The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1880-03-05

the porch, where Mr.. Wheeker was striding
in his scarlet robe, and preceded by his mace
bearer (for the Mayor. used to go church in
state on the first Sunday of each month, }
Mrs. Burberry said with smile which
showed all her pretty teeth, well. Mayor,
have you chosen your Queen OF Beauty
yet?'
Il almost think | see her before me- an
swered Mr.. Wheeker stammering clumsy
compliment to Mrs. Burberry, with her
smart attire, pink cheeks and sparkling
eyes, looking undeniably pretty.
You're joking, | suppose, she retorted.
you want me to give the boquet to the
Princess it must be very nice one
'Oh, it shall bel protested the Mayor
And yon must let me play 4 chief part in
all the tesliyilies-receive your guests for
you, and all that otherwise there would be
no fun in the thing, you know. As you're
a bachelor, you must have lady to act for
you.
4 should feel much obliged if you would
act for me; Mrs. Burberry said the Mayor,
feeling as if a weight had been taken off his
shoulder.
well, we will see about it, don't say
yes or no for the present, replied the Col.
onels wife, uodding pleasantly, and she rus
tied off, leaving Mistborough's Mayor rath-
err overwhelmed by sense of her conde-
scension.
A. matter of fact Mrs Burberry had her
own reasons for acting as adroitly as she
had done. Independently of her ambition
to be ACKNOWLEDGED as the prettiest person
in Misborough, she much desired to obtain
a post under The government for her hus-
band, a. d thought this object might be at
tained if She could lean for a whole day on
the arm of royal Prince and enlist his in
terest in her behalf by her sweet and paus-
BILE chatter. There was hot better talker
in all Mstburough and the whole country
around than Mrs. Bulberry, who, according
to her admirers could have charmed bird
out of tree, or who, as her detractors
avouched, was equal to iooliug pig out of
a potato
30 while Mr. Wheeker was blessing him
self at having been eXtricated from dlem-
ma, Mrs Burberry went home in triumph;
but there she met her husband who was not
: pleased to meet her achievement with ia.
vor. Colonel Burberry was one of those
men who cannot be brought to see all at
once what is good for them. He always let
himself be led in the end; but, before sub
hitting to guidance, he jbbed, SHE'D and
brayed like the most obstinate of four.foOt-
; ed animals. In the present instance he de-
clarcd, with a sprinkling of oaths which he
WAS much given to employing in domestic
conversation, that he would not by George,
allow his wife to make blanked guy of
herself in the company of cheesemongerng
aldermen, blanked if he would Mrs. Bull
berry who was elated by the results of her
: diplomacy, answered impatiently by request
ing her lord not to make an oat OF himself
But this was a false move, for it sent off the
Colonel in towering passion TO blow up
Mr.. Mayor Wheeker, whose blank nose,
said he, he would tweak in the public
streets.
i say he said, accostng this inofIensive
dgnitsry, whom he met taking an afternoon
walk in the sunshine, Il say I'm not going
to let it be said that you're spooney on my
wife"
+ 4, Colonel replied the Mayor, astonish
ed ard uneasy.
YES, sir, you're a bachelor and gay dog
by all accounts; don't deny it, for your go-
r ings on with the sex are matters of public
notoriety. But | won't have you dangling
after Mrs. Burberry, mind that
Really, Colonel, don understand, Mrs,
Burberry was good enough to say that she
t would not mind presenting the bouquet to
Q Her Royal llighness, and | thought
'You thought she was setting her cap at
you; is that what you was going to say?
We'll, admire your cheek, do, clustered
the Colonel retrcating step or two, as il
to take a better survey Of the Mayor, who
e certainly looked no Adonis. well, Mr.
SauceboN, remember that my names BuI-
D berry, aud | stand no blanked nonsense
from anybody, Just get your pastry cook
: girl, Miss Buttercup, or whatever her name
D is, to give your bouquet; she'll do very wei
/ for such work, but my wife won't. Coco
/ day to you,
l Poor Mr.. Wheeker gaped in wonder as the
{ trucuIeut -washbuckler swung on his heel
lie doubted whether the Colonel was sober
n As for the valiant Burberry, he strod,
j home; hut, as often happened to him hi
/; yalor began to ooze away as he neared th,
, coniugal dwelling. lie ielt that he had pu
y hi, foot into it, Swagger as he would h
I, was no match for his wife in tongue war
ii fare, and presently, when he had to confe.
= what he had done, Madame flew into one q
P, those fine RACES VIII ch make Il man wish tha
II up,hlt the Colonel might have been seen o
a the morrow looking very sheepish as h
% wended his way towards the town hall, t
Ie seek out the Mayor and offer him kind
n apology. He was quite alive now, poo
!, wretch, to the service which his wife wishe
y to render him in presenting flowers to tn
lie princess # he blood.
o Bat, 70 Colonel Buberry's modification
r. Mr. Wheeler had already informed tn
70 Town Council of his previous days adver
m ture; and it was unanimously decided thi
" the Mayor had received an aflront whic
ir must preclude the Bullberries from takin
& any part in the municipal festivities, even
N guests at the ba quet, The Mayor, sittin
y in his official room at the Town Hall, COZ
ID yeyed this to the Colonel as delicately
ar possible, and added propitiatory assuranC
Is Of his own that he did not feel oIende,
l. but upon this the Colonel as usual, mac
4 haste to lose his temper.
$ by George, sir cried he, am | beir
to trihed with? You first ask my wife to {
/ you a kindness, and then you tell me th
y you are going to put US both in disgrac
j