The Argosy — page 170: what you’re looking at

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

Heads or Tails ? 155 indoor tastes and studious habits; an impression which was con- firmed by a single glance at his delicate, finely-cut features. His eyes were large, soft, and dark, and the long dark hair falling over his pale forehead completed his faultless representation of the esthetic genius of modern England. His passion was music, and he had so long and faithfully wooed the art, that his friends had begun to believe she was always to remain his only mistress. But the truest devotee is yet human, and when a young and beautiful woman comes across his path, he is just as likely to fall in love with her as the ordinary run of mankind. Now, Dick Hamilton—thank Heaven! as he often said to him- self—was a very ordinary young fellow. He only happened to be a fine specimen of a style of man which has done a vast deal more than it ever troubles to recollect for the English nation. Very tall, he was powerfully and splendidly built, active, athletic, perfectly healthy in mind and body, with a frank and open countenance, and a cheery, ringing voice, which had made him one of the prime favourites, not only in his own college, but in the whole university. Of brains he had just enough to enable him to take his degree, due time being, of course, allowed for the process ; but then, other and more important matters than book work absorbed his attention. He was president of the O.U.B.C., he rowed in his college races as well as in the ’Varsity eight and at Henley Regatta ; he was a member of a very popular club in the university ; and, in fact, took sucha prominent part in the sport and amusements of the place that his young admirers were apt to say: “Oxford may as well shut up shop, when the Babe (the name by which he was familiarly known) goes down !” And he had fallen in love with Violet Danvers ! But to return to the visit which the said young lady paid in November, and which both brothers decided must be the finish of the race they were running. Cecil decidedly gained the first point by being disengaged on the afternoon of her arrival, and able to meet her at the railway station, and escort her back to college. Dick was obliged to be down at the river, looking after a freshman’s college regatta, and Cecil had matters entirely his own way. ‘“‘It is really pleasant of you to have decided on coming down to us just now,” he said in his soft, languid voice, as he sat by her side in his mother’s drawing-room, whilst together they sipped Indian ¢ea and nibbled daintily rolled up wafers of bread and butter. “Why just now?” Violet asked. ‘¢ Because I hope you will consent to be one of the audience at my ‘ musical exercise’ next week.” ‘“T cannot promise until you explain to me what you mean by a ‘ musical exercise,’ which to the ordinary mind has a painful savour ot schoolroom pianos and compulsory practising.” COnmnicboooks (SO)