The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1871-11-03

| 6A4lASs
A mOmentary silence ensued, fol
lowed by the rustling of muslin.
"Don't meet round the waist By
by good six inches, but can hold !
up. wonder what makes the thing
drag on the floor and hang 'rounc
ones legs so! Oh! 1 know, the Grin
oline ought to go under"
For the dignity of manhood" VIC
are reluctant to chronicle the fact
that our hero, intent on the tableauz
solitaire, did actually then and there
proceed to the closet, and practically
take down hOopskirt, which he
sOlemnly put oDl
Jupiter how cOmical it feels!" he
CALCULATED, with an amused face
"Why, l should not dare to go within
a yard of a vase or statuette, and
Pm qui,e certain / should swamp all
the chairs and tables 1 came 6Rear
Bother this trailing muslin-aIWays
in the way"
For Mr.. Ross had unthinkingly
plunged his masculine boot through
the delicate fabric of the dress.
'T'm not certain but that l should
make quite a hice-looking woman,
unused Kenneth, strutting backwards
and forwards before the mirror, with
his Derby hat balanced dain tily, and
the blue muslin revealing about a
foot and half ofcalf skin boot and
trousers. con the whole !-Tomb Of
the prophet is that the girls?
Mr.. Ross gave a blindly desperate
jerk at his saeque, and a pull at the
crinoline, but all in vain.
''The sweet, gay voices, interming-
led here and there with a ringing
laugh, or a snatch of songs, drew
nearer and nearer.
For an instant, Mr.. Ross wildly
contemplated q rush through the hall
to his own door, but moments re-
aection convinced him that such a
retreat would be simply impossible.
81 must stay and face it out" he
thought with a cold perspiratiOn
breaking out on his forehead; Ebut
hold on, there's the closet. It's just
possible they will only stay here a
minute or two"
And Mr.. Kenneth Ross, totally OBJ
Gvious Of the majesty of man, fled
precipitately into the closet, tumbling
over his crinoline and muslin in q
most disastrous manner, and hope
iessly splitting open the seams of poor
Alice's sacque.
Why the deuce didn't I think to
secure the key he thought, as the
girls sh canned into the room. "HoW.
ever, L can hold tight on to the door
handle if any one attemI is to get in.
If-by Jove-if the girls should see
me in this rig, should never hear the
last of it. don't see, either, why I'm
obliged to play the eaves-drOpper,
against my will"
lie leaned up against the shelves
and breathlessly waited the progress
of events.
"Why, calculated a soft voice
ROsa's OWn-"where's my Derby ?
Was 1 careless enough 10 lcace it
down stairs Flora, you have hidden
it."
''I wonder what you'll accuse me
of next,,' said Flora, in an injured
voice.
"You told Mr.. Ross that cousin
Simon's letter was Toto"
"Y our sweetheart. Well, he ought
to be, Pm sure. Mr.. Simon Montrose
is the handsomest young man ]
know"
"Ob, Flora, he don't compare with
Mr.. Ross"
"Rosa Fernall be honest, said Flora,
speaking indistinctly, with two uT
three hair-pins in her cherry month
which do you like best, cousin Ken,
or Simon MontrOse
"Fl0ra !"
''Tell me, now, honestly.
The answer came in low, half in
audible voice
"Kenneth!
The heart under Alice's Bacque gave
a great joyous leap.
Mr.. Kenneth Ross's head came in
contact with something on the upper
shelf, and down came a rain Of band
boxes on his occiput.
There was an instant terrified ST.
lence, and then all the girls began to
scream in chorus.
"Mercy!" calculated Alice, "What
is it?
Glow silly we all are! said Rosa
tremulously, it is only the cat.
GAS if a cat could make such O
noise as that" sobbed Flora. "Call
Uncle John-bring a revolver =
Alice, do look and see what it is.
"No, you look" faltered Alice, re-
| ,reating behind the bureau.
"I'u look myself" said Rosa Fern
all, bravely advancing to the res
sue.
But when the door handle refused
to turn even she blanched.
'6ome one is holding the door in
| tide. Call the men,"
''There is no necessity" quoth G
voice from behind the panels.
And the next moment the close
door flew open, disclosing tall form
in blue muslin and crinOline, and Z
countenance whose utter sheepish
ness can never be described.
"Cousin Ken - shrieked Flora.
sMr. Ross" faltered Miss Fernall
"Why, it can't be possible" 81 u
lated Alice.
And then the three girls clung t
each other in irrepressible paroxysm
of laughter.
"The fact is, ladies'" commence
/ Kenneth, confusedIy, "I-Won't som
one help me off with this mOuse-tra
of a hoOp-skirt Miss Alice, Pm yer
| sorry I've split your sscque open, bU
well, if you don't stop laughing,
can't explain; that's the long and th
short of it."
But Rosa FernaIl had stopped laugh
/ ing already, and the pink Of he
cheeks was deepening into scarlet,
SIZE had Just remembered the word
carelessly spoken in that very room
mot FIVE minutes ago,
+ In an inexplicablY short space {
t time Mr.. Ross had torn off his femi
) nine adornment 3 aad fed ignOmiI
tsausIy, followed by the peals {
l;-.,,,o.o' H's cousin &pd Alic
: Aymer.
> Rosa-strange little piece Of contr'
? dictiOn-had began to cry.