ily traditions as she feels you to have shown
yourself. In any case, I disapprove heartily of any public
break or scandal, and in the event of her failing to reverse
her decision, which I believe to be too severe and
unjustifiable in view of your consistently clean record in
all your family relations, I am writing to offer you, in
your aunt's name as well as my own, the hospitality of our
house as long as you and Mrs. Bradley care to avail
yourselves of it.

With every hope that this distressing situation may be
quietly and privately adjusted, and regards to Mrs. Bradley
from your aunt and myself, believe me,

Yours faithfully,

WOLCOTT SEARS.

[FROM TIP ELDER]

UNIVERSITY CLUB,

NEW YORK, Sept. 13th, 188--

DEAR JERRY:

I can't resist sending you a line to tell you of my
encounter with Russell Dodge, just now. You might drop Roger
a hint of it if you like, not going into details, of course.
I hope it will be for the best. I was so hot at the fellow's
impertinence I let myself get caught into a lie, I'm afraid,
but like Tom Sawyer's aunt, I can't help feeling "it was a
good lie!"

He was dining here with a set of pretty well-known New York
men and I had my back to his table. Suddenly I heard Roger's
name and a great deal of laughing and in a moment I found
myself overhearing (unavoidably) a disgusting and scandalous
piece of gossip. In some strange way a garbled account of
his marriage has come in from Boston, and Dodge, with that
infernally suggestive way of his, was cackling about Roger's
"jumping over the broomstick" with a "handsome gypsy" and
letting his relatives believe the thing was serious in order
to tease his stiff-necked family.

I tell you, it made me hot! I jumped up and looked that
fellow Dodge as straight in the eye as anyone can look him,
and said, "I beg your pardon for this interruption, Dodge,
but you happen to be making more of a fool of yourself than
usual. As regards the lady you are speaking of, I married
her myself at her father's country place, last week, with
Winfred Jerrolds as best man."

He mumbled something or