St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-12-30
A COMEDY OF TWO.


~iueiiJ party IN southeast corner studying
surroundings from behind glasses.
Enter handsome man, curly hair, slightly
gray, dark eyes, carries small alligator skin
travelling bag marked with silver letters. ''H.
L. D." linen shawl case embroidered with
same letters, lady's umbrella, basket of rose
buds.
Following him: Pretty woman, dark blue
eyes, lots of dim pies, carrying book. Seats
herself in a rocking chair placed directly in
front of elderly party in glasses.
Knight Of the bag, shawl strap. etc, places
them on ueighboring seat, and says:
''pll go and telegraph that you missed the
train; the next one goes presently, better
wait for it here; it's showing too fast to go
out again.
Lady (thoughtfully) might take a han
som up to BIS. left my watch there
asst week-still, L might be delayed and miss
another. l can't think how happen TO
blunder so. 1 am sure Edward said two, and
it wanted six minutes of it when got out Of
the carriage. Find out how soon can 90,
please"
Knight goes out. Voice of usher in the
distance; "Frankford, Holmesburg, Bristol
AiNhbSh- 1<dNs oiiauECh ntI ShilbS,
lakes fan out of bag, glances carefully at E.
p, takes three or four roses from basket,
fastens them on her dress, leans back and
opens book. knight returns)
Knight--"The train will not be ready for
an hour. You do not mind. hope (after a
pause). How many years is it since we have
Travelled togetherl 1 was thinking about it
while l was waiting for you
Lady Quickly Waiting for me?'
Knight mean before you came. The
station was not built then, We used to have
such dreadful long horse car rides from
West Chester to West Philadelphia
Lady-"You did not think them so dread
fully long them 0he speaker colors slightly
and changes the subiect.) 81 have half
promised Ned and Alice to be with them on
Christmas day in New York. They go there
Monday
Knight think you said last night
that you were coming back here from Tren
tong"
Lady-"Yes, for little Dora smyth's we'd
ding, Thursday. Isn't it too funny to think
that baby is old enough to be married."
Knight-"Not when l recollet that my
nephew Walter has a fine little shaver Of his
own, my first namesake."
Lady-"You don't say sol Why, re-
member he was in knickerbockers when we
whom did he marry!''
Knight-Grace Riddle, the fair-haired
pretty one, they were married in Rome
nearly three years ago; the boy is quite u
fellow now, has a tooth or two, and is sup
posed.by his fond parents to say, Papa,
time moves.'r
ID.
taller than am, and Nelly
Kuight-"Ahl What is this you're read
ing? might have known! Well, what do
you think of it! Is it worth wasting time
Overl"
Lady--'You havn't read Mr.. Isaacs'g'
Knight-''Not II 1 read pr. Claudius'
and"
; Lady (eagerly)-"Do tell me what is
Philistine9"
Knight--"Aren't you ashamed to betray
such ignorance2"
Lady-"But what is its''
knight (solemnly)-"Have you never
heard of Matthew Arnold?'
Lady with assumed petulance)-I will not
be laughed at, Mr.. -"
Knight Qnterrupting )-'tNonsense Helen,
l don't iutend to call you Mrs. anything
When was it that Walter was in knickerbock-
ers?n
Lady (coloring slightly, but smiling)-''o,
when?-a hundred years ago, when we were
young. / should so like to show you my boy
and girl, they -
Knight Qnterrupting again)-"Dou't
change the subject so, Helen, "a hundred
years. What nonsense! Have you quite for
gotten when we two parted'?'
Lady VERY demurely)-"rm sure it
wasn't Sin silence and tears"
Knight-"Well, no! not in silence, most
assuredly. What a sharp little tongue you
had, Helenl''
Lady (still demurely)-''So glad you use
the past tensel''
Knight don't believe you've improved
one bit in all these eighteen years. It's in
credible, Ellie. When / look at you I can
hardly trust my own memory. 1t can't be
more than eighteen years since we two hot
headed young things, almost on the eve CT
our wedding day, quarreled about nothing
and made shipwreck of our lives"
Lady (spiritedly)-'T did nothing of the
kind. You've no right to say such a thing.
Ihave had the happiest sort of a life. Ny
children are perfect darlings; my husband
was the very best man in the world; my only
sorrow was"
Knight-"His DEATH Exactly. I ex-
pected you to say so. OF course you were
bully dDOuL IL. 1Ou dAC a SOOQ hOlHdu, Ger
tainly. You mourned for him; but time is
wonderful healer, and you soon outlived
your grief.''
Lady (rising indignantly)-''You shall not
speak to me in such way; won't listen to
you.''
knight (calmly)-''St down, Ellie, I'll
apologize; it wasn't soon, but you have out
lived it. Why, child, it's the way of the
world, one outlives everything. Ellie, how
young you are, in spite of your-how many?
years. When you throw up your head in
that old way l fancy myself back on your I'M
cle's old porch In Chester; you were very
willful girl, Helen.''
Lady with heightened color)-'sI am a very
willful woman
knight Qaughing)-''I haven't the slight
est doubt of it, my dear; fortunately 1 can
manage willfulness--and you-better than /
did in my callow days. Seriously, Helen,
have something to say to you; we didn't
meet by accasnt. 1 was waiting for you,
waiting to say it. Your train hadn't gone,
lied to you. Yes, did; don't look angry,
listen and hear the old story. Ellie, answer
the old question: came to-day to ask it.'
Lady (hurriedly, glancing about distract
edly)-"O, hush, hush; do hush; some one
will surely, surely hear YOUR
During the last few sentences elderly
party in glasses, torn by the conflicting emo
tons, feminine sense Of honor always weak,
feminine love of romance always strong, has
alternately idgted to proclaim her presence
aud remained breathless to conceal it. At
this appeal honor triumphs and she heroically
and noisly drops her sun-umbrella, which
knight picks up and returns with a polite
bow Thus admitted to his confidence E. P.
casts honor to the winds, and. leaning for
ward, shamelessly, anxiously, eagerly, SYM
pathizingly lstensD
Knight with perfect calm)-''Let any