, 1884-07-23
A MODEST BRIDE.
Turns Her Husband Out While She
Dlsrobes, and Then Hides in a
Buffet.

Turns Her Husband Out While She
D1srobes, and Then Hides in a
Buffet.
Buffalo Correspondent ourier-Joumal.
Perhaps the most amusing spectacle at
Niagara Falls hotel may be witnessed in
the corridors from $50 to ll:3o Of any
evening during the bridal season. Go
early, 80 as to be in time; ascend to about
the third floor. and take up your post of
observation in some convention embrasure
say in the window at the end of the hall,
The half hour will hardly have struck
when door after door will open in quick
succession, and groom after groom will
emerge sneakingly from its closing portal,
give a quick glance over his shoulder, and
then walk leisurely up and down with a
don't-care-a-damnative expression on his
face hat is indescribably ludicrous. One
moment he shippers shamefully at his
fellow sufferers who pass him in their
march, and another glares savagely as if
spelling for a fight. But all the time he
is looking anxiously at his watch, until a
half hour has passed slowly away, when
he steals hastily back to his door, knocks
and enters, where necessity compels US to
leave him.
The explanation is simple. He has
been sent out while the young and mex
perienced maiden disrobes herself He is
ashamed to go down stairs, SO he watches
out the vigil in the hall.
On one joyful and ne er-to-be -forgotten
occasion-the first of the many times that
l have sought to console myself for the
woes of bachelordom by this pitisble sight
I was called in to assist at the reunion
after the half hour had elapsed. A
groom, bigger and madden than the aver
age, had hardly re-entered his nuptial
chamber when he reappeared with direst
alarm and constellation depicted upon his
countenance. His room was the end one
in the hall, and my face the first to meet
his agonized face.
Are you one of the hotel menu" he
gasped.
II am, sir" l replied, with that in
nate truthfulness that characterizes the
descendants of George Washington.
We'll, sir, my wife has gone, sir, and
I'll have her, sir, if l search every room
in your cursed old shanty."
In vain l sought to console the agitated
youth, and to check the current of pro-
family that coursed with Niagara's W
rush and roar from his trembling lips. In
vain | assured him hat it was not Gus
tomary with wives to run away so early in
the marital life, and hat there was not a
case IN record Of ones quitting her bed
and board before the expiration of the
honeymoon. 1t was useless-he would
not be comforted-till finally out of the
philanthropy of an unsel6sh heart, l sug-
gested that he let me assist him in ex-
aiming the room for traces of the miss
ing bride. He at once assented and
threw open the door.
l entered with noiseless reverence. No
human being but ourselves was visible. In
the corner, piled upon a chair, were the
ordinary articles of a woman's apparel,
the smaller and more mysterious gar
\ ments hidden under the larger. In the
bed was a mock front, composed of a pill
low and a flannel skirt, which the wrath
of the alarmed husband had ruthlessly
and ~immodestly exposed. | took in the
situation at a glance. There was evident
ly nothing under the bed-that is.
nothing of any consequence-for it came
too near the floor. There were no closets
in the room, no other doors, and nothing
behind which one could hide. There was,
however, what the French call a buffet,
with shelves at the top and folding doors
at the bottom.
l gagged the thing in my minds eye,
and concluded there was Just room enough
for a flexible little woman, without mach
clothing, to squeeze in there. All this
was but the work of an instant's observa-
ton, and then l spoke with my mouth
sharply:
Young man, you have made a fool of
yourself. Go to the side board and lick
her."
Without waiting for me to hide my
bushes behind the door, he opened the
buffet with a bound, and there, nestled
amid a cloud of feecy white, was the pref
test little rosebud Of a face that ever
cleaned out of lace and linen. P