New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-02

To WAS NWltC TTNP, tlOWIN IlHU HVNVI HVVTVV
before that the sleeves were so short. am no.
quick at observation. but it struck me as ra'"cr
strange that my wife had not remarked ~
However arranged TO see Hopkins IN ,,c e, c'n mn,
ing for n chat old times, aud went on "a, 20 ny
aunts Il know my wfc's aunt is n9t rHa ny my
aunt nut then what relation is she 1 can III, my
aunt She wasn't in very good hum0r Whcn
called | don't think elderly maiden ladies are
very keen about cclcbrating their birthdays. they
only keep them once III Tour Years r a"o n.y. amt
perhaps this wasn't the right year FIRST my aun,
seeded me for being late, then for Walking IaSo
and making myself hot Then she became amiablc
again, and said she was glad We Merr o"a'e
here she should he so glad TO sec her niece,
And your nicccs husband, too, aunt, nope
| said with an attempt at beng peasant ,,
Don't be ridiculous SIT, she repicu' ne""
your little girl of coursc 49,. - a.l.ou
> This cool way OF skipping 4 generation was iather
too much for me, but ! said nothing az.
Nv aunt looked at me for n moment Mr;
Rim | don't like your extravaganza. married
man ought not TO wear expensive flowers IN ms
coat these must have cost you haIi--cro"n '' 'ne
'''''i Expensive flowers, aunt?7 gasped. "Tvc
Then where did you get those Mr. Bihin ~
INQUIRED my aunt stcrnly.
looked. and sure enough there was button
hole Of very choice flowers in my coat dldn
in the least know how they got there. oo,,.o,s.
Aunt" / said, didn't buy those flowcrs.
Don't tell me- she replied. Who would give
YOU flowers. | wOndcr?' -,
| night have found some telling reply 10 'hlS
very uncomplimcntary question; but l was SO
astonishcd by the presence of the flowers that
could think of nothing TO say: gazed vacahlIy
al the top button Of my coat, holding IT out IN my
hand 10 see it better There was painful silence.
At last to make diversion. took out my vile
present and handed it to my aunt.
4 little trife aunt" | said bertha hopes
you will like it. | took out my handkerchief ms
said this TO wipe away the pcrsplrauon which my
excitement had caused Piece OF p Or c p'p nT
aunt was sitting. | didn't like TO go over ana
get it, but sat still, hopping my face; 49,, o,.
hone YOU like l}crtbas cholcc, sald altcr
i ard IN
propriatc' .oox
And is this your idea of what is exactly APP
rropriate ?" She repeated in tones of deep irony
For moment il flashed upon me that had
brought the compound colccynth pills alter az
Is this your idea of appropriate? shc re-
poatcd as She held up weddlng-rlng: ,,,
Mr.. Bilin' she SAID solcmniy ai,"r H ni,e
time Won are not such fool as to want TO give
me a wcdding-ring There is some secret mere anu
And nv aunt slowly stopped down and picked
saw wv Won cycng it, she said. 1t telc;
gram She took it out of the enyclopc, ana read
ii, then looked at me and SAID on i,ii fnou bor
hand and read VIII come by p m. tram; meet
me AZ station Mile baiscrs Clara. m
d" | know French said my aunt mar means
"a thousand kisses YOU villain, And addressed to
C. Lambert PoSte Rcstante,' of course You
villain and weddins-ring, too! loq are gong iii
to run away from your dear wlfe but Will
defend nv little niece and her mother, too
Nv amt drew herself up to her full height and
looked capable of defending ANYBODY or any tnn n
| r1spcd out that | was innocent that knew
G9rtrd NJ me and seized a small loclzet hanging on
my Watcli-chaln.
"'" That's no, the .oclct gave you on your we'd
dino'dav She screamed. Open it,"
I did So and inside there was little braid OF
hair and the portrait Of lady. My aunt was
~ suppose you will tell me that that's your
wifcs portrait, and that her hair IS dark. she
I sat in perfect bcwildcrment. What had taken
olocc2 Had | promised TO clone with somebody
without knowing il Then all OF sudden the
Truth flashed pPon me- me- so Tn dcvcS the Cwcrs
everything | had gone into the wrong Dathhg-
machine. and dressed in some one clSeS clothes.
II WAS a Blue serge suit. but not mine. 1t was
long time before l could persuade NY aunt Of the
truth Of this. but at last she gave IN that was
r." Mr. Binin." She said. called you villain
was wrong You are q fool. 4 man who doesn't
know his own clothes isn't fit to he married man.
Why. what mistake will YOU make next. Go away,
and don't forget 10 bring me Bertha present WHICH
you've managed to find your own coat
CHAPTER H.
felt CRY unhappy as left my annt's The
boots pinchcd worse than ever, and | wondered
how | could ever have thought they were mlnc.
Tho sleeves seemed shorter too, than before my
arms now seemed 10 stick ont IN most ridiculous
way | saw now that Hopkins was rght. /
went straight back TO the bathing place III the
hope Of finding ont Somctnln@ ABOUT lll' MN "hoSc
clothes | was wearing. | was sure that the man
| had seen swimming out to sea was the man l
wanted But the machines were all drawn up on
the beach, and the men had gone away. loGnu
ont Tho address Of ono Of them, and went round 10
his lodgings He wasn't at home. bnt after track
ing him about for some time found hlIA IN low
pubhc-hoQSe. lie was horn,and-orcd c9ckney,
who had come down to Eastclin TO do ODD JOBS
during the season. He was surroundcd by a lot
Of rowdy looking fellows. and was telling them
about the very affair Of the change of clothes.
-,
Of the dowricst tricks | ever heard OF. and I've
come across good deal in my time
So you ave Bill ear, ear they chorused
lie was got up JUS; like i'm yer know; just
the same kind of toys. watch-chalE, and every
think ,,. ,.,,;ua ,,-osr,t
worth much" observed one Of the listeners.
Wot do YOU think ?" replied the coc!incy con.
tcmntuou>lv In course il wasn't no fear OF
that But Lord. vou should have heard the other
a-cussin' and a-swcarin' seems as how he'd some
thinl: valuable in his pockets If he comes across
thar downy card he'll make it 'ot fer i'm But
Lord bless you, he's safe again IN Nhl'echapcl'
g is
| thought ! had better come forward here; and
| looked rs fierce as could. and Stcrnly asked hIm
if he knew whore the man WAS who had taken my
clothes Instead Of answering he burst INTO
roar Of laughter in which all his friends lolncd.
Took your clothes he gaspcd; come. now,
that's good un. that Isl
believe 10 this day he thinks that there was
ever that he knew nothing OF the whereabouts OF
the owner Of the clothes. and ] left the horrld
place ] didn't at all know what to do, unless
walked about or the parade and looked ont for all
tho hlnc serge suits ! could find That j. Just
what | did With half hours interval for re-
frcshmcntS I did nothing hut that till o'clock IN
the afternoon There was no end Of blue serge
suits Every third person seemed 70 be wearing
one. But some Of the wcarcrs were too tail. q
few were too short some were too fat. and so on:
AZ last ] saw man whose clothes was sure
could wear if ] tried He walking very fast
down the parade, and with my tight boots Ii wasn't
pleasant 20 try 10 follow him When came up
with him he was sitting on bench. noticed
hat he was looking about him a good deal. as II
he was expecting something | sat down beside
him Int couldn't think how TO breach the sub
icct II certainly would not do 10 say. sir arc
those your own clothes You are wcaring?' /
thought cf. | see. sir, that you. like me: are
wearing n suit of blue serge But that didn't
sonnd very well and | hcsitatcd all tho more
because he looked very pcppcry, cXctabc sort
of individual ! could tell that hy the fcrocious