Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1879-06-25

he managed 10 observe every pas
senger as he or she got on or of, OI
went The car, past Seventeenth street
past Twenly-thlrd past Thirtletl
street, 1t seemed TO Mr., Slmpkins
that the lady would never get on,
dgaln, aud ~ no went Mr., Simpkins
busted himself With u thousand vain
oOnjuctures. Who was She' Was
she married or slngle9 OF what
nalionallty9 Was she beautiful 7 liz
had noi seen her face, but the possessoI
OF such dggurC hc argued could not be
otherwise than beautiful III feature,
Young2 Yes she was surely young
and palrician too, No rleblan ever
owned sn instep like that In fact, SO
surely Of all these things did Mr.
Slmpkins feel that he almost dreaded
the moment when the lady should
descend, aud perhaps IN meeting him
face to face destroy at single blow
his proudest Illusions. lie had not
long to wait for at Thirty fourth street
the conductors bell rang and tho lady
got out. She crossed the street aud
with Mr., Simpkins following in a
transport Of admiration, entered an
office on the corner.
Now as Mr. Simpkus luck would
have il, that oAica was n real estate
Office OF Mr. John BigOcr, and Mr. John
Bigler was brolher.in-law of Mr..
Simpkins. Mr.. Simpkins halted sud-
denly in some confusion and "walked
round himself so to speak. The
lady passed in without noticing him,
and disappeared from view. Mr.,
Simpkins stood for moment irreso.
lutely in the doorway and then fired
with n sudden determination, dashed
up stairs.
The offices of Mr.. Bigler were situ-
ated Oh the second floor. They con.
sisted OF two rooms, IN outer one
about ten feet square, called by MIR.
Bigler his reception room and larger
and more luxurious one within raserv-
ed purposely for coniidcntialinterv
AS Mr.. Simpkins expected TIE lady
was in the private room, but the door
stood slightly ajar, and as she sat
wish her back toward it, be could sec
her earnestly convelsiug with the vii
aineous Bigler. At that moment
Mr.. Simpkins caught Bigler's eye and
beckoned frantically to him to come
out. Blgler thinking from Simpkins
excited manner that the house might
be on fire, came quickly into the out
er room. As he did so he swung the
door wide open revealing to Mr.. Simp-
kin's entranced gaze the lovely object
of his pursuit, her head resting upon
her small delicate. .gloved hand, her
shawl dropping gracefully from her
beautiful shoulders, and that pretty
foot peeping saucily from beneath the
folds of her dress. Her eyes bent evil
dently upon the floor.
The sight was entirely too much for
Mr.. Simpkins, and he seized Mr.. Big
ler's arm with such energy that the
latter fairly howled.
"What the devil is the matter ex-
claimed Bigler?'
"Who is she p cried Simpklns,
pointing toward the. private room, Sin
troduce me. In heavens name who is
it ?"
"Who's who ?" asked the bewlld
ed Bigler struggling to free himself
from Mr.. Simpkin's grasp. ''What
in the name of common sense is the
matter with you?'
"That divine creature in here said
Simpkins wildly. 81 must know her.
saw her for the first time yester-
day. She's the most lovely woman
ever met. l followed here to-day.
Such step! Such a figure! Such
an-an ankle Bigler l must know
her. There are chords, BIgler, in the
human breast which cnce struck, rem
ders no man responsible for his actions.
Who is she ?"
"Who That - exclaimed MIR.
Bigler following Mr.. Simpkins gaze
toward the open door.
Mr.. Simpkins nodded eagerly. MIR.
Bigler looked at Mr.. Simpkins bland.
ly. Then he looked at the lady, and
then again at Mr.. Simpkins. Then
he became seized by a violent inter-
nal paroxysm, and commenced cram
ming his handkerchief into his mouth.
"That e. he exclaimed. as soon as
he had in some measure relieved him
self by the proceedings; "why you
blasted fool, that's your wife !!
D. M a r,oy novar n fnnI hul |