, 1884-01-23
"SNOOPER."

~ ~ - bdudbls
But this fact fact alone was neither incom-
prehensive nor extraordinary, for he was as
wealthy as she; he was as handsome and
learned a mar as she was a pretty and refined
woman; no, the bare feature In the case was,
that the relatives of both high contracting
parties were not only satisfied, but emf
nently pleased with the matter.
"Imagine, fair reader-and unfair ons, too
what would you think IL your motherIn.
law were openly, In your presence and out OF
it, to express her unqualified approval OF the
brilliant match her child had madel What
If your sister-ln-laws should agree with their
mother.
Well, that was the astonishing feature In
Bellies and the doctors engagement.
They loved each other devotedly. OF course;
but because there was no opposition TO the
match they lost a great deal of the miserable
Joy or joyous miseries of courtship. They
felt as II they had been married for years,
because their good-by kisses were not stolen,
but given and received as a matter of course,
In the presence of all.
The wedding was to take place Christmas
eve, and grand preparations were being made,
as it was to be the affair of the season.
One evening in October the doctor, after
pulling his brides youngest sisters ears TO his
hearts content, suggested a late oyster sup.
per, and for some reason which we would
find it difficult to explain, carried home an
oyster shell from the repast.
The following morning he found It in his
pocket, and while resting from his profess
sional work amused himself by thoroughly
-cribbling it, But few OF us know how
beautiful an oyster shell is" said he.
"As beautiful as Bellef' asked his friend
and former classmate, Doctor Codine, who
while lying on ander operating chair, was
reading the latest medical faurna1
mo" said Doctor Bander, as he continued
to admire the shell.
Nor as eloquentP' again said his friend in
a teasing tone.
"WhichP' asked Doctor Bander ambigu-
ously.
Codine continued his reading as Bander,
mechanically, polished his shell. Suddenly
an idea presented itself to him which seemed
to be amusing, for he smiled as he glued a
ribbon to the back of the shell, and upon its
face he painted the word "Snooper.7 He
ornamented its edges 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
his friend rose, looked at it and said:
"Regy, what is a snooperf"
Doctor Bandsr, without changing a feature
or manifesting the least annoyance in his
tone, answered:
IAN apparatus designed TO make blamed
fools ask questions"
For some reason they both laughed, yet
neither would ave been able to explain
their amusement, except, perhaps, by the
antithesis it presented to the usual serious
character Of thor employment.
The "snooper" was soon forgotten in the
discussion of a new operation which a surgi-
cal celebrity was just then introducing,
when Miss Belle entered with a 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 a farcical gravity, felt his pulse
and in a breath said:
"Ropetitur pro re- nata; IS is my fee,r and
affecting a pompous stride took his hat and
oyercoat and vent home.
While DIR. Bander proceeded to write, Miss
Belle "set things Alright" which, as a bride,
was a pleasure to both. and which, as a wife,
she might consider quite a task and he an in
siderable bore. Such Is the way with the
majority Of professional men; they seem to
enjoy disorder in the Workshop of their
brains, and their wives take particular pleas.
ure in depriviug them of that enjoyment.
Tn elegant little dust broom which Belle
had given her future husband was whisking
off the particles which had settled upon his
books and ornaments AZ she talked to him.
Suddenly she stopped, touched the oyster.
shell upon the wall and read the word
"Snooper."
"What Is Il 'Snoper' Regy," she asked.
"A 'snooper,' dear" he answered, a Is an
apparatus designed to make fools ask aues.
tons"
She did not laugh, but quietly laying
down the duster, before he could understand
her actions she had left his office, and a mo-
ment later he heard the street door open.
Belle, dear he exclaimed but his voice
was full Of misgiving. The door closed, and
DR.. Bander understood that something had
disturbed the pleasant engagement. His eff
forts to continue writing proved futile.
Bellies silent exit spoke volumes to him. HI
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 oeice
hours were hardly over when he determined
10 call on his bride and either laugh away the
affair, or II he should fail in this much as
he disliked the dea-he would apologize.
He was adjusting his gloves when his eyes
fell upon the '%snooper, "and-wome would
say-manlike, he tore it from the wall and
opening II window, threw it out, and was
sorry 1t did not break on the pavement be
low.
Slowly he entered his cab, and was about
to order the coachman to drive TO Remesa',
house, when a messenger landed him a pack
nge. He opened it, found all his presents Il
his bride, even to his engagement ring.
He did not observe the messenger pick NJ
something from the street, and smile as he
carried OFT the "snooper" with him; but re
turned to his rooms, and gathered the pretty
little his bride had given him
mnde a pack of them, and sent them to bel
without u word.
The two apparently most gay people at al
OF the balls and parties during the entire win
ter were Miss Remesa and DR.. Bander, YET
they avoided each other as skillfully rs the,
did the questions of their relatives anc
friends, Soon all ceased to speak of the en-
gagement, and by spring it was only remem
bered that at one time they had been prom
ised TO each other.
Again Christmas approached, and DIR
Bander had not eaten an oyster in that in
terval.
He worked harder than ever at protessiona
matters, and was appointed surgeon at thu
hospital.
A fair was to be given for the benefit Of
the institution, and of course he must attend
Bander went and was victimized at grab
bags, rallies, votes for the ~prettiest lady
the most popular physician, at the museum
Of living curiosities,n which contained q
mouse in a cage, a canary which drew water
and similar marvels. The hne art gallery
consisted Of ~Bonypart Crossing the Rind,
a skeleton of a chicken mounted on orang,
peelings, and Egyptian Darkness a sort OF
sentry box, which kept the beholdsr peerina
in and seeing nothing.