Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-08-03
L GREEN LION.

"NO- Marguerite. my big brown pearl. >
drawled Penelope Gardner, II hate small
men,
Marguerite Allen was indeed Of fair SIZE
and somewhat Of a brunette; but Pencil
ope was no lily herself. Her beauty-for
she had a fair share, was rather of the ag-
gressive and full blooming sort that is apt
to make remarks
''You do ?'' was Marguerite's undis-
turbed reply. II suppose that means Tom
Lynn, just now, because he's silly enough
to admire you. You'll soon help him get
over it. don't believe you've fooled him
very badly, any how"
The color in Penelope's cheeks deepened
a little, for 1.-THE pearl was seldom known
to miss her little shots, and the reply came
without drawl:
''Tom Lynn? Who spoke of him All
I said was, that hate small men," E
THAT means youn marry one of
these days, l suppose responded Margue-
rite.
''What do you mean p asked Penelope.
''Why, Pen,'' said Marguerite, ire
morseess women like you always marry
the kind of man they hate. You feel too
benevolent just now to marry anybody,
even Tom Lynn; but wait awhile. In
three Or four years you'll have lost all your
pity, and then you'll marry the smallest
man you Knoxville one you hate most. .
-sfrssI didn't know pearlsawere bitter, said
Penelope. Come, now, trade me Colonel
Wasing for Tom Lynn. I'll give you that
green WorSted lion on the mantel to boot y
s;Thank you, PEN said Marguerite
that'll suit me- I've wanted chance to
put that worsted in the fire this ever so
long. Your claim on Tom is orth about
as much as the green hon, or as mine on
the colonei. Next time you want to work
something big and fierce and hideous on
canvas, you can make the colonel sit for {.
model
"Y GU are dreadfully savage this morr-
ing,'' said Pen, as she handed down the
| unlucky green beast, SO good a specimen
of his woolIy kind. YOU'D better take
him and go. don't know where you'll
! find Tom. III take possession of the col
! onel when we come out to play croquet.
At all events, he's not a small man.''
"Poor Tom Lynn ~ said Marguerite, as
she swept cut of the room with her lion
che doesn't like me at all, and what shall
1 do with him 20
"Amuse him kindly till somebody else
comes" was the parting advice of Pencil
ope Gardner.
But what would not either Pen or 'the
pearl'' have given If they had known that
the couple OF gentlemen, who, unknown to
them, were enjoying their early smoke on
the grass under the maple near the win
dow of PENS room, had been compulsory
hearers of every word that passed?
"Well. colonel muttered the lesser of
| the twain, "whlch of us three came out of
that fight with the least glory?"
Gus three, Tom % replied the tall,
broad-shouldered, martial looking, bat not
at all handsome, colonel. ''What do you
mean ?''
"Why," said Tom, 'syou and l and the
green lion.''
COIL" exclaimed the colonel, s.the lion,
decidedly. She's going to burn him. l
must say fully approve of that proceed
ing. But what's to become of YOU and
me They'll be cremating us next,''
There was a red spot in Tom Lynn s
cheek. in spite of his self-control. for he
was almost painfully aware of the differ.
ence between his somewhat understood
though elegant proportions and the mas.
sive bone and muscle of his friend.
s'Small men, never care to have the
question of size discussed in their hearing
least of all by the fairer part of creation
and poor Tom, clear headed and manly. as
he unquestionably was, had felt the stina
of Penelope's remarks to the very extrem
ity of his neatly fitting boots He answer
ed quietly, nevertheless:
ssWhy, colonel. if it's any fun to tn,
girls to swap what the Western settlers
would call their pre-emption titles to us
why not indulge 'em ?"
GAIL right, said the colonel. The greer
lion went with you as betterment. I SUD
pose"
. "Oh!'' said Tom, a trifle bitterly, ''I'v'
taken on bigger improvements than tina
while Pen was cultivating me-
$50 much the better for your new own
er, said the colonel. 'sBut wonder wha
she'll do for me ?''
sSWap you for the first conner that out