tSSm
THE COURIER
11
And when her aunt. Lady Darby opines that "men are men. and
thoy are led away, and the rest of it," rebellious Lady Susan retorts:
"Very well. I'm going to be indiscreet, and infatuated, and the
rest of it.''
To her uncle, Sir Richard Kato, she remarks in tho same hysteri
cal manner:
"I want somebody to show me some waj of paying him back
without without"
"Without losing your place in society and your self respect. Ah,
that's tho difficulty. There's an immense reputation to be mado as
a moralist by any man who will show you ladies the way to break
the Seventh Commandment without leaving any ill etrccts upon
society." Thus tho wise Sir Richard, who has not been practicing
a quarter or a century in the divorce court for nothing.
A splendid pendant to Lady Sue is the picture of Sir Harabin, the
unfaithful spouse, lie is truly contrite, confesses that he has been
foolish and blackguardly. But that alone does not satisfy the irate
wife. She wants some reason for his conduct, one single littlo rea
s . Is her company unpleasant, her temper bad, does she tlirt with
anybody or give him badly cooked dinners? bIio asks. And ho can
only give an explanation that makes matters a thousand times worse.
"Married life," he says, "oven with the best and sweetest of wives,
doos grow confoundedly unromantic at times."
What an idiot to say it! Of course Lady Susan is beside herself
with rago now.
"Unromantic!" she screams. "If it comes to a romance I think
I'm rather a more romantic person to live with than you. Unro
mantic! Married life isn't very romantic with you, Jim."
Even the diplomatic Sir Richard puts his foot in it by observing
to the bickering couple:
"You ought to hae finished with romance long ago. both of you."
Whereupon Lady Sue gets back at him by shouting the remark
caused unlounded merriment the tirst night:
"Jim is twelve years older than I, so if he hasn't finished with it,
I'm twelve years to the good."
It is plainly evident that Lady Susan means to have her tling.
The husband offers to take for her that villa at Cannes that 6he
liked last year, and asks her to go to the jeweler's and choose some
thing doesn't mind really what he does to show his regret. But
what she wants is his word of honor as a gentleman that it shall
never happen again bis sacred word "f honor as a soldier his
parole. Ho is about to promise, but checks himself.
"After giving my word of honor as a gentlemen, I should have felt
so jolly uncomfortable if it had happened again," he says to Sir
Richard.
And Lady Susan, snapping her fingers in his face, leaves him with
the pleasant assurance "that she is going to find a little romance
and introduce it into their married life."
She goes to E.jypt with her friend, Mrs. Quesnel. and there she
finds her romance in the person of young pdensor. How "close to
actual guilt" she was in this instance may be inferred from the lines
where Lady Susan says to him:
"Oh, I should kill myself if anyone knew. You have never spoken
of me boasted to any of your men friends "
To please tho American Mrs. Grundy, however, these lines have
been expurgated. I believe. Their omission does not make "Tho
Case of Rebellious Susan" a whit better or worse. Sho has had her
tling and then becomes reconciled to her husband.
And what she did while away in Cairo noboJy sooms to care a rap
about. In Loudon Lady Susan is tho most capricious, exuberant,
delightful, unconventional of women, and for this reason tho spec
tators took her to their hearts at onco and will keep her there longer,
it is hopod, than did young Edensor.
The satire is exquisitely enacted by Messrs. Kelcoy, Lo Moyne.
Walcott and Fritz Williams and Isabel Irving, Bessie Tyree. Rhoda
Cameron and Mrs. Walcott.
IN NEW YORK SOCIETY.
Judging from the following, from the New York World, a death
is a matter ot very little importance in the routine or New York
society:
"Mr. and Mrs. John Jacob Astor gave a dinner tonight in their
splendid new residence at Fifth Avenuo and Sixty fifth street.
Mrs. William Astor has cards out for a banquet to be given at her
residence. Fifth avenue and Fifty fourth street.
The body of Mrs. William Waldorf Astor lies in Trinity Chapel
awaiting the funeral service, and Mr. William Waldorf Astor is ex
pected to reach here tomorjow on the Teutonic.
Society people have put all these facts together, and the result is
a wondering interrogation as to what is the matter with the Astors.
Those who discuss it say John Jacob Astor and William Astor were
almost inseparable, and when each had a son born to him he named
it for tho other, so that William W. Astor is the ton of John Jacob
Astor, while John Jacob Astor is the son of William Astor. Then
why, they ask. should these receptions be held when death casts its
pall over one side of the house?
Mrs. William Astor and Mr. and Mrs. John Jacob Astor appeared
at tho opera on the night of tho day the news of Mrs. William Wal
dorf Astor's death was cabled. Mrs. Astor and her daughter in
law were arrayed on that occasion with unusual splendor. More
ever, thoy have not assumed mourning since.
Mrs. John Jacob Astor was one of the reception committee at tho
tirst assembly of the season last week. Sho surprised every one
immensely by appearing there in gorgeous array. It is related that
when a prominent man asked Mrs. Astor politely as o the health of
the family there was a nervous titter along the line."
ENCOURAGING.
Consumptive (in Colorado) Is this room well situated for an in
vali 1?
Landlady It couldn't be better. I've had three consumptives
here the past year, and they liked it so well that not one left until
he died.
r i i- -
"I'sh feeilng bad. Rain makes
feeling worse. Hie ! I'll put down
my umbrella, and"
"Hie! what's thish crawlin on th'
fioor?"
"Snakes! ! Snakes!