Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-03-14
THE TAWNY MUSTACHE.

Maih ana ChIppeWa otfeetS. Ills
is how it happened. 1t was in a
heavy snow storm; she was in the
cutter with Della Howe, and was
driving. They were dashing around
the corner; he crossing the street.
The wind was blowing the snow in
to her face in a binding fashion, so
she never saw him, until her horse
was stopped by strong hand on
the bride. 1t was done so sudden
ly, it almost threw Della and her
self from the seat. She had come
very near running. over Kim. OF
course it was her place to beg par
don, but, instead, she flashed an in
dignant glance at him, for having
presumed to lay hand on her horse,
and saw heavily built gentleman,
whose great coat and fur cap were
completely white with snow. He
still had his hand on the bride, as
if waiting for her to speak; as she
did not do SO, he cody twirled his
tawny mustache, with the hand not
employed, and said "Your apology
is accepted!' then walked on.
The horse, as suddenly released
as he had been stopped, dashed
ahead at furious rate; she did not
succeed in getting him fully under
her control and broken into an even
trot, until they had struck Delaware
Avenue. Then, for the first time,
the two girls looked at each other.
"Did you ever know such unpar-
alleled impudence?" Her checks
were brilliant; her eyes flashing
with the excitement Of tanning her
inturiated horse.
ale came near being our DEATH"
gasped Della, looking as if she was
going to faint.
81 should actually enjoy running
over such man." to whom the Gun
paralleled impudencc" seemed the
all-absorbing theme.
"How we did dash around those
corners" and Delia's very voice
trembled.
81 don't feel as if could go
home without giving it to him, "
from Hagar.
81 remembered every fib l ever
told" from Della.
81 should know him anywhere;
he had tawny mustache," from
Hagar, and she loosened her sable
boa as If the recollection of the cool
manner in which he had twirled
said mustache made her warm.
go dear! l expected fully to be
laid out in my new white silk"
There is no knowing how long
they would have continued this
random conversation, each enlarg-
ing on her own thought, without
paying the slightest attention to
the other, if it had not been for
this last rather worldly remark
of Delia's. Hager heard 1t and
laughed.
"On the whole, Del, it is q pity
l didn't let Dandy take his course,
we could have gone out of this
world in style. Hardley's party
would of course have been given up.
and would have made a last dying
request to be buried in my go, geous
new pink silk. Wouldn't / have
cut gay figure in my coffin2"
so, Hager! How can you talk SC
recklessly, when we have but just
escaped with our lives?" And the
little color that had come into
Delia's face receded. Hagar laugh
ed.
"Why, Del, is pink silk any
wickeder than white? Besides,
you silly little thing, we weren't
any place near our death; Dandy
wouldn't have dared killed mer
"Why?" asked Della.
"Because he knew very well, that
it he did, on my way up, l would
dispatch message down below, for
HE satanic majesty to kindly send 4
handful of small imps to haunt his
stall, and mix sulphur and powder.
ed birthstone with his oats" There
was mlschievous twinkle in her
black eyes, though she spoke in her
gravest tones.
"Hagar Southey, how can your"
AT that moment she drew rein
before Mr.. Howe's residence. Ha-
gar saw the girl safely on the side
walk; then sand, sarcastically, "nev-
cr mind, Della, when Lent comes
you will see how good l will be;''
and drove on, while Della went
into the house saying to herself, 81
wonder what makes Hagar Southey
SO ironical? she turns everything
into sarcasm, and is full as wild as
Dandy"
The next time she saw him was
at Hardley's grand party on Della
ware Avenue. She was robed in
that gorgeous new pink silk" got
ten for the occasion. 1t just suited
her marked brilliant style. One
would have singled her out the
moment one entered the room.-
She was, as usual, holding a levee;
the center of a group of gentlemen,
made up partly of exquisites who
live on the froth Of life, and partly
Of sensible, dignitied men, ali held
bv the charm Of her conva.co,;or
She was witty and sarcastic: she
made them first laugh, then think.
1t was wonderful how MANY homely
truths, and pointed home-thrusts,
this girl covered with the guisc oi
fun and irony. Her voice was low
and cultivated, and never changed
its soft musical utterance, no matter
how animated or discordant her
theme.
He was standing outside the cir
Gle, apparently giving unbroken
attention to the insipid platitudes oi
hn1ln IT:.