A Social Meteor — page 207: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A SOCIAL METHOR. 197 “I meant to tell you I met Mrs. Upton at Mrs. Henderson’s yesterday, and she says that her sis- ter is almost dead about Jack. You know,” low- ering her voice toa stage whisper, that it might not reach the ears of John Henry, who was re- moving the tea-things, “‘he is living in New York now and is very sweet on some widow he met there. A most ordinary sort of person, but he fancies her so much, nevertheless, that they say he is actually going to marry her. She pretends to be wonderfully proper, and is always going to church. But I was told that she used to be an actress. Besides, they say he bets on horse races. Isn’t it a shame? And he with such prospects, too! The worst of it is, Mrs. Upton says the Nelsons blame this poor child for it, and say that if she had treated him right he never would have been different. The idea!’’ wither- ingly. “Did you ever hear anything so unjust? As if she could govern him! I’m only glad and thankful she didn’t marry him. Is that you, Katie? I'll be there directly. Well, I'll see you at dinner, Peter.’ And the old lady bustled out of the room, after the housekeeper. The two sat silent for a few moments after Mrs. (EOVANIKE| NOVO KS (E@)