The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-03-19
THE LIVELY FLEA.

! The average woman hates a flea with
! an intensity almost diaboical in its ma
ture. She will pursue one of these little
innocents with the remorselessness of n
flend, and ii you expect to sec beauti.
full exemplitlcation OF female traits
never look for it when she knows that d
flea Is about. ...f..t
the flea seems to love, and Is never en-
loyfng ecstatic bliss unless favored with
her society
He likes to seek her couch in the Silly
hour or the night, WOO her from slum-
Der, and from a sheltered nook witness
her feverish exertions to escape his ca
resses; but perhaps he does not reach
the acme of enjoyment until he can
slyly accompany her to church, and not
make his presence known until she has
satisfactorily settled her furbelows and
flounces on the seat. all ready To De ad-
mired and make note of how Others
look. And then the flea begins his ma
nipulations, knowing full well that he
has his victim at n disadvantage.
Here there can be no fiinging of
skirts, no assuming of unbecoming nos
lures while making frantic grabs at the
mischievous and inaccessible monster
II you note the woman closely. you
Will see compressing of the lips, and a
look OF hate and pain creeping into the
face which she would fain conceal and
not reveal, for are not many eyes upon
her? -
One moment she settles herself little
more firmly on one side. as though hop
ing to crush the aggressor, bnt the next
moment FEELS him scampering upward,
when she settles backward quickly to
catch him between her back and the
rail, but all in vain-his flag is still
there. 4ff .s~. .6 tF' I
One dainty gaiter may rub up against
its fellow as far as may be done without
disarranging drapery. and there may be |
OF a jeweled hand under the pretence of |
arranging flowing drapery, but all in |
vain. And the flea, how he does enjoy it ! |
He roams hither and thither at his |
own sweet will and uncaring for the
boiling wrath which fairly makes the
white flesh upon which he PLAYS shiver
beneath his light. And perhaps the
flea has his mate, and then the anguish
is doubled.
AT one moment they are playing tag,
at another hide and seek, and while the
one Is cozily nestled away, the other
PUSHES about to find it in way which is
msaddenlng; and then they act the part
of explorers, and prospect every hill
and dale OF her form divine.
But they are never known to go to
sleep, And during this hour of MARTYR
dom now the wrath of the woman
gathers, and how only thoughts of dire
vengeance make the brief agony en-
durable! 7a 500
But at last the service, which has
seemed so long, is ended, and with as
much majesty as her writhing form will
permit she sails home, without lettering.
YOU may be sure VII {
The house reached, with one bound /
she is within the privacy Of her cham
Der, and there all restraint is cast aside. /
With lighting haste off comes the
Doarricades behind which the flea
found intrenchment, and at last She
stands like gladiator stripped for the ,
light, and then the fate Of the invader
IS sealed. 49, >'SAA J
He is pursued with remorseless fury. c
md the battle does not end until the /
rector snakes aloft the scalp of the foe,
Ind VOWS that 50 shall perish ALWAYS
he flea who dares to invade the sacred !
erritory Of her person. ~ 9