Mrs. Mansfield: Strategist.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8035, 23 January 1906, Page 4

Mrs. Mansfield: Strategist.

I. "I have made a discovery, John," said Mrs. Mansfield, looking up from her knitting. Mr. John Mansfield, retired merchant, al« derman, and Mayor of Pimperne, looked up from his paper. "A discovery, my dear?" he said, assuming his best magisterial manner, "Pray what is the nature of this remarkable occurrence ?" " I find that Miss Ansom has a photograph of yourself, which she treasures in secret." " What do you mean, my dear ?" exclaim* ed Mr. Mansfield. "This morning," explained Mrs. Mansfield, "I entered Miss Ansom'sroom, and found her absorbed in the contemplation of some object which she held. She had evidently not heard my knock, but the noise of my entrance startled her, and, as she hastily hid something in a drawer, a photograph fell to the floor. She snatched it up, liung it into the drawer, and closed it, but not before 1 had recognised it as your photograph. I pretended not to have noticed the pboto, preferring to have an explanation from you." " Mr. Mansfield was a picture of helpless amazement.

Miss Ansom, it must be explained, was a bright and charming young lady, whom Mrs. Mansfield had recently engaged as a companion.

" 1 am quite at a loss to explain the affair," said Mr. Minsfield, in tones quite unlike those of the Mayor of Pimperne. "Possibly it was given to her by a mutual friend." " Then why should she make a mystery of it, and gloat over it in private?" demanded Mrs. Mansfield grimly. "My dear," said Mr. Mansfield, with a return of dignity, "I do not understand you. If I mistake not, it was something she hid in the drawer which she 'gloated' over, not the photograph."

"I am not sure whi :!i it was," said Mrs. Mansfield, with strained calmness. Now that the first shock of amazement was over, Mr. Mansfield's pomposity returned rapidly. "Ah, very possibly, my dear, Miss Ansom, whom I have everyreason to think is a young lady of good discernment and sound judgment, has found something in my public life which she has been good enough to admire. Miss Ansom has hud every opportunity of studying my work for the p:ist three months, and also thegcneral course of municipal life in what, I think, may be regarded as a noble borough. What more natural, tben,*that this young lady, seeing the portrait of a gentleman, clad in the robes and insignia of the ollice of chief magistrate of this borough, displayed in the photographer's window, and, recognising in that gentleman myself, should purchase that photograph ?" Mrs. Mansfield listened with immovable features.

U A very good explanation," she commented t " if it has been one of your oflioial photographs. But the one in Miss Ansom's possession is one of those you had taken about two years ago, before you were elected mayor. We ordered only a few of them, I remember, and I thought we had disposed of them all. The question is—how did Miss Ansom obtain one ? I did not give it to her."

" Then I can only say that you must be mistaken, my dear," said Mr. Manlield with asperity. "On your own confession, you only saw it for an instant. How can you be certain that it was a photograph of myself ? " "If you think my eyes deceive me, perhaps you will believe your own! The photo is still in the drawer; Miss Ansom has had no opportunity of removing it, for I sent her on an errand. It is in the first drawer of her dressing table, if you wish to satisfy your curiosity." * u Mrs. Mansfield, do you think I am going to steal into a lady's room and pry into her private affairs?" cried the magistrate, rising. " You forgot yourself, madam 1 " Mr. Mansfield went upstairs in high dudgeon to make some alteration in his dres9 prepartory to going out. He wa3 forced to acknowledge himself quite at a loss to account for that photo being in Miss Ansom's possession, which admission was rather extraordinary on his part. He prided himself on his keen insight, hia strict impartiality, and his firmness in discharging his magisterial duties. But an exhibition of these qualities was not confined to the Bench. Of the latter he had made a lavish display in his home, as Mrs. Mansfield found to her cost.

It was only twelve months ago that his unbending will have driven his only son, Jack, to South Africa. Mr. Mansfield had determined that his aon should marry rank and beauty in the person of a daughter tff a local magnate. But handsome Jack Mansfield elected to manage his own matrimonial affairs, and upset all his father's brilliant plans by falling in love with a pretty little nobody, whom Mr. Mausfield had never even set eyes on—a governess in a house where he was visiting. Finding all arguments, persuasions, and commands alike useless. Mr. Mansfield finally told his son he must either fall in with his wishes, or leave his home for ever, and look for no further assistance from himself. Jack chose the latter course, and within a week set sail for South Africa. The loss of her only son was a source of great grief to Mra. Mansfield. But all her tears, pleadings, and reproaches could not prevail on her husband to relent, and as time rolled on her importunities ceased.

Hiving dressed himself to his satisfaction, Mr. Mansfield left the room. Suddenly his progress was checked by the Bight of a wide-open door. What tempting fiend could have left the door of Miss Aniom'a room so invitingly open, displaying, as it did, the very drawer in which the much discussed photograph was supposed to lie ? Mrs. Mansfield had, as she well knew, struck her husband's weak spot when she mentioned curiosity. " It would be the work of a moment," he reflected, " to take just one glance into that drawer to satisfy himself of the truth of Jane's story." With a cautious look round, he noiselessly entered the room, partially closing the door behind him. He opened the drawer boldly and—yes, there it was—the very first thing that caught his eye—his own photograph 1 It was as his wife had stated, one of the few he had had taken about two years ago. Horror! Somebody was coming ! A light step on the stairs, and a sweet voice humming the refrain of a song, heralded the approach of Miss Ansom herself! What was to be done ? Gould he allow her to tind him in her room, prying about like a curious housemaid ? He, Alderman Mansfield, Mayor of Pimperne! There was only one thing to be done. Miss Ansom entered and closed the door behind her. Mr. Mansfield could hear her moving about the room, still singing lightly to herself.

" She is taking oft her hat and jacket," ha thought. "In a few minutes she will leave the room. Then I can slip out unobserved." Everything, no doubt, would have happened just as he wished, had Tiny—Mrs. Mansfield's darling png—not followed Misa Ansom into the room.

The spirit of investigation was strong la Tiny. • In the course of his present eiplora* 'ions he naturally looked under the bed. * He immediately set up an ear-splitting

series of lmrka and yelps, at the same time dancing about with every canino token of delight. . Mr. Mansfield responded to Tiny's joyful recognition with silent curses, and hearing Miss AnsoJi's expresssons of surprise, and that she was approaching the bed to learn the cause of Tiny's excitement, he slowly emerged, with very red face and a very ruffled appearancojgenerally. "Don't be alarmed, Miss Ausom, I beg!" he cried, seeing that that lady looked dangerously like shrieking. " Er—my unexpected and ignominious appearance (ills you with amazement, no doubt." "Mr. Mansfield 1" blic ejaculated, in tones of incredulous astonishment. " Er—l must, of course, explain, and humbly apologise for my despicable conduct ! "

Ilis worship then proceeded, with abrupt and jerky sentences, quite devoid of their usual flowery trimmings, to explain his presence in her room, Greatly to his relief, she did not look very angry when he had finished. She said nothing at first, but, opening the fatal drawer, produced somewhere from its depths two more photographs, which she put into his hand, saying " You see I have photographs of other members of the family ns well." Mr. Mansfield g.ized at thorn in astonishment. They were pictures of his wife and 6on! "Why, who gave you these, Miss An* som e : " "Jack! "she replied simply, with low* ered eyelids and a pretty flush on her face. " Jack ! " he replied " My son ? " " Yes," she whispered. " But I—l do not understand ! I wna not aware that you had ever met him! He is in South Africa!"

4 ' It was for my sake he went there," she replied softly. There was a silence for a few minuter "Then you are the young—cr—lady whom my son wished to marry in opposition to my wishes?" '• Yes," she murmured.

Mr. Mansfield thought deeply for the next few minutes. After all he liked Miss Ansom immensely; and if he still proved obstinate, she would, of course, leave the house, and perhaps this morning's ridiculous adventure might be mentioned, and—yes, he would be merciful. "Well, Miss Ansom, I need hardly say that your story has astonished me beyond measure. But I will not disguise from you the fact that, during the time you have been with us, you have won my highest esteem, and, in fact, I regard you with feelings of paternal affection. We must write to that young scamp and have him home. Meanwhile " With a cry of joy, Miss Ansom flung her arms around his neck, and imprinted a kiss on his nose. At that moment the door opened, and Mrs. Mansfield stood on the threshold, with hands uplifted in horror. She could not have timed her entrance with greater precision had she been waiting, with eye at the key hole.

" John 1 Miss Ansom ! " she gasped. Mr. Mansfield looked frightened. "My dear," he cried nervously," lam going to write to tell Jack to come home. This young lady has promised to be his wife. She is, in fact, the young lady about whom we had that foolish quarrel." It took Mr. Mansfield quite a quarter of an bour to make his wife understand clearly the facts of the case. 13ut when she did understand, she burst into tears, and rapturously embraced Miss Ansom, assuring her of her undying affection.

Mr. Mansfield at length managed to slip away, congratulating himself on the success with which he had extricated himself from an unpleasant position. After all, he was glad of an excuse to welcome his boy home again.

But perhaps if ho had heard what passed between his wife and future daughter-in-law when they heard the hall-door close behind him he would have realised that they had scored on all points. "Dear, darling Mrs. Mansfield 1 " cried Miss Ansom, embracing Mrs. Mansfield afresh il how good of you to have me here as your companion, and then to devise this clever plot. Why, it was quite a drama 1 " " In which you played your part very well, my dear! " replied the old lady, patting the girl's cheek affectionately.—By Elsa Morland ,in u Pictorial Magazine "