The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-09-07

An ldyl Of Ice Cream.
HOW THE GIRL ABSORBED COUNTLESS sAU-
GERS AND BANKRUPTED HER BEAU.


1t was the wild midnight. The tame
midnight was off watch and had gone to bed
three hours before. A storm brooded over
the eastern heavens 1t was thorough
bred brood storm. Hop.brewed, for it was
coming from Tho yeast. Hawkeye Greek
was rolling tumultEeusly in its sandy bed.
Bugs, probably. Or it might have been ner-
vousness. A 1.-THE form covered at the gar
den gate. Many manly form has cow
cred at just such gates, ever since sum.
mer nights and gDats and beauty and love
and June bugs were invented.
He does not come" she murmered softly
as she peered into the darkness. II canno
see him. ] will call him."
She was wrong. If she couldn't see him,
she certainly couldn't call him with the
same hand. A manly step came scraping
down the sidewalk. 1t was Desmond.
She threw open the gate, and the next
instant he clasped in his great strong arms
twenty yards of foulard, three yards
of ruching, seven dozen Breton buttons and
pompadour panier as big as a dog house.
1t was all his own.
"Al is lost" he exclaimed, "Constanoe
de Belvidere, the Russians have crossed the
Balkans. We must fly"
Constance was a noble girl She only
said, "Whither shall we fy?"
He wanted to fly to some lone desert isle,
but she submitted an amendment providing
that they should fly to the ice-cream sa-
loon.
They hew
In the crowded saloon, where the soft
light fell upon fair women and brave men,
and the insects of summer night fell in
the ice cream freezer. They spoke not
word.
When two sentient human beings are en-
gulfng spoonfuls of corn starch aud eggs
and skim-milk language is a mockery.
AT length Desmond broke the tender ST.
lence. He said;
More, dearest?"
She smiled and bowed her lovely head,
but did not speak. She was too full for ut
terance.
Desmond gloomily ordered more. And
more when that was gone. And supple
ment to that. And an exhibit to that. And
an addenda to that.
Gloom sat enthroned upow his brow. Com
| stance saw it. She said:
What is it, dearestY"
He spoke not, but sighed.
| A dreadful suspicion stabbed her heart
like knife.
Desmond" she said, "You are not tired
of me, darling?"
| by heaven, ne" he said, and then he
looked land thought) unutterable things.
Her brow lightened up with ray of ce-
lestial intelligence.
II see," she said, tapping the empty plate
with her spoon. "Too cold. Signed, G.
Morbus."
He denied it bitterly, and bade her re-
main where she was while he settled with
the man.
She, guided by the unerripg instinct OF
her sex, peeped through the curtains of the
saloon. She saw her Desmond holding
earnest discussion with the man. She saw
her own Desmond draw from his own pock.
ct and pile upon the counter a pearl-handle
pocket knife, six nickles, four green postag
Stamps,a watch-key, two lead pencils, a mem
orandum-book, theatre ticket (of the va
riety denomination,) a shirt-stud, ,one sleeve,
button, photograph OF herself, a packag,
OF trix, two street car checks, card with ,
funny (wicked) story on it, silk handkerchie
and pair of gloves. And then she knew
that Desmond was bankrupt, and wher
the man swept the assets of the concern in
to drawer and opened the door she sobbet
convulsively ;-"And it was mine extrava
gance which hath did this thing"
They did not talk much on their wa,
home, Once she asked him if he was rich
and he only said
Enormously"
Such is life,