Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-12-03

prONcrDlaHy lInpulSlNc, unSeliiSH ScA oNo
their place in the social armament We arc
never inclined to be captious; we laugh at as
II folly what our wives and daughters CON
denim as fault; our "wthors arc unwrung,"
yet we still confess TO the destinations of
pretty face We know, bless us from dear
experience, the exact value of one womans
opinion of another; we want our brilliant
little friend to shine; it is only the moths who
will burn their twopenny immature wings
in the flannel And why should they not3
Nature has been pleased to supEly more
moths than candles. Go to! Give the pretty
creaturc-bo she maid, wife or widow-a
show And so, my dear sir, while mater
familas bends her black brows in disgust, we
smile our superior little smile, and extend to
Mistress Anonyma our gracious Endorsement.
And if giddness is grateful, or if folly is
fricndly-woll, of course. we can't help that.
Indeed, it rather proves our theory.
| had intended TO say something about Hop
kinson; but really there is very little to say.
He was invariably good humorcd. a few
ladies once tried TO show him that he really
ought to feel worse than he did about the
conduct of his wife; and it is recorded that
Hopkinson, in an excess of good humor and
kindness. promised to do So Indeed the
good fellow was so accessible that it is said
young Delaney, of the tapc department, con-
fded TO Hopllinson his Jealousy of a rival
and revealed the awful secret that he de
Lancy) had reason to expect more loyalty
from his GIopliinsons) wife Tho good fell
low is reported to have been very SYM
pathetic, and to have promised Delaney to
lend whatever influence he had with Mrs
Hopkinson in his favor "Nou see. he said
explanatory to Delaney, "shc has a good
deal to attend to lately. and, I suppose, has
got rather carcless-thats womcn's way But
if | can't bring her round I'll speak to Cash
wiler-ll get him to use his influence with
Mrs Hop. 50 cheer up, my boy; he'll make
it all right"
The appearance of n bouquet on the table
of Mr.. liop:inson was no rare event; never
thelcss. Mr.. Cashwicr's was not there. Its
hideous contrasts had offended her womans
eye-it is observable that good taste survives
the wreck of all the other feminine virtues
and She had distributed it to make bouton-
nieres for other gentlemen. Vet, when he
appeared, she said to him hastily putting her
little hand over the cardiac region:
I'm so glad you came. But You gave me
such a fright an hour ago
Mr.. Ga>hwiler ,,Gs both pleased and as
founded. "What have | done, my dear Mrs.
Hopkinson" he began
"Oh, don't talk She said, sadly. What
have you done, indeed! Why, you sent me
that beautiful bouquet | could not mistake
your taste in the arrangement of the flowers:
but my husband was here You know his
jealousy, | was obliged to conceal it from
him. Nerer-pronise me now-nece, do it
again"
Mr. Gashwier galantly protested.
"No | am serious! | was 50 agitatcd: he
must have seen me blush.
Nothing but the gross tiattery of this speech
could have clouded its manifest ab,ulqlity to
the Gashwilcr consciousness. But Mr. Cash
wiler had already succumbcd to the girlish
half timidity with which it was uttered.
Nevertheless. he could not help saying:
But why should he be SO iealou, nowl
Only day before yesterday saw Simpson, Of
Duluth, hand you a noscSay right before
him.
"Ah,' returned the lady, "hc was outwarllv
calm then, but sou know nothing of tho
scene that occurred between us after YOU
left"
"But," aasrod the practical Gashwiler,
"Simpson bad given your husband that con-
tract-a cool fifty thousand in his pocket"
Mrs. Hophnson looked as dignihadly at
Gashwilor us was consistent with five feet
three the extra three inches being pyramidal
structure of straw-colorod hair a frond of
faint curls, pair of laughing blue eyes and
small beltcd waist TAcn She said with
casting down of her lids:
You forget that my husband loves me-"
and for once the mink appeared to look peni-
tent. 1t was becoming; but as it had been
originally practicod in simple white dress,
relieved only with pale-bue ribbons, it was
not entirely in keeping with bchomced laven-
der and rose-colored trimmings Yet the
woman who hcsitates between her moral cx-
preston and the harmony of her dress is lost.
And Mrs. Hopkinson was victrix by her very
audacity.
Mr.. Gashwiler was fattcred. The most dis
solute man likes the appearance of virtue.
But graccs and accomplishments like
yours, dear Mrs. Hopkinson," he said
oleaginously, "belong to the whole coun-
try" Which, with something between
a courtesy and strut, he endeavored to rep
resent And shall want to avail myself
of all, he added, lin the matter of the Castro
claim. A little supper at Welcker's a glass
or two of champagne, and single flash of
those bright eyes, and the thing is DONE
But" said Mrs Hopknson, Il have prom
ised Josiah that | would give up all those
frivolities, and, although my conscience is
clear, you know how people talk! Josiah
hears it. Why, only last night, at a recep-
ton at the PataSonian minister's, every
woman i'll the room gossipcd about me be-
cause l led the german with him As if a
married woman, whose husband was in
terested in the government could not be civil
to the representative of friendly poweri"
Mr.. GaShwiler did not see how Mr. Hon