Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-12-20

I 81 Madam Whims, chornsed al the
rest.
Madam Whims. repeated the new
arrival What very odd name.
Oil IL isn't her real name. ex-
planned several Of the group IN one
voice again. = Her real name
Suppose one Of the party enlightens
me while the others remain silent. IN.
serrupted the girl langhingly. It's
rather confusing, You know. listening 20
chorus on subject Of which the
listener happens to be ia total Ignorance.
You. Maud. used 10 be q capital story
teller in our school days, and that isn't
far enough away for your tongue to have
| forgotten its cunning. and so suppose
you narrate and oblige yours truly, Bell
Morrison =
ssThere isn't any story to tell. Bell, my
dear. = replied the youthful, bright-eyed
matron thus singled out The case is
simply this: a lady Is stopping here
she came about three weeks ago whose
name is Mrs. Eleanor Halpin, but whom
our circle with common consent have
dubbed Madame Whims, because. my
dear, she really IS the whimmiest Of
whimmen. Pun intended-hope you all
see it. 2
81 recognized il at once, said Bell.
t'having met it many times before, not
ably in the old verse which, if my mem
DRY serves me Alright, runs somewhat in
this way:
ssWhen Eve first wooed with love so kind
Her Adam called her wooman;
But when she brought him grief and woe.
Why, then he called her woman.
Siura then the men declare the sax
With follies overbrlmmin',
And 50 they've changed the name again.
And now they call them whimmen.n
Am / to 60 on, or have you any
more verses to repeat2" asked Mistress
Maud.
..You are to go on and go on quickly,
answered her sprightly friend, for I
haven't had my supper yet and shall
soon be awfully hungry. You said last
she was the sWhimmiest of whimmen.
Pray tell me what shapes her whims
take2'
oddities of dress, principally. When
we first bcheld her, two days after her
arrival--she had kept her room in the in
terim-she wore sort of tnrban, appar-
emily evolved from large, soft, crimson
silk handkerchief, tilted rather rakishly
over the left eye. It was not altogether
unbecoming, but. it was extremely queer.
In few days the turban was discarded
and she appeared In very long, very loose
gloves, morn, noon and eve, breakfast,
lunch and dinner, for nearly q week.
Then she came down with cane, a
handsome one, and walked with an af-
fected little limp for another week.
Then lace scarf graced her head, tied
down over her ears. my dear, with big
bow under her chin. And tonight,
warm as it is, she has several Yards of
white illusion tWined around her throat
and standing up at the back of her neck
in manner that strongly suggests an
Elizabethan ruff ~
Winch suggestion of an Elizabethan
ruff suppose shall have the pleasure
OF seeing, said Bell, las each Of my
lady's vagaries seem to last for several
days. But tell me something about her
self, Maud. Is she pretty2 Is she clever2
Is she wife, widow or divorced If wife,
what kind of husband has she2''
well, she is not ugly. rather pretty,
In fact, and somewhat clever; SO we in
fer from what conversation we have had
with her, which is very little. for it is
one of her whims to have her husband
always at her side, and you know how
hard it is for women to talk to each
other when there is a man around. BY
the by, we also infer from the never
varying brightness of her face that she
must be very happy, very sweet-tem-
pered woman.
''And her husband2r
s'0h yes, was coming to hin. He
is q splendid looking fellow Though
Kate Dutton, who is given, you know,
to finding resemblance TO animals in
human beings, declares there is hint of
tiger about him), but we are not particu-
larry interested in him. because to tell the
truth, my dear. he hasn't shown the
slightest interest In any of US.
And how does he appear TO regard
his wife's whims2'
with extreme indulgence. Isee him
looking ut her peculiarities Of dress,
sometimes, with the kind of smile with
which fond parent regards the trick Of
spoiled child"
ssSpoiled child, indeed u here Joined
in sharp messed, thin Tipped elderly
dame, who had evidently thus far been
holding her tongue with great difficulty.
81 have no patience with him. Why
don't he make her take of these fal-de-
lals (Maud hasn't told you about half Of
them) and dress like q Chrisfiana
would, mighty quick. IL were he. But
as he don't should think that eompan-
ion Of hers hrs. Gregg who seems to
be sensible person and to have some
influence over her, might prevail upon