Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-12-30
Frederick William.
BURNT CORK AT A DISCOUNT.
How q Young Lady Outwitted "a
S'Smart'' Fellow.

HcW q Young Lady Outwitted
SMART Fellow.
"Philopena." 1t is said to have orig
mated in Germany, and rs it goes is a
harmless custom, the source of no little
amusement, and in the case We are
about to relate was productive Of sonie-
thing akin to fun alive" At a party
in this city. short time ago, gentle
man and lady went through the cere-
mony of disposing of the twin kernels
Of an almond, dfid, contrary 10 the
usual custom, the lady stipulated that
if she should be successful in saying
'philopena' first. she should have Il
ring of a certain unique and costly pat
tern; and he, in turn-well, what do
You think he did? Why, the "hOrrid
thing" actually had the impndence to
do a little STIMULATING on his own ac-
count. In case he lost, he agreed TO
draw his gteenbaeks for the purchase
OF the aforesaid ring, providing she, III
the event of losing, would permit him
to kiss her in public-say at the first
party they attended after the wager was
decided. This was agreed to, and each
went home thinking up plan to ont
wit the other.
The young lady madeno secret of the
affair, and confidently told all her idGy
friends that she couldn't help but win,
as she was determined to be so very,
very cautions. She was sure it would
mortify her dreadfully if she should be
compelled to offer her cheek to the i'm
pudent fellow before 4 crowd of people
Besides, she actually wanted lust such
o ring rs she bad bargained for. No
fear of her losing. She would like to
see the masculine who could outgencral
her. Indeed she would.
Now Charlie, that's his name). even
in these hard times, wouldn't mourn
much at the loss of ring, but when he
heard that his fair antagonist had adj
vertised him as fiat, whom it would
be so easy to capture, his pride was
touched, and he resolved to go for that
kiss with all the energy he could COM
mand, He made UP his mind that if
he should fail, he would ever after be in
favor of woman suffrage, and shake
hands across the bloody chasm with
Anna Dickinson and Susan B. Anthony
In truth, he had pretty much made up
his mind that he ought, in such case,
to leave the capital and take up his
residence in New HaveT-in the ''Third
ward" where he could vote for woman
suffrage every day in the year. But,
as we remarked above, he didn t.intend
to fail. He had already hit upon plan
that he thought would work. Thatplan
was burnt cork.
One night, not long ago, Charlie got
himself up for the occasion in manner
that would have done credit to the
boss" Ethiopian delineator, and head
ed for Lords Hill" The lady lives
in that direction, and if this was not a
strictly true story, we would give her
name. When Charlie started from
home, he thought his disguise COM
plete, but by the time he reached the
postoffice his faith in burnt cork had
shrunk almost as much as, some of the
Wall street securities, and he greatly
feared detection. To test his disguise
he dropped into Conklin's where he
was known by all hands. He asked
the price of pair of gloves. Fifty
cents,'' answered the gentlemanly
clerk. TOO much" said Charlie
"All de money Use got in de world am
fifteen cents Just then "Conk"
stepped up and told him that owing to
the hard times business wasn't quite so
brisk as usual, and he should make a
liberal discount on the gloves. "In
fact, !" said he, IN make you present
of 'em."
Charlie put the gloves in his pocket
and went out, feeling that his disguise
was complete.
Twenty minutes later a "colored
gemman" stood at the front door of n
certain aristocratic mansion con the
hill" waiting for Miss -, whom the
servant had gone to summon. She
soon made her appearance, wondering
what a colOred man could possibly want
of her. And not until she reached out
her hand for a proffered package, and
beheld the aggravating word ''Philo-
penal" did she comprehend the trick.
A trife less than one second after
Charlie heard the word "Wretch7' and
he glided down the walk, followed by
cast iron umbrella rack, which was the
only thing that the indignant Miss
could get hold of.
Il don't care" she said. ''he is Just
as mean as he can be-" Then she went
to her room and gave vent to her out
ragged feelings in the usual feminine
way-that is, she had a right down
good cry, all by herself. She wouldn't
care so very much, if Charlie wouldn't
tell of it; but she knew well enough he
would. And he did. The very next
day every girl and fellow in their circle
knew it, and poor Miss-,felt awfully
worked up in consequence. The
girls all declared that she was too high
spirited to let him kiss her, after playing
such an ungentlemanly trick. But
what could she do? Hadn't she prom
ised! The only way she could escape
paying the wager was to absent herself
from parties. That was an alternative
she would be little likely to accept. |
What then?
To make a long story short. a li5tle
party was given last week, To which |
both Charlie and the young lady were
invited Charlie was on hand early, |