Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1883-08-04
MISS MASHER.
Miss Masher, "Drawing Line."-rhc
Girl who is In fora Good Time When
ever an Opportunity Offers.

The masher in petticoats, says the
London World, unnoticed though as
yet she is by comic prints. is, never
theless. as much an entity as he oi
of the white waistcoat and single
stud. Miss Masher, as we have taken
leave to christen the feminine analo-
que of the young gentleman of whose
doings and sayings one has heard SC
much, is living fact. Like her male
prototype, she finds at the Gaity
Theatre what appeals to her as the
highest, if not the only, form Of dra.
matte art. And. indeed, she is under
no small obligations to that shrine OF
burlesque, for not only do Nelly and
Kate--of course she speaks familiar.
ly of her favorites-supply her with
models upon which she dresses, but
also with her stock of pleasantries.
1t is partly the adroit handling OF
such phrases as may be from time to
in vogue that earns for her the char
acter Which rollicking youth so freely
accords her, that of being "capitaI
good f,n" A girl who cali, at the
right moment, protest that she is q
merry family, or that some one else
has got 'em on, is obviously a
creature Of humor as rare as she is
delightful. Little wonder that young
Pipeclay from Aldershot, or little
Billy Bull from Cupelcourt, revels in
her society, and vigorously vie with
each other in showing her court
and hospitality, in accepting which,
it must be owned, she shows but
small scrupulosity. Most willingly
will she dine at the Bristol or Con
tinental, and, in fact. most nights
she does so, her host being some
CHEEKY young bachelor of generous
instincts and Unsuitable capacity for
enjoyment. How is it that for the
nonce, the institution CT chaperon
THAT very bulwark of English society
is allowad to be in allegiance, l know
not but so it is always at these little
parties, which, being devised more for
flirting than for gastronomic and in
tellectual purposes, would be sadly
marred by the presence of the pro
fessionally vigilant eye and studious
ear. Perhaps Miss Washers father
is an old officer, widower, who re.
membering, with some difficulty
that he once was young, is glad to
see his daughter enjoying herself. so
long as he has no trouble in the
matter and his visits to the club are
not interrupted. Perhaps, again, Miss
Washers mother finds her daughter
so serious a rival that she spoils her
own sport somewhat, and is, therefore,
nothing 10th to part with her without
inquiring too particularly into what
supervision she will have. Dinner
done, naturally the theatre follows,
which entails the drive in a hanson
with some preux chevalier, less for
NAL, perhaps, than of old, but not
less fervent in his friendship. That
each Jack escorts his particular Jill
goes without saying. Then the
evening seems so very short and in
complete unless supper crowns all.
So an adjournment is made to some
ones rooms" in which, no matter
how ill-furnished and in elegant love
ly women always seem to discover a
certain irresistible charm. In oys
ters the tongue finds singular in
spiration, while champagne is not
dispiriting, so that noise and non
sense ensue as no unnatural result.
Still an end must come to even such
delights as these, and homes eventu-
ally reached, though none too soon.
However late the hour, nothing of re
proof is ever said to Miss Masher,
for it is recognized that she is bird
Of freedom who knows but few res
traints, and chafes against those few,
while certain concessions she imper
atively demands. Thus she insists
on the entire surrender of some one
room in the house for her own and
exclusive use. Here she is in the
the habit of receiving her friends
secure in the consciousness that she
will not be molested by maternal
martinetism, or forced to bow to the
discipline Of old would convention
alaties; here 5 o'clock tea is d right
at which many assist, though, like
many other rites. it would seem that
men alone may tastes its mysteries
Not that the arcana consists of any
thing more than chaff, easy and
ceaseless, and of that gossip which
suggests but does not state. Miss
Masher is well-known figure at reg
mental balls indeed there are few
garrison towns which she has no
visited NOR, than once through
dancing can hardly be said her es
pecial accomplishment. lngeniously
enough she always tries to gain pos
session of that seat which best deiie.
curious observation, and once discov
cred and secured, she seems to regarC
it with particular attachment; for il
may be noticed that waltz succeeds
polka and polka waltz, but yet oul
fair friend remains unmoved, still
giving significance to her glances ant
meaning to the many and delicat,
movements of DER fan. Whether
this is, the end and object of hel
hospitable hosts, who of course, shall
say? At any rate, it is her invari
able habit to think so. Again a
race meetings, of which she is I
pretty constant frequenter. it will b'
found that she generally has some
thing of pressing moment to whispel
to her companion (who, in shielding