The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-15
ADMIRAL FLFMP DISCOUNTED.
The Twenty-second Ward Excited Over n
Great shoe-Buttoning Match.

or all tho men who have had the felicity
OF seeing n woman button hor shoe doubtless
large majority think 1t an easy task. Admiral
Horatio Flymp. the venerable retired sea SER
pent who lives in West Seyenty-seventh street.
shared this common belief
Living in the same house. with his wife and
lve-years- old daughter Florence is Col. Absa-
lon link. q military veteran who sits ut the
Same table with tho Admiral. The Colonel was
half an hour late to dinner yesterday. and as lie
is usually very prompt the Admiral blandly
expressed his surprise. and the Colonel said
that Mrs. link was busy and he had to button
Floy's shoes. You don't mean to tell me-"
the Admiral said. that it takes half an hour to
button tho child's shocs?" Tho Colonel an
swered that he did mean TO say So and he
didn't believe the Admiral could do 1t in an
hour and a half.
Tho upshot OF II all was n shoe-buttoninG
match between the Admiral and the Colonel
To the Admiral. who when the elements were
wild. had stood serenely ON the quarter deck
and handled with ease n great ship ut sea- tho
buttonng Of n child's shoe seemed so trivial
and simple an operation rs 10 DO almost be-
urged him on. and in his kindly old heart he
sympathized with the Colonel. over whom he
Inc pero T' Was n crowded rS foy was seated in
her high chair, and young Mr. Nicholas spray,
inmiliary known the house rs Ccntrehoard
Nicky. on account of his devotion to yachting.
was appointed to stand behind the chair and
hold her in. Decatur Flynn, n wealthy Wall
street broker was chosen starter. timekecpcr.
Judge and referee The work WINS all to b.
done with hooks fingers not allowed. The
Admiral took the right foot and the Colonel the
left. Mrs. link gracefully handed the Admin raj
button hook. which she produced from her
pocket and the Colonel borrowed one from an
other lady. Al o'clock cnch man stood with
his hook through the first hole Floy eyed
them with suspicion. Tho spectators were
brcaihless and Mr Flynn cries. Col,
Both men Jumped TO the work with great
alncrity The Colonel set his teeth and twisted
his hook frantlcally; The Admiral calm and
| self possessed handled his iron very gently,
got L around the button without trouble.
thought to himself how ensy il was. tried 20
pull the button through the hole. found that
| somehow il didn't come. pulled harder. hurt
| Flows foot stopped Tor 4 moment ~ several
ladies murmurcd. on. Admiral in sympathy
| with FloSs exclamation. and looking up. saw
| the Colonel graphing for his second button.
| He tried again. thought the room was getting
| pulled the button through the hole Then, alter
| several minutes OF active effort he succeeded in
| disengaglng the hook. and found TINT he had
| devoted about ten minutes 10 one button.
! The Admiral thought that now he had got n
little used 10 II, the others would be easy
enough. Spurred on 10y The cil rts of the Colo
| mel who was Juggling away NJ his third button
! hc boldly thrust his hook through the second
| hole made sudden yhnk that was Intended e.
| he both graceful aud effective. and pulled or q
! huttoni Warm. hut not di-maycd. no went
| hravely az the third. and ripped the button hole
| ,A'uNN t' lNN AllN hultlu ll'iullA Nhi Nuku Nul
| his pleasure over th.s hnply result Was les
! sencd by q play al Kick of Foy's shoe. which
| landed on his nose. and almost made him cry
| lndHuuted, ho went az the fourth button, and
| had II nearly through. Then he felt the handl,
| Of the hook turning in his hand. IL was loose
| and for many minutes entirely useless. WhilC
| he was trying 10 tighten II the Colonel cOurtc
| ousy returned the hook ne had borrowed liz
| had finished his shoe; time. haitian hour.
| The Admiral struggled on. and tho excite
| ment grew intense. still the handle turned II
| his now nervous hands and the button refused
| to come through. He was certain that but for tn,
| loose handle he would have won the match IL,
wanted to change hooks: but his pride forbade
| Time was going, Flpy was frotiul, the Admira
WAS moro put out than he would have been on
lee shore in gale q wind. He made one las
des pcrHte lunge. FlOy scronued. the handle
came clear of the hook. the clock struck q. ant
Mrs. Col link advanced. and with ill-concealeC
sarcasm for she never did quite like the Ad
miral said: It's floy's bedtime now Admiral
mifal, getting on nm even Keel again, galantll
replied. rs he handed her the hook; Will
your kind permission. Madame. will buttoi
the rest in the morning..
Then he slipped his cable and stood ont int,
the street. and cruised up and down the Boule
ward for while TO recover his equanimity and
calling at a hotel. he got glass OF grog aud
Ike the nne old gentleman that he Is. drank Il
Woman, Lovely Woman. always pure an,
beautiful and true. though he couldn't he'll
| thinking that II ever he should become SO de
based (which Heaven forbid y ms To believe tina
there lives in the wide world any womal
who IL trea'herous. dcccitful. and tricky, tina
woman Nt may be TINT for ono brief moment. n
he drained his glass. a bit OF acrid lemon pee
tou he'd his lipsl-thai woman must be the on
who had that night given him Il shoe buttOnc
| with "a revolving handle.