Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-11-27
EVENING STAR.
A H 00P STORY
CHAPTER I.


And l waited in the drawing room till /
thought my hair would grow gray before she
would appear. The carriage was at the door;
it was bitter cold night; could hear the
coachman swinging and slapping his arms to
| keep his hands warm. wound up the musi.
cal box for excitement, and listened to its
soulless jingle for occupation; L had made the
little King Charles spaniel stand on bis hind
| legs till he began to think that was his nor
NAL position I tried with my right hand to
coax Uncled Ned" out Of the piano-much
| to the chargin Of that instrument, whose mis-
| sion was classical music. beat q retreat from
the realm Of sweet sounds to that Of sweet feel
ing-my patent leather boots were awfully
tight. In blissful agony heard, at last, the
! opening of q door, a musical laugh, the rust
ling Of silks, and there, before me- just giving
the last Tightening to her glove lace, was
Blanche Berceau. Such seraphic smile
such cooling voice
"And did / keep him waiting the dear
little Arthur! And did he grow fretfull"
| In the lexicon of politeness which fate has
ordained for a bright man of the world, there
is no such word as fretfal," answered.
| l had been studying this answer for two
hours-Bulwer gave the lesson. As replied
my eyes fell on the ball costume of Blanche
The pyramids Of Egypt were evidently intend
ed TO be represented by that dress, her head
| the apex, and the bottom Of her skirt the base
L had to open my eyes wide 20 take in the full
circumference-there was no end to that lower
| hoop!
"Can she get out Of the front door,"
| thought "Granted; yet, can she get into
| the carriage! Hadn't better ride outside
with the driver" L mildly asked her this
last thought
Never, dear Arthur, on such night as
| this. Ride inside only put your feet up on
| the cushion; then can stand up"
IL ind haa .al al4 tn%
| sacrifices you make for one you love"
L entered the carriage first; il was no. gal
| ! ant, but then, she insisted upon il. Then she
| c cIme in-hOTr, L can't tell; but she did
! Then, standing up like a hippOdrome girl in
her chariot, and, holding on to the straps, We
started of to attend Madame Ravencourt's
| grand ball.
| CHAPTER ii.
ltwas full house; how would il have glad
| dened the heart Of a prima donna at dollar
a head Through the crush Of human beings
| / swept onward with Blanche; once only /
| thought il was all up with the whalebOnes,
tut we got through, little bent, but still
elastic. Occasionally passer by would sweep
| the skirts round till L saw those daintily
chase tiny feet, and her figure looked like a
dinnsr-bell cut in two; but the wave swept on
and the pyramid was pyramid.
"Will you waltz L said to her as the uu-
sic sounded.
"0h, no l never waltz now"
But We "did" a luadrille-very easily
| Only two steps. and the figure was complete
| an awkward step from the gentleman UES-a-riS,
| and rip went the lady's skirt, hoops, &c,
| then came apologies, retreat to the dressing
room; repairs impossible; had To send home
| for the carriage; and, instead Of having a
| splendid evening-Blanche and I-she sat
down On the seat now, and / took her dear
little gloved hand in mine, and poured conso-
Il Iatin into har Il ho4o
| o'clock Oh, horrors,
CHAPTER III.
In a few days Blanche and 1 will be mar
RED Hoop, hurrah. The wedding ring-I
wish it was some other shape, it reminds me 90
| much of hoops-now lies on the table. And
| that cartload of whslebone / saw going into
her house one day last week Blanche,
| said |, is there an umbrella factory near
| you '"-reminds me that the bridal dresses
| are being built.
| Blanche hasn't boen to church for three
months, owing to the narrowness of the peHs
| and the width of her hoops.
CHAPTERIv ~
| L sit down in my arm chair, and wonder il
/ such things can be possible, and if what wa:
| was right and I've come to the conclusion
that everything is that is'
My wedding day. Now, old boy - So
liliquized, "you can only go through this op'
Il eTdllOu once III YOUR iNt-tuIcc VI lOuE tiuuS
| at the outside. Just raise the window and
see if there are any unusual operations going
on in the heavens above or in the garden be-
low, or over in the neighbOrs' houses the othel
side of the street. Nothing. Then nature il
inauspicious There will be row to-day
somewhere ~
Prophetic words We were 10 be marTisC
in church, en- grands tsnWe, at l0 o'clock il
the morning. The hour came, carriages
friends, &c, along with it. We went up L
the church We descended, walked up to th'
door-sIde door-yery narrow-bride couldn
get through-cOuldn't get into church. Hoop
too large-doOr too narrow. 1 grew red IL
the face as a boiled lobster.
"Put her through" 1 gasped, confused
agitated, and vulgar.
+" Sir-r-r!" said Blanche, 4" such Language
at such time?"
We re entered the carriage, ditt9 the friend
| theirs, returned to the brides house, and ther
I, Arthur O'Bandylegge, received fsrma
dismissal. L got the sack.