Smyrna times., 1873-08-13
MiSceIIUW 10 e o H. s.
a Seaside Romance.

An episode of the present Summer we trust
may, i'll moral suggestveness, compensate for
the space we allow it here. Augustus was
employed in large and fashionable 'empo-
rium" for the sale OF mems underwear. He
was familiar with scarfs, hosiery, hsndker
chiefs and zephry undergarments. He was
accomplished in his line. He knew the exact
shade of necktie that suited his customers
cOmplexiOn-better than that, he knew what
was fashionable. To him the secrets of the
measuring tape were familiar; he knew the
exact number of inches which the breast Of the
hnely-fOrmed swell revealed below his padding
and-was nobly rsticent. He knew where the
knock knees and bow legs were, but wild
horses could not tear that secret from his
breast And yet he was not happy. Glimpses
of another and gayer world, of another sphere
of usefulness and display beyond his counter,
were revealed to him in the perGOns OF the
fashionable young man who patrOnlzed him.
His bosom may have swelled with an infinite
longing. Why should he not connect himself
with that bright and beautiful world, and may
hap marry an heiress? Perhaps no one knew
better than he the holowness of that superb
cial ornament which attracts the fair So he
regularly spent his month Of vacation in the
glddy halls OF Saratoga or the fascinating
vortex of Newport. lie looked we'll His
linen was irreprOachable, his gloves iaultless,
his cravsts Incompatible.
1t was at one OF these places that the peer
less Marie dawned upon him. Beautiful,
| young, stylish and ingenuous-there was withal
a fascinating air of mystery about her. She
was chaperoned by lady who, even the un-
sophisticated Augustus could perceive, held
her position more by her money than her
graces. But Marie was all that Augustus
could wish. They became acquainted i'll the
/ al & al ho-o
episode; mad bulls and runaway horses were
intrequent on the corridors of the great hotel
where they firted; beyond preserving the
integrity of her skirt from the fatal fall of an
| orange ice, Augustus absolutely did nothing.
And SO the days passed with little of express
sion to mar the monotonous idiotic smile they
shed upon each other. The lady talked
lightly of names of rich families whereof
Augustus had heard incidentally with awe over
his counter. Sacred precincts on fashionable
streets to which Augustus had often directed
packages of A / zephyrs were alluded to with
fascinating familiarity. In that fstal moment
Augustus hesitated; could he reveal his own
connection with the Emporium to the aristo
cratic fair? Augustus tell Let not the reader
believe that he forged check or embezzled
from his employer. He only alluded to him
self as a capitalist, and spoke casually of the
money market. There was no arrangement
When they parted at the end Of his vacation
1t was with that sweet, vague significance thai
closes the usual watering place Irritation. Ii
was for the season only, and the shutters o.
common sense were to be put up over the
windows of sentiment for the rest of the year
They trusted that they would meet again
And they did,
! 1t was week or two after his return, and
Augustus soul was not yet in his vocation
Already the heavier woOlens we're coming il
for the Fall trade, and Augustus smiled albei
sardoncally, at the change which overtake
all fashions and things, as he stood at hi
familiar counter. But an extra and peremp
tory order for custOm-made shirts obliged hin
to visit one Of the many seamstresses EN-
plOyed by the Emporium. AsAugustus turned
down tile narrow street of a remote, unfash
lOnable locality and rang the bell of a modes
tenement house, his mind reverted to the pas
and he glanced nervOusly up and down tn
street, lest Marie from passing carriage shOul'
detect him with the ominous parcel under hi
arm. He was relieved when the opening doc
enabled him to enter. But as he did so tn
bundle slipped out of his nerveless fingers
For there, seated at sewing machine witt
her pretty fingers on the plate, and her sliu
foot on the treadle, sat Mary Jones-the Mari
of his dreams
Artistic taste would indicate that for tru
literary effect we should stop here. But thi
is severely practical statement of fact. Brief
then, let us go on to say that Augustus, unde
good deal of harmless weakness, carrie
an honest heart For your little snob, sfte
all, is more apt to possess that organ than
l. cad or prig. Augustus aud Mary were en-
, gaged-and perhaps in defiance of poetic jul
1. tice may yet be happy.
1t is possible that there is no moral TO thi
story. 'We that have free souls-this touche
| us not. In the loves of Aupustus and Mari
ID the thousands of readers of these columns, VIII
go to watering places, and who are neve
tempted by any motive to appear other tina
they are, will see little but an idle midsumme
incident that hath naught Of suggestion G
offense.-New York Tribune.