The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-02-06
A HOOP SKIRTS STORY.
Lsheldon Borden In The Arpnnant. ]

would 60 10 the foot. we all know It's q
country whose C,tDel' are little wiser and
vast deal poorer than other people; who
practice alchemy in Ahabbness and poverty
striving to turn brains into gold, and find
ing, like the counterfciter, that the base
materia is hard to convert, and harder still
b. put on the market Noprincs or potentate
rules the realm of Bohemia, and her posses
siCns lie scattered over the busy world, I'M
marked unclaimed aud unhee led-render-
ing no tribute acknowledging no suzerainty.
Crowded into little alleys, where all the
Stairway seem 10 be back steps, AMI one
wonders whether the houses ever ha 1 any
front, we find small fragments OF her do
mmons; or perched alone on a sandy
hIllock, the gate in perpetual non-replir, aud
the doors only two feet wide-exactly the
width Of its halls-one stumbles here and
there on a dwelling which shelters her
citizens
1t is nearer the sky, however, that the
Minority Of her population is found-up.
long flights Of stairs, rickety with age or
redOlsnt with the odor Of departed dinners;
through long passages where little doors
with numbers ON them are so numerous that
one can hardly believe there are as many
rooms rs doOrs-passages where the gas Is
forever escaping, as il 1t objected 10 being
confined In such a dismal place and where
by some uncomfortable plan all the doors and
windows open where the least light can get
10 them.
These are BOhemia's palaces, and in tho
high parUrs-the highest up and the farthest
back-aFe found her vnssas working away
at their foolish alchemy, each with his Little
crucible striving to find the lacking in
grcdient pouring In youth and hops,
health, happiness, aud finally life.
"A hnrl "A pulace was SIX DaPlDr. IL
WA as spacious a, most Bohemian apart
ments, being about twelve feet square AMI
having what the Princess, who owne! our
palace, called a southern exposure CHI
sistlng Of one window and pair Of faded
green blind. The view from this aperture
was what the Princess termed "extendel,"
and inasmuch as it was somewhat higher
than the surrounding dwellings it meriJed
the distinction 1t commanded countless
succession of back yards and chimney tops,
and person Of idle mind could have found
much food for speculation in endeavoring 10
determine TO what house each backyard be-
longed, and from what fireplace each Chin
ney conducted the smoke, jumbed and
confused were they.
All the buildings in its vicinity were
wooden-at least in the rear--and the boards
had assumed that gray, weather-beaten color
80 pleasing 10 the eye and conducive TO
cheerfulness while here and there n strag-
Cling, leafiesS tree seemed TO be doing its best
20 provoke discussion. A pessimist would
have said twas dead; an optimist that IL had
shed its leaves for the winter
From fence 10 fence there was a cobweb Of |
clothes-lines, and on that uncalendared day |
known among housewives az "wash-day," |
snndry ENTHUSIASTICALLY sundry-of va |
rious shapes and Dimensions, added then |
ola 60 l. 4 n 4.
limpness, swayed and tossed, accog II |
10 whether the day was foggy or windy.
Above these, another cobweb OF telsphDn. |
wires seemed 10 hold eternal wash-day, tor
they were decorated with stray kites, papers,
rags. and articles Of cast-off apparel, t4s
mystery Of the latter being how they ever
got there, and how, with the perversity OF
things inanimate. they stayed there without
any fastening or security whatever during
the gusts Of wind, which, despite all precau.
tions Of pins and spirals, sometimes hurled to
the earth their neighbors Of the clothes-lnes
below.
Close TO the solitary window Of our parlor
SO close that one could almost reach ID with
his hand--this network of wires upheld its
accumulation OF antique property, and
directly in front Of the faded green blinds an
old diapdatei hoop skirt hung dejectedly,
1
and broken ribs. It's cloth cover.
Ing had nearly all succumbed TO time,
and the rusty wire, psered forth
with q skeleton-like effect, as IL TO illustrate
how vain and frivolous a thing Is hoop-skirt
existence. Gloomily and despondently it
hung, never joining in the breezy, joyous
hnppings OF its neighbors, the kites and
newsI apers, nor rejoicing with them at the
imprecatons which followed the downfall of
their humble imitators on the clothes-lines
Plainly its existence had BEEN enbittered
by some misfortune, or, as is frequently the
case, prosperity In early life had untitled it
for adversely IN later years
SO thought the Bohemian who occupied
our sky parlor, as he sat mt the window In |
dresslng-gown and slipper5-both the worse
for service and his eye wondered over the
Wow which the Princess called extended"
then came back to his own surroundings,
and absently contemplated each article OF
furniture as II he expected some help there.
He was In search of an idea, an inspiration
ono of tho main ingredients in the caldron
of these alchemsts-but none appeared to DO
concealed about his apartment, or else he
had exhausted them all
II Is true that his carpet might have sup-
gested poverty-stricken young gentleman
at tho very lowest ebb of fortune, in love
with an equally destitute young lady, repre-
Fented by the -bedstead, which also
illustrated the ups and downs of fortune,
being possessed of just enough remaining
springs to render their entire absence desir-
able
The Wallpaper might have furnished in
spiration for a tangled, matted forest, in
which yillain-personiaed by a dingy,
unplintoi washtub-held his orgies, and
remarked "lap after the manner of villains
ever since tho world began
In fact, with the exception that nothing in
the room could possibly suggest the rich and
obdurats old father, or the equally wealthy
and more persistent rival lover, il seems 10
me that the Bohemian might have spun n
very comfortable orthodox romancs out of
the material at hand.
Either he did not perceive these advan-
tages, or he had his fears as to the reception
an orthodox romance might meet at the
hands OF the stony. hearted miser who melted
up the ingots, for his eye again sought the
prospect, and again fell ON the superanuated
hoop-sllirt
"Ah" he said, half aloud. IF / could
only get the history Of that bundle of old
wire, 1 could 60 down TO the Office OF
Clippem 81 Squeezer with light heart and
a large ingot-enough, perhaps, 10 make the
Princess a present that will keep mo here
Mt the palace q few weeks morer
III that Ii the case, young man." said
thin, wiry voice, which seemed TO CONS d.
rectly from the hoop-skirt '.if that is the
case am willing 10 be interviewed I re-
member being In company with a lady who |
was interviewed by one Of You gentlemen, Z
and when II came out In the papers there
wasn't word there she had said. l should
prefer your giving my history as / tell IL,
and not as your exuberant fancy may
paint IL"
As soon as he could recover his breath, this |
stammered his assurance Of abso- !
ute accuracy, and the voice went on: ,
. Passing briefly over the period of my
arly lfe embrac ed In my manufacture and ,
ale, will only say that at that time was ,
elegant, stylish and fashionable. :
had many admirers, not only among the !
aides, but including many gallant young
gentlemen, who followed me around with !.
persistent devotion These are but empty :
boasts, and not compatible with my present
isgrareful situation. Plunging at once into :
NY story, 1t was about six weeks after my
'lothmg was completed look at me 50
loosely, IL makes me uncomfortable 10 be !.
cen half dressed-that I was first introduced :
nto polite society, at q great ball In this )
ity i was worn by most charm !,
az young lady at least ! have
card my admirers tell her so hum |.
reds OF times-who selected me for the !
icasion and ordered me charged to Miss !