The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-01-24
How Hair-Pin Made Trouble for

"Jeptha, what is this ?" asked Mrs,
| Jones, suddenly confronting that gen.
tleman rs he sat reading.
THAT is hair-pin," answered Jones,
quietly, apparently Afforded in his
book.
rs it, indeed?" retorted Mrs. Jones.
land. not one of mine, either! \
| twisted hair-pin. May | ask what
MANI"
Maria" exclaimed Jones, looking
! up with the fearleSSneSS of conscious
guilt, "why these unnecessary and
disagreeable questions? What is that
hair-pin to me-"
! That's Just what | would like to
kuo-what | am trying to find out"
said his wife, turning white around
the mouth, and leaning family against
the mantel.
Where did you find it," asked
Jones, looking at it as if it were Il
Gatlin gun directed toward him.
Il f-f-found it in your Overcoat
pocket. sobbed Mrs. Jones, "that'S
wherew
Then you put it therer' suggested
Jones, carrying the war into the enc
mics camp. Il don't use hair-pins!
What do you suppose want of the
thing?" and he assumed an obstinate
ly virtuous look that might have de-
ceiYed even woman. But it didn't
deceive Mrs. Jones, who suddenly
changed her tactics.
"Jeptha," she said, in soft, persua-
sive, seal-slin-cloak tone. if you ever
loved me in the s-s-sweet days that
are past-if-if-you have the least
regard for me now, tell me-tell me
where YOU got that hair-pin"
She could not have chosen more
forcible way of appealing to his feel
ingS. The wretched man twined his
finger in his gray hair, dug his toes
into the Amsterdam rug, and gritted
his teeth us he nerved himself to tell
the truth, the whole truth and moth
ing but the truths help me Mira"
lie began, with his eyes cast down,
and in low, troubled voice, that
trembled with canned and condensed
misery.
ut was only yesterday" he said,
feeling as if it might have been a GEN.
fury before 81 had been to the restau-
rant"
"Oh! OH oh, you told me you never
ate mouthful all day." interrupted
Mrs. Jones.
to collect bill owing me-" con-
tinued Jones in hollow speech, land as
l came out | saw something glittering
on the walk. | thought of what my
good m-m-mother had told me years
before:
'''ro see pin and let it lie
You'll come To want before you die;
10 see a pin and pick it up,
You'll be sure to have good luck
Maria. L had no thought of evil
when l stopped down to pick up the
pin, as | supposed, but it was that
miserable hair pin. I-I-wasn't it,
Anthony - and l picked it up -
thing any man might do with perfect
impunity.'
us that ALP" asked Mrs. Jones,
calmly.
That is ALL" asserted Jones, with
truthful smile.
Then where did this blonde hair
come from?" inquired his wife, hold
ing it up for his inspection. did
YOU find this on the sidewalk 2"
Then Jones realized that the way of
the transgressor is hard, and he owned
up and really did tell the truth; how
that he stepped into a dry goods store
on the avenue TO get pair of new
kid gloves; how pretty girl buttoned
them with a hair-bin; how she gave it
to him because it was more cOnven-
lent than a glove Duttoner, and that
he hoped to die if he'd know her again
from side Of sole-leather--a story
that any reasonable woman would see
carried truth on the face of it.
Did Mrs. Jones believe it? A-hem.
The neighborS complained next morn
ing of the racket, and said if Jones
was going to rehearse private theatre
Gals again this winter they'd compel
Linn to move-see if they wouldn' t.
Detroit Free Press.