The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-03-28

Too fast the leap-year goes.
Why don't the girls propose, papaa
Why don't the girls propose2
MISS PENNYBACKER'S BLUNDER.
Mr.. darlington might have sat at his
allotted desk, in the store of Levy,
Heavy & Co., for the three hundred and
thirteen working days of the incoming
year, as he had for several already gone
by, and watched the feather buster fiirt-
ing among the bonnets, hats, artificial
flowers, ruches and band boxes of the
millinery shop over the way, without
that preliminary of the days work at
tracing his especial attention. We say
he might have done 50; but on the
eyentful morning of which we write MIR.
darlington. having added up long
column of figures and dotted down the
sum total, relieved the monotony by
glancing out of the window. As usual
the feather buster was flying about Miss
Pennybacker's establishment. looking
very much like starved pea-fowl with
superabundance of tail, or an over
grown shuttlecock. But, not as usual,
Mr.. darlington failed to see the some
what masculine hand of Miss Penny
hacker, welding the brush. The one
that grasped it was q plump, white,
diminutive hand; the wrist was en-
circled with a dainty white cuff. and be-
hind that was well-puffed brown dress
sleeve, only few inches of which met
the admiring gaze of Mr.. darlington.
As this was all that gentleman could
see, he contented himself with noting
how the buster flew among the boxes in
graceful curves under the direction of
the pretty little hand, instead of the
acute angles it described under Miss
Pennybacker's superintendent. He re-
lieved the monotony of his desk work
innumerable times that morning, BY
looking over the way. and even became
so much interested in the unseen person
opposite as to make three blunders in
the ledger, something before unknown
in the whole course of his clerkship.
John darlington was thirty-five. He
had been a clerk for upwards of twelve
years. Rumor said that a partnership
had been frequently offered him, and
he as frequently refused, but rumor is
always inclined to exaegerate. Be that
as it may, he was yet clerk, and I'M
married. Cupid's arrows flying every
where, and as erratically as a boomer
ang, had failed TO pierce his heart.
Being a dry-goods clerk, he did not
look at a woman in the same light that
for instance-a student of divinity
does. The latter considers her as
Heavens last, best gift to man" Mr.
Harrington considered her bundle of
dry goods. and an expensive one, too
He could make distinctions between
the real and the artificial. The divinity
student could not. If he, the student,
should have come into the store of
Leavy, Heavy & Co, and admiring a
good-looking lady, said to Mr.. Lark
ington:
What fair complexion; beautiful;
and what rosy cheeks"
Lily white and rouge" tapping the
show case where these articles are dis
played.
Possible? Her hair-how luxuriant
what wavy masses; and that coil!
What an opportunity the present fashion
gives woman to display her chief or
nament."
..All artificial, sir. Keep waves and
bangs in that showcase. Any color
YOU want?'
Possible? What a waist and what
a FORM"
..Corsets and other artificial means
do the business. sir"
Possible? l never should have i'm
agined it." And the divinity student
leaves the store. his faith in women
considerably impaired, humming: s.This
world is all fleeing show, etc.
Though John darlington had as yet.
never been hit by any of Cupid's ar
rows, several had been shot at him. In
deed, Miss Pennybacker kept up an al
most constant but useless fire. No diff
ference to how fine point those slight
ly habilitated little fellows ground their
arrows-and Miss Pennybacker must
have kept them busy turning the grind
stone, Judging from the number of quiv-
ers she used a day-they all fell harm
less against Mr.. Huntington. His heart
was adamant. TWAS quite amusing to
note the excuses Miss Pennybacker con-
trived in order to pursue her favorite
employment. There were bonnet silks
to select. ribbons to match, threads to
purchase. particulars style of ruches,
which she was sure she had seen at
Levy, Heavy g. Co.'S. and then. having
looked over their stock and assured her.
self that she must have seen them some
where else, she would chat small talk
with Mr.. darlington, shipper, smile and
fire her shafts with q perseverance
worthy of a better cause. seeing that she
brough hit no game. To be sure, she did
wing him once, when he carried home
heavy purchase for her, and having
got him in her we5 she proceeded to
draw him in; but, like a peryerse blue
bottle, he so kicked and struggled as to
come off unframed. Still she did not
despair, but on every possible occasion
ventilated the prosperity of the shop op-
posite, sat in the pew adjoining his at
church, at which times she became a
perambulating advertisement of her
millinery establishment He always
bowed at the church door, and one Sun
day, having a barometrical feeling that
it would rain. he brought his umbrella
and escorted her home; not knowing,
however, that she also had brought one,
and from sinister motives left it in her
pew. Yet notwithstanding she used all
her Establishments, and walked much
closer to his side than even umbrella
protection will allow, he remained
stoical as Cherokee warrior, and
doubtless would have remained so to