The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1879-04-09

Tenth street there descended from 2
Twenty-third street stage vision Of
such perfect female loneliness as made
the heart of Mr.. Simpkins fairly leap
into his throat. Clad in what seemed
to him the most elegant and bewitch-
ing of Summer costumes, and wear
ing the NEST piquant of hats, tied be-
meath the chin with bow of cherry
colored ribbons, the long ends of
which floated saucily over her shout
der, this celestial being tripped across
the street to Stewards, raising her
snowy skirts as she went, and dis
playing en- 20dSSdat an ankle sufficient
~ bewitching to cause Hiram Pow
ers i'll despair to smash to infnites-
imal atoms all the craven images he
had ever attempted to make. Mr..
Simpkins stopped short and gazed
after her. He was no longer young
man, but the fires of youth still
smouldered in his breast, and seemed
now to burn with an ardor as fierce
as that of twenty years ago.
"By Jupiter !" he exclaimed, "conld
anything be more lovely ?"
Without moments hesitation he
crossed the street and entered Stew
arts in pursuit. At that moment he
would have given the price of fifty
bonnets for another single glimpse OF
that one with cherry ribbons. But
his search was in vain-the lady had
disappeared. Up stairs and down,
in the elevator, around the rotunda,
through every department of the i'm
mense establishment, went Mr.. Simp
kins, SO many times that the clerks
began to eye him with curiosity not
unmixed with suspicion. AT last, in
despair, Mr.. Simpkins gave up the
search and sadly wendell his way
homeward.
1t was DREAM" he SAID to him
self SOFTLY" an infatuating, beautiful
dream. might have known it could
not last"
AT the supper table that night Mr..
Simpkins Was unusually grave and re-
served. BewiIdering kid button boots
stared at him from the sugar-bow
cherry colored bonnet ribbons floated
in his tea, the very napkins resolved
themselves into white petticoats with
the snowiest of frills.
"My DEAR" said Mrs. S., what
makes you 30 melancholy ?"
"Eh?" said Mr. Simpkins, starting
from his reverie. 90, nothing.
Deuced tired. Hard day at the Of
fce."
Poor old hubby /" said Mrs. S.
soothingly. "I-I-got that bonnet
to-day, dear"
Mr.. Simpkins grunted.
4 " IN Z 4 = 2 alqs
ried his wife, doubttully.
At any other time Mr.. Simpkins
might have said /" Yes;" but now,
with the recollection of those cherry
ribbons uppermost in his mind the
of any other bonnet would
have been torture.
"No," he replied, shortly, l don't
know anything about such gewgaws.
If it suits you it will me-"
Mrs. Simpkins was silent.
"Pll go to Grace Church next
Sunday" she thought, " and have my
revenge
Mr.. Simpkins that night dreamed
that he was in heaven, and was being
driven about the streets of the New
Jerusalem in a Twenty-third street
stage by switt-winged angel, robed
in cherry colored silk.
He went to his place OF business
next day, still in a thoughtful and re-
Elective mood. Why the recollect,
ion OF that beatifc vision should re.
main with him 80 persistently he did
not know. 1t gazed up at him from
the pages of his ledger, and floated
before him in the smoke of his cigar.
When at last he left the office and
started home again it accompanied
him up Broadway. He had turned
into Union Square and nearly reached
University Place when she came sud
denly to halt. BY all the gods Of
Greece 1t was her.
She stood with her back toward
him, waiting for a Broadway car.
Those Hebe. like shoulders, the cherry
ribbons. He could not be mistaken.
Mr.. Simpkins stood still a dozen
Yards behind. The car came and
stopped. The lady picked her way
daintily toward it over the muddy
crossino. Aoain the snowy RIFLES