The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1876-11-18
A Woman's Wit.


serve life in print. The story is brief,
but with an immense moral as showing
how in some things lovely woman will
always come to the relief of II sister in
distress to outwit the tyrant man. The
journalist above referred to, stopping at
the hotel, private one, where the
guests were accustomed to the entire
freedom of the house, felt, late one
night, the imperative necessity of eat
ing some fruit before retiring. 1t was
too late to send out TO buy any; he did
not want to arouse the servants of the
house Mt so late an hour, and yet fruit
or preserves or something tOothsome of
the kind seemed to him personal ne
cessity. He knew where the store
house was, knew that the door was left
open, and finally resolved to go down
very quietly and prig enough sweet
meats to satisfy his nea ed. No sooner
was the thought conceived than acted
upon, and within five minutes he was
in the storeroom hooking preserves out
of jar, and enjoying himself i'm
mensly in satisfying the craving which
had come upon him.
For few minutes the enjoyment of
the man at the preserves was complete.
Then he was startled by a light, swift
step in the hall, there was whish and
II rustic of garments, the door opened
suddenly, and some one bounded in
with such suddenness as, coming square
ly against the form of the midnight
raider, to knock him half way across
the room, and fairly off his feet. Leap
ing up at once, he closed with his UNI
conscious assailant. to be startled by
subdued shrek, and to find that he had
captured woman Further, and more
terrible still, he discovered that the
plump form of the lady, who had want
ed something to eat as we'll rs he, was
clad only in night-dress. Still, though
trying, the occasion was one not of I'M
mixed horror by any means, and in n
moment the gentleman's nerve return
ed, and his curiosity rose to n fever
heat.
"Who is this ?" he demanded, of the
plump figure in his arms. No answer.
"Who is it?" he repeated. You'll not
get out of this until you tell" Still no
answer, but n struggle in the darkness,
the plump figure trying hard to get
away.
Again the query was repeated with
equal lack of response, but this time
resounding slap in the face from hand
that was doubtless pretty, but which hit
with decided force, was the reward Of
the questioner.
He was put on his mettle at once.
"You think you'll get off unknown
Well see about that he exclaimed.
1--WE a device thatll work, I think"
And then, after silent and determined
struggle, he caught little bit of the
lady's right cheek between his teeth
and bit it-not badly so as to break the
velvet skin, but sufficiently hard to leave
mark which he knew could not disap-
pear for day or two. Then lie released
his unknown prisoner, and she fled like
the wind along the passage, disappear
ing in some room impossible to locate
in the darkness.
The next morning the gentleman with
a mystery to solve came down to break
fast early. No ladies had yet appeared,
but at his table were one or two intimate
male friends, and to them he confided
the story of his adventure III the night,
relating also the means he had taken to
lady. The most intense curiosity ut once
prevailed at the table. and the advent of
the ladies was awaited with an impati
ence scarcely to be controlled. Five
minutes later the door opened, and the
belle of the hotel entered demurely,
glided across the room, and seated her.
self for breakfast. Eager eyes followed
her, and, as her face was fairly exposed,
there was sensation among the gentle
men. Upon her right cheek was strip
of court plaster an inch long. The eX-
cited men exchanged glances, whispers
and smiles. The mystery was solved
early. But just then another lady en-.
tered, this time IL dignitied matron. As
she sea.ed herself there was disclosed
upon her right cheek piece OF court
plaster identical in appearance with that
upon the face of the belle! Another and
another lady entered. Upon the right
cheek of every one of them appeared
piece of court-plaster. The tables filled
up, and not IL lady at one of them but
wore court-plaster on her right cheek.
And then the gentlemen looking conf
IDENTIFY for revelation wilted. They
comprehended the situation. The lady
who had been captured in the night had
contided her extremity to her friends,
and they had come to the rescue to out
wit male humanity. They succeeded,
too. The discounted men at that par
ticular table knew that beneath one of
the many pieces of court-plaster in the
room were hidden the marks of teeth.
but which was the identical bit of court
plaster they could not tell. And they
never learned