Democratic messenger., 1881-10-08
A FALSE START.
Thank God for night I!
A Moral Comedy.

Harry-I am hungry. Can I live an
other half-hour on cup of coffee I? Half
an hour? I'll stand it somehow. I'll
starve myself every morning for Nora's
sake. I'll sacrifice myself every hour of
the day for Nora's sake. I'll wonder
where she got this notion of breakfast
ing in the foreign fashion as if hadn't
had enough of foreigners and their fash
ions? did think that when / married
1 should leave all that nonsense with
my mother in Paris, and come home and
live like Briton and eat ham and eggs
at nine o'clock, and q muffin-a muffin
Oh, but Nora wishes it, and she shall
never know that don't delight in wait
ing for my breakfast till twelve o'clock.
Clara Roedale would never believe it of
me. Ialways knew that marriage would
bring out the finer parts of my char
acter. am married, and the finer parts
of my character are brought out. Muf-
fin There's nothing eatable about here!
One can't eat coal. A paper-knife No.
BY George, there was biscuit some.
yhere-yesterday Yes-there certain
ly was a biscuit in my great coat pocket.
/ can be cheerful with biscuit and
Nora shall never know what suffer for
her sake.
Harry goes in search of the biscuit :;
and Nora comes in search of her hus-
band.
Nora-Harry Harry Where can he
be? oh, am famished, and am glad
of it Harry, it is for your sake that 1
endure these torments. You shall never
have reason to say that you resigned the
easy habits of Continental life for the
sake of little girl like me. Your friend
Lady Roedale-dear Lady Roedale-
shall never be able to say that I put a
stop to single one of your delightful
everywhere. 1 will beg and implore
you to go to your horrid club. l will
teach myself to dote upon your absence.
/ will learn to like tobacco. I will starve
myself every day till noon. / will
Oh, if l could only find the smallest
morsel of bread Half an hour more (!
no; only six -and-tTenty minutes |
Courage That's Harry's step. With
him could go without breakfast for
ever. Always meet your husband with
smile. That's Clara Roedale's golden
rule. will smile, if 1 die for it.
Fl. [as he comes in. l-Ah, Nora (!
Why, what's the matter dear What
an odd smile you've got.
N.-Have /, dear? 1 was thinking of
you.
H.-Thanks, Nora you don't know
what an awfully clever dog your Mop
pet is.
N.-Isn't he clever?
H.-Fancy him getting biscuit out
of my great coat pocket
N.-Did he really? The clever dar-
lingl Are you quite sure?
HI saw the crumbs on the floor.
N.-You speak quite sentimentally
about it.
H.-Oh yes, it's quite pathetic this
sagacity of dumb animals. Isn't it a
lovely morning? I've been round the
garden and the meadow.
Mo get an appetite for breakfast
H.-No-that is, Tn hungry enough
I'm not very hungry.
N.-Of course not. Nineteen minutes
and half?
H.-What, dear?
N.-Nothing. Is there anything in
the paper?
HI don't know.
N.-Haven't you read the paper?
thought that every man began the day
by reading the paper.
H.-Began the day!
N.-Don't you read the papers?
HI always read my paper after
breakfast.
| Here is pause full of emotion.
N.-Did you remember to order the
carriage?
H.-Yes, dear.
N.-Isn't it lovely day tor the pic.
mic? am so glad do so love tea
on the rocks
4 H.-Teal Oh And muffin
N.-What's the matter, Harry?
H.-Nothing, dear. 1 think l feel il
less if keep moving.
N.-YOu do like picnics, don't you
Harry?
H.-Im awfully fond of picnics
Walking up and down he murmurs tc
himself Clara Roedale wouldn't be-
lieve it of me. Picnics Fancy anybody
liking picnicl
M think it seems better il I wall
about. Walking up and down she mur
murs to herself He shan't be shut NJ
at home with his dull little wife ht
shall have all the social pleasures tC
which he has been accustomed. Harry
dear, were you what they call an orna
| Ofa anoiaku