Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-06-20

Charley then took hold Of her wrists,
and looked her in the eye, while the la
dies and gentlemen present gathered about
them, eager for the fun.
"The plates!'' echoed Miss H. with
equal gravity.
Mrs S. came forward with pair Of
the required articles. Charley took one
and held it on his hands in his lap. Miss
H. made similar use of the other, still
looking Charley in the eye.
After pause, Charley withdrew his
right hand from beneath the plate, and
with slow, mystical motion, passed his
fingers across his face.
Miss H. gravely initiated the move
ment. AS she drew her delicate fingers
from her brow to her chin, yell of laugh
ter burst from the spectators. Without
smiling, Charley replaced his right hand
under the plate, and rubbed the left over
his face. Miss H. as gravely followed
his example, and another burst of laugh
ter followed. Charley then turned the
plate around in his hands, and with his
fingers made passes across his brow,
crosses on his chin, long line down the
middle Of his nose, circles about his eyes,
and all sorts Of imaginary grotesque fig
ures on his cheek, changing his hands oc-
casionally, as If to invest the ceremony
with additional mystery. Miss H. imi-
tated him with scrupulous exactitude and
imperturable gravity, while the mirth Of
the spectators became more and more ex-
cited, and it seemed that some of them
would die with laughter. Some rolled
upon the sofas, some hung powerless over
the chairs, almost dead with mirth, and
others fell upon the floor and held their
sides.
Charley continued to make the myste-
rious passes across his face, and Miss II.
20 initiate his NOV ements, until the mirth,
arose 10 such pitch that the poor girlbegan
to suspect that it was occasioned by some
thing besides the mere oddity of Charley's
motions. She grew uneasy. She feared
some trick played upon herself. The
mir,h increased. She could endure it no
longer. She resolved TO forfeit the oys-
ters. Amid roars Of laughter from the
spectators, she cried out
There! I've withstood this long
enough now Pm going to know what
there is to laugh att
''Look in the glass Look in the glass :"
cried the mir,h suifocated spectators.
Miss II. was before mirror in mo-
ment. A cry of pair and shame burst
from her lips. Her face her pretty, be-
w,ching face ; it was covered with black
streaks Of every imaginative Character
Over her nose, around her eyes, across
her forehead, up and down, diagonal!y,
and crosswise, on every portion Of her
face, were the marks o! her own fingers,
lust as she had touched them on her deli
cate skin.
The bottom of her plate had been
smoked.
While Miss H. covering her features
with her handkerchief, retreated to ahoth-
er room, and while the company was near
giving up the ghos. in a perfect ecs,acy of
laughter, Charley said without smile
Il won this time but | think can af-
ford the oysters al any rate"
The oysters were brought in at Char
ley's expense. Charley said he could not
think of tasting his until Miss II. reap
peared, and sent committee of girls to
bring her in. These reported that the
fair victim had no, yet succeeded in get
ting the smoke off her face, upon which
Charley badc them return and bring her in
at any rate.
In few minutes the committee once
more returned, accompanied by Miss IL,
The smoke still showed itself upon her
| face in spots, and her eyes g'istened with
tears, but she advanced with admirable
frankne>s and cheerful smile, and taking
Charley by the hand acknowledged the
fairness Of the joke, and complimented his
ingenuity and skill.
The merry company then sat down to
the oysters. Which none enjoyed with a
keener relish than she who had contri-
buted so much to the entertainment Of the
guests that night.