The Argosy — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

Winifred Power. 5 “H{e does not yet know the anxieties, any more than the joys of a family.” “ And you all think that he never will: don’t you?” asked Mary, speaking almost for the first time, and with a sudden, slight briskness. John pulled down his waistcoat and cleared his throat. His air seemed to say that the conversation was growing frivolous. ‘Everybody almost appears to have been to Canterbury to-day,” said the Rector. ‘‘I was there, and so were you, Miss Hatherley, and Miss Freake.” From John’s calm eyes there flashed the faintest perceptible ray of interest. Miss Freake turned rapidly of various lively hues. Only Mary remained to all appearance unmoved. ‘‘We went on a shopping expedition,” she replied. ‘“‘ The shopping expeditions of ladies are like the business trips of men—of very frequent occurrence,” quietly put in her brother ; and the sentence had so little meaning to most of the hearers that they took it for a joke and laughed. Other guests entered, and at last nine couples filed off into the dining-room, which had the same sombre and old-fashioned air as the drawing-room. ‘The dinner was served on massive plate; John carved, and old port circulated. The portrait of the founder of the family, clothed in municipal robes and bearing the civic chain, looked down upon the scene from his huge gold frame above the chimney- piece. He had been a handsome, striking looking man, and it was curious to see how like John was to him—like, but ‘ with a differ- ence.” ‘The original brow was broader; the lips were fuller; the lines of his face though stern were not so rigid, and there was a fuller life behind them. John’s face was like a mask, impassible, and might cover weakness as well as strength. He was speaking of his recent purchase, Mr. Ormerod listening with a polite, half-amused smile. “Original engravings?” he repeated. ‘‘ Ah! very interesting, I am sure. Don’t know much about such things myself. Where do you pick up these books ?” ‘At various dealers. But often, also, from private persons. The tate possessor of the Moliére lived in —-—— ” ‘“ Tinden-Grove Road,” suggested Mary from her end of the table. ‘“By no means. At the opposite end of London,” corrected John. Martha, looking uneasy, quavered out in her odd, semi-senile way, ““Linden-Grove Road, Mary dear? Why, you are thinking of the neighbourhood where Parsons lives.” ‘‘ Parsons ?” John asked, rather sharply. “Don’t you remember her? She was housekeeper here once, years ago. She is bedridden now, and I go to see her sometimes,” said Martha, timidly. wed gm elad you go to see her,” replied John serenely, and turned with some careless remark to the lady on his right. ECORnniclooOoks (CO)