember to have rather liked. 1 never could understand Winthrop’s ill-nature about that poor girl. She certainly never made love to s, though she undoubtedly singled me out as an object for civility. To tell the truth, 1t had more than once crossed my mind that there might be a spice of jealousy at the bottom of 1t, for T should probably have forgotten her existence i he were not 1 the habit of constantly offering
Davuner WILLIAMS.
her up in his caustic way. MOLIve 1S & very curious one.
Wellp but Kitty had nothing whatever to do with my plans for the 2sth. So I, too, determined to “ chuck her overboard,” and decided to relate my plain, unvarnished tale to my old chum, determiming that he should have no cause to grumble at paucity of detail. After ally he was too good a fellow to tease.
With my feet in a pair of comfortable slippers, a pipe in my mouth, and peace and goodwill m my heart, [ poked my fire and scttled down to transcribe a full and open confession on a sheet of foolscap which lay ready to hand.
The study of
“May 6, 18-~
“My dear Winthrop,— -Your promisc to sce the last of me on the 25th is a shade grudging, perhaps, but I shall rely on vou all the same.
“Why, you idior, K. S married voung l.ee Simms, whom she used to snub so unmercifully during that memorable cruise, about three months ago!
“I have known 1t for an age, but could not resist fooling vou to the top of vour bent, whenever you raved on the subject.
“Well, my news astonished you a little, ch? Read the following true and particular account of my proceedings ; I am not afraid but that the conditional congratulations will follow.—VYours always,
“Jack C. CarpToN.”
[ have a very old friend named Stelling, who has a private asvlum for lunatics at Ashmead.
He 1s the most delightful, open-handed fellow m the world; everyone has a good word for him, and though many years my scnior, he and T arce capital friends.
His dinners are good; his dances well, just what dances should be, plenty of pretty girls and waltzing men, plenty of room, a good floor, a good band, and a hcarty wcl- come. His wife 1s just such another kind, genial soul as himself,
The house 1s divided into two parts: one reserved exclusively for patients, the other