The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-12-17

Or so MT. Jack thinks.
"Yes-just Jumping Jack. No one else"
ooh, she is so glad She is all alone, aud
so friendless-with father and mother dead,
and so little salary, and two rude young men
coming every night to the same orchestra
seats, and staring at her through their opera
glasses and writing her insolent lOve-letters.
com opera-glass 'eml" mutters Mr.. Jack
under his breath.)
"And your says Sugar-plums.
He tells her he ia fourishing. He
gets large salary. He lives in humble
enough for him to carry, if he likes, and 60
board in fashionable street.
And then he sighs; and sitting by her side
on her little sofa he lifts her white fingers idly
with his own, and drops them, and picks them
up again, and brings them close to his lips to
look at them closely and make sure he has
not broken them.
"And what are you doing, Jumping Jack ~
asks Sugar-plums.
Why is il possible Sugar-plums don't know
what he is doing
He is a gymnast-the wonder of the town
has she not heard of him He is the wonder
ful Monsieur jacques.
ooh !" she exclaims with great eyes. Is
he Monsieur Jacques ?-the great Monsieur
Jacques Whom she has been longing to see,
but she never has a night off Oh ! is it
possible he is the extraordinary Monsieur
Jacques
And she looks at him as if he were the
Gorilla, or some other great man.
Yes, he is Monsieur Jacques. Doesn't
Sugar-plums remember how smart at spring
ing and leaping he was as boy 7
Does she remember How can she forget
Was not that the reason all the boys nick
named him Jumping Jack
All, yes, to be sure. Well, he has turned
his talent in that direction to some account
now, and all the world flocks to see the gym
nastics of Monsieur Jacques.
81 have travelled all over the world myself,
Sugar-plums. l have performed in London,
at the famous Astley's that you and 1
used to read about in our story-books when
we were children. performed in Paris two
seasons-one summer at the Hippodrome and
one winter at the Cirque de PImperatrice. In
Paris it was not necessary to call me Monsieur
Jacques. Jacqueses are too common in Paris.
1 was-now what do you think was on the
bills in Paris, Sugar-plums 2''
She thought minute.
dumping Jack" !" she said, lifting her head
as bird might lift its head after picking up
crumb.
"The very thing !" said Mr.. Jack, clapping
his hands. "What an extraordinary talent
you have for guessing, Sugar -plums ~
"And then of course you learned to speak
French, Jumping Jack ?''
'Oh yes, can speak French as well as
can English. Je Parte bten, alIes! Under
stand Y'
sugar-plums shook her head. 'T don't
know a word of French" she said.
"Ah que je roudrais gOu$ cr6q"er, petite
Sugar-plums % uttered Jack, in a low tone.
But she understood this no better than the
other.
There was pause in the little room.
A long, long pause.
And then the water in the tea-kettle boiled
over, and sputtered and choked and Kissed as
if it were critical spectator of this perform
ance, and felt displeased at the performers.
"Oh, dear ~ cried Sugar-plums, starting up
and running to it, and trying to appease it
| even prepared to return its admission fee if it
insisted on it-''oh, dear -
"Did you call me ?" said Jumping Jack
slyly.
Sugar-plums blushed.
"Don't tease me, Jackie ~ she said.
"Well then, WON'T" said Mr.. Jack; and
then there was another long pause, at which
the tea-kettle began to hiss again in renewed
displeasure.
~ shall have to put you out, Mrs. Tea.
| kettle" said Sugar-plums, and she lifted it of
the fire and set it on the hearth, where it sub
sided into an inglorious state of silence and
detection.
Sugar plums drew long breath, and looked
at the little table all spread for breakfast.
Would Monsieur Jacques stay and take break
| fast with her
OF course he would; he was only too happy
And he took breakfast with her, and was
not too happy, but just happy enough.
Happy enough, too, when breakfast was
over, to steal up quite close to her side and
say softly
"Sugar-plums I"
"Well, Jackie 7"
'Do you remember how used to love you
when was boy 7"
"oh, yes" said she, laughing gently. 'l
remember"
"I'm glad you do"
"But that, Jack, was-when you were ;
boy"
Jumping Jack seemed a trihe disconnected
by this-but not for long.
"Sugar-plums Y'' once more.
eyes, Jackie"
"I love you STILL"
"Oh, Jumping Jack -
"Sorry 2" queried Jack apprehensively.
''No, Jack. Glad" said she. al am glad.
"Will you marry me then, Kitty Sugar
plums %
She pressed his hand hard-as hard as sh
could-with the hand he was holding, ant
shut her eyes for minute or two as if some
thing dazEled her.
over from amid the thick, long lashes.
"Cryingl" said Jack, looking very mucl
disturbed.
"FOr joy, Jackie" she said, "Crying TO
joy"
And she cried for joy while he went on:.-
"I have always loved you, Kitty dear
always. Ever since l can remember anythin
at all, l remember having loved little Kit,
| King. / loved you as a boy, when you were