, 1884-01-23

4. Ss-No discount 10 the trade.
p. p. S.-Call again.
Beneath this circular upon some fine cotton
rested an oyester shell, polished, cleaned and
painted as the one he had hung in his office
on the last day that Belle had been there.
The hot blood rushed to his face, and the first
impulse was to throw the boxes to the floor
aud leave the hall; yet a moments considera-
ton convinced him that he could take
advantage of this opportunity TO speak to
Belle.
He attached the she'll to his b~uttonhole like
"a bouquet Of decoration, and returned to the
pagoda.
Miss Remesa. Is it allowable to wear a
snooper in this mannerF'
She betrayed not the slightest emotion as
she took a tiny golden shell from her bosom,
upon which the letters r. and B. were en-
twined. and deftly fastening it TO his scarf,
said, "No, Regy."
Some say that he grasped her hand and
pressed 1t to his lips before he would release
it, but that cannot be proven.
An hour later they entered the sitting-roo
Of the Remesa mansion. Bellies parents
started as IL frightened when they saw them.
After some moments conversation Mr..
Remesa said: "Now, Reginald, will you
kindly tell us the cause of your incompre-
hensible separation from Bellei'
AHt abNNCA Vtf u IL al All
Of a s~choolboy confessing a peccadillo: "A
snooper."
Mrs. Remesa turned to Belle and said:
perhaps you will explain what divorced you
for a whole year previous to your marriagel"
Belle blushed, looked at the doctor, at her
parents, and as she cast a glance at the floor
seemed to find the answer there, for she
quickly said: "A snooper." and seemed glad
that she had given expression to her pent up
thoughts.
@tA snooperr Why, what under heaven is
a snooperf both asked. Before they could
answer, in rushed Bellies younger brother,
pal Bellies made a fortune for the hospital
selling oyster shells and calling them" He
saw the doctor. why, hello, Reg. what In
the world brought you backf"
The doctor smiled now as he said: "A
anooperI"
The young brother-in-lsw grasped his hand
and yelled: "Hurrah for the snooperr"
Mr.. Remesa arose, and with the dignity Of
a w~ell-reputed wealthy merchant, said:
Have you all gone madi Charles, will
you have the kindness to inform me imme-
diately what a snooper isI'
Imagine the CONSERVATION Charles answer
produced;
According to direction "a snooper Is an
apparatus designed to make fools ask ques-
TONS"
The old gentleman glared at his son, then
at the rest OF the family. Silently he left the
room. He went to the club, and at the very
entrance met another Of 1.-THE old boys"
"Howdy, Remesa- Look at the shell. You're
a connoisseur In b~ivalves. What do you think
OF thisi'
The old gentleman saw the fatal word
'snooper" painted upon an oyster shell, and
"a about 70 cav onpnatbfpor aver 90 bfa L.,
terrogator when DR.. Codine approached with
a polite salutation.
doctor, l am glad to see you," said Mr..
Rsmesa, "Rnd I should like to talk to you for
a few moments" Vision of a consultation
with the rich Mr.. Remesa crossed the doctors
mind as they went to the smoking room.
These visions were, however, rapidly dis
PEELED, and the old gentleman and the young
doctor, after an hour's conversation, parted,
both apparently in high glee.
1t was near midnight when DR.. Bander 70
turned to his office, and there found Codine,
who greeted him with:
"Bander, do you know what you areF'
"A very ordinary mortal in your eyes, 1
presume"
"No, you are a snooper," and for some
reason they embraced, not like Spaniards,
but really Rugged encii Other. Codins found
his breath first and said:
"Bander, when is 1t to beP'
christmas. And you will be my best man.
Belle told me to ask you"
And Christmas it was. 1t seems that
somehow the cause of the separation had be-
come public, for the majority OF the pres.
ents were elegant, and limitations in gold and
silver of the snooper.
Reader, make a snooper and hand it to
your sister-in-law. When she asks the ques.
ton, answer according to directions, and
then 1t would be well to remember that you
have an Urgent appointment some miles off
But, after all, is there such Il word as
"snooperl'
Convince yourself by looking on page 1861
of Webster's unabridged dictionary, and il
you don't find it, I'm sorry for you and for
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