The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1883-12-20
q sNOOPER.." /"

s. It vas was an extraordinary engage
( ment-in fact, incomprehensible. Just
imagine, Belle Remesa Cher name was
Isabel but lizzie has not a pretty sound),
the charming hazel-eyed, golden-haired
fairy, was engaged to be married to Doc
tor Bander.
But this fact alone was neither incom-
prehensible nor. extraordinary, for he was
as wealthy as she; he was as handsome
and learned man as she was a pretty
and refined woman; no, the rare feature
in the case was, that the relatives of
both high contracting parties were not
only satisfied, but eminently pleased with
the match.
Imagine, fair reader-and unfair one,
too-what would you think if your
Z mother-in-law were openly, in your pres
ence and out of it, to express her un-
qualified approval of the Brilliant match
her child had made. What if your SIS
Z tsr-in-law should agree with their
mother2
Well, that was the astonishing fea-
tnre, in Bellies and the Doctors engage
ment.
q They loved each other devoted1y, of
course, but because there was nc opposi-
s~Son to the match they lost a great deal
8 Of The miserable joys, or joyous miseries,
of.coufrssip. They felt as if they had
been married for years, because their
good bye kisses were not stolen, but given
and received, as matter of course, in
presence Of all.
The wedding was to take place Christ
) mas eve, and grand preparations were
being made, for; it was to be the affair of
the season.
One eSening In October, the doctor,
after pulling his brides younger sisters
ears TO his hearts content, suggested "a
late. oyster supper, and sfor.some reason
which he would find difficult TO explain,
carried home an oyster shell from the
) repsst.
On the following morning he found it
h his pocket, and while resting from his
professional work, amused himself by
thoroughly scrubbing it. "But few of US
know how beautiful an oyster shell is"
:5said he.
t.As beautiful as Belief" asked his
friend and former classmate, Doctor
Collins, who, while lying on Bander's
operating chair read the latest medical
Z Journal.
ssNo," said doctor Bander, while he
continued to admire the she'll
ssNor Ias eloquent?" again said his
friend, in o teasing tone.
s'Which2' 2'I asked DR.. Bander, ambigu-
ously.
Collins continued his reading, ss Bander
mechanically polished the shell. Sud
denly an idea presented itself to him
2 which seemed amusing, for. he smiled as
he glued a ribbon to the back of the
shell, and upon its face he painted the
word "Snooper.n He ornamented its
edge with a narrow rim of gold and then
hung it On the wall of his Office, among
the paintings and articles of bric-a-brac,
most of which he had collected on his
travels
= When he had finished his little orna-
ment, his friend arose, looked at it, and
said:
scRegy, what is a snooper9"
Dr.. Bander, without changing feature,
or manifesting the least annoyance in his
tone, answered:
can apparatus designed to make
blamed fools ask questions"
For some reason both laughed, yet
neither would have been able to explain
their amusement, except, perhaps, by the
autithesis it presented to the usual ser
ious character of their employment.
The snooper" was soon forgotten in
the discussion of new operation which
9 surgical celebrity was just then intro
ducing, when Miss Belle entered with o
message from her mother, asking whether
Regy would have time to dine with her
that evening.
The doctor kissed his bride, whereupon
his friend, with larcical gravity, felt
his pulse, and in breath said: -
Repetitur pro re nata, five, dollars IS
my fee" and affecting pompous stride,
took his hat and overcoat and went
home.
While DR.. Bander proceeded to write,
Miss Belle sset things Alright, -" which as
O bride, was a pleasure to both, and
which, as a wife she might consider quite
e task and he al insufferable bore. Such
is the way with majority of profess
sional men-they seem to enjoy disorder
in the workshop of their brains, and
their wives take particular pleasure in
depriving them of that enjoyment.
The elegant little dust-broom which
Belle had given her future husband was
whisking off the PARTICLES which had
settled upon his books and ornaments as
she talked to him.
Suddenly she stopped, touched the
oyster-shell upon the wall, and read the
word "Snooper."
"Regy, what is snooper !! she in
quired.
ga snooper,' DEAR" he answered,
"is an apparatus designed to make fools
ask questions"
She did not laugh, but quietly laying
down the duster, before he could under
stand her actions, she had left his office,
and.a moment later he heard the street
door open.
"Belle, DEAR" he exclaimed, but his
voice vas full of misgiving. The door
closed, ard DR.. Bander understood that
something had disturbed the pleasant
engagement. His efforts to continue
writing proved futile. Bellies silent exit
spoke volumes to him. He could not
convince himself that the matter would
blow, over as soon as he might wish.
The entrance OF patients, for awhile
gave his thoughts other direction. but his
office hours were hardly over when he de-
termlned to call on bis bride and either
laugh away the affair, or if he should fail
in this-much as he disliked the idea, he
q would apologize.
He. was adjusting his gloves when his
eye fell upon the "snooper, and-women
would saymanEike he tore it from the
wsll, and opening q window he threw il
alIt, and was sorrY that Il die aot break