The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-02-13

Ticker " Co. / told him you woul{
see him at Mrs. De Morris Browns OF
Tuesday night, and could speak tol
"Unluckily, Uncle, I haven't beer
invited to Mrs. De Morris Brown's.n
You haven'tp Well, I'll get yo,
a card. Mrs. Brown will let me hay,
one"
On Tuesday I finished my analysis
but l had to work till pretty late. ]
hurried to my room and commenced
to dress. / looked at my reflection il
the glass and started. I had forgotten
to wash my hands in acid before leav.
ing the laboratory and they were col
orcd like a rainbow. I was rathe,
frightened, but 1 hadn't time to &c
back to the laboratory, and as to STAY.
ing away from Mrs. De Morris Browns
when Flora and Old Share were to be
there--impossible. I looked at my
hands. The stains were pretty bad
(my forcfinger looked like a well-used,
unscraped palette), but they did moi
extend above my wrist. My gloves
would hide them. l looked at the
clock. / was late already, so l hurried
on the rest OF things and started to
pull on my gloves. As 1 jerked them
on l heard a suspicious crack. / ex.
amined the tear, but battered myself il
wouldn't show, and hurried into the
cab, and was soon in the gentleman's
cloak-room at Mrs. Browns.
found Uncle Mark waiting for me.
"Ah, Mark, he growled, "Ithought
you were never coming. Fifteen min.
ntes late You'll never get on with
Nh. Share unless you're punctual.
Punctuality and neatness are his two
great hobbies, and if you run against
either you can make up your mind to
stay on his black-bood forever. Come
down and I'll present you to Mrs.
Brown"
After the presentation, Uncle Mark
looked around the room.
Il don't see Share" he said, "but
there is Miss McGregor, and you can
talk to her until l find him.'
l went owe to Flora. She was talk
ing to Lieutenant Evans, a confounded
idiot who vas always hanging about
her, and hadn't sense enough to see
that she disliked him.
swell Miss Flora, l obtained the
card, Us you see. Good evening, Lieu
tenant; have you seen General Sher-
mani"
mo. Is he here tonight P" said
Evans, starting up.
II think / saw him in the ballroom
said /, and when Evans went in that
direction ! said: Now, Miss Flora.
let us gain the conservatory before he
comes back and Hurried her toward
the door through which the dark green
palms beckoned SO enticingly. / went
too fast, however, for l struck my foot
against q vine or something and 1
went down on the walk. I put out
my hand to break my fall, and did,
somewhat, but that COMPOUNDED rip in
my glove extended now down the side
of my right hand to my thumb.
Flora stood there laughing vigor-
ously.
II can't help it," she apologized.
stJust when you were gloating over
your wicked deception Of Lieutenant
Evans, to have %retribution overtake
you SO well. 1t is so ridiculous that ]
have to laugh"
l arose, q little sulky, and rather
flurried by the accident to my glove,
and tried to join in the laugh, but /
didn't succeed very well. That was
Flora's great fault. She laughed al
together too easily. However. I
changed the subject, and we walked
along, talking about the black and
white exhibition and the various pict-
ures, meritorious and otherwise. ]
kept my right hand, with the injured
glove, in my pocket.
miss McGregor-Flora," l said
suddenly, 81 promised to thank you
for calling me Mark When you
called me Mark it was all l could do
to keep from throwing myself at your
feet and telling you how much I loved
you. Dear Helcn,'" and I took her
soft little hand in my two big ones,
'.you know l love you heartily, with
all my soul, since / first saw you.
Whenever / have looked into your
sweet, glowing eyes, l have tried to
my love could call forth a little in re-
turn. My darling little love, let nue.
see them now and perhaps"
She had cast her eyes down demurely
when I began. and her face was
wreathed in bushes, but now she in.
terrupted me with a hearty peal OF
laughter, and her eyes were riveted on
her hand so secure in mine. I fol.
lowed her glance. Oh, horrors! That
COMPOUNDED glove! The empty kid
foreinger dangled down, and my dis
colored rainbow-hued finger protruded
prominently with the spotless glove as
its background. I stood there glaring
with rage, when the voice of Lieuten-
ant Evans broke in on us.
five found you at last, Miss Flora.
This is our waltz. What is the iokeG
Cawn't you let me enjoy it, too? Mr..
Hepworth is an awful wag, l know"
How / got away / don't know, but
as / was trying to elbow my way to
the cloak-roon, an elderly gentleman
planted himself in front Of me and
said:
This is Mr.. Hepworth, isn't itP
Your uncle recommended you to me
and asked me to speak to you about a
place in your office. I am Mr.. Ber-
nard SHARE and he held out his hand
to me gravely.
Reluctantly I drew that hideous
hand from behind me and shook hands
with him. This was the man who in
sisted on neatness! He started at the
sight of the spotted finger, of course,
and | tried to explain the matter non
%chalantly by saying:
Don't you thlnk I have the small
pox, or have been putting my finger
in a paint pot. The fact is, l left the
laboratory late this afternoon, too late
to remove some chemicals which
spilled IN my hand, and a split in my
glove has disclosed what I tlattored
my self / could keep hidden
Eyes, you young scoundrel, you
have been hiding it a long while,'
said a voice behind me. Uncle Mark,