Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-06-27
SNIGBY'S BAL POUDRE.
CHAPTER I.

v ANA
 bald Bockaby sat pensively break
 fasting in the cosey little oak-pan. N elled room of their rather pretentioua
 metropolitan residence. MT. r.Bockaby glanced from timo to time at his newspaper, and held his buttercd toast in meek abeyance. while he scanned some prom. isingly headed article; the lady of his choice eyed him askance and seemed waiting for an opportunity to talk.
 MT. Bockaby waded carefully through an extensive efrusion entitled "The Financial World," crunched his toast savagely as he came to the end of it, rose from the table, threw the newspaper as far away as his mus cularity permitted, and faced Mrs. J. Archie bald Bockaby, who, by the way, was not in the least disturbed. She was one of those pretty, bland little women, whose faces look as though they could never express anything but chiselled good humor and polite insin- cerity.
 "Malvina," said MT. Bockaby, with paroxys- nal energy, I've have got to retrench. We have, I assure you. Things arc looking very bad with me. By at least three of my specu- lations shall be heavy loser-and-well, Malvina, we must retrench.'
 Still Mrs. Bockaby's equaninity was undis- turbed. She had heard the same story regu- larly each week for the past year. It was 0 sort of serial, to be continued in MT. Bockaby's next exhibition of bad temper. But she fiat- tered herself that she was 8 good little wife, and always seemed to give 1n to her lord, even if in reality she invariably did exactly as she chose. She followed the course pre- scribed by those clever women who please themselves, by appearing to please other peo- pie.
 II will help you Archibald" she said sweetly. We will retrench, dear" But," i" oh> ,< $o begin until after next Wednesday, because because, dear, Mrs. DeSnigsby's bal poudre takes place that night, and-and-I must have new dress. Now-now-hear me, Archibald" tThe oashier.of the matrimonial partnership showed symptoms ofimpatience.)
 ''1t will not he a very expensive one-a mat ter of, say, $150-but know you do not want your wife to compare unfavorably with the other guests. ask this for your sake, dear. a great deal more than for my own."
 Mrs. Bockaby became almost seraphic aa she turned two blue ever-astonished eyes upon her husband. Hitherto that look had always accustomed to 1t that 1t was losing its effect. At any rate, he was quite unconquered just now by either Mrs. Bockaby's eyes or tongue.
 ''You are disgracefully extravagant, Male vina," he said, with unusual asperity, "and you ought to begin the work of reform to-day, and not wait until after next Wednesday. You had a $500 evening dress in London last year. You have never worn it in New York. No one could recognize it. I've got no money to waste on bals poudres, or any other non- sense of that kind.
 Mrs. Bockaby was disagreeabiy surprised, butnot in the least angry. She was too gentle and well bred ever to indulge in anger, which usually finds vent in rudely unpleasant words.
 'This bal poudre," she says, 'is excep' tional. Besides powdering our hair, we al wear dear little black satin lace trimmed dominos until midnight, and am 50 an1ioua to look we'll when remove mine. Archibald dear, do not be so mean. It Is unlike you My London dress Is too soiled to wear, too rumpled."
 Nonsense" interrupted J. Archibald Rock aby testify. ''Black satin and gold do no soil. The dress is 0 very handsome, ,one-ths finest ever saw. I do not often notice you costumes," scornfully, "but that one I alwayl remember, because it was so uncommon and pretty" .e "I cannot wear 1t, murmured Mrs. Book, aby softly. Those who knew the lady would have recognized that statement as irreyoca l ble.c MT. Bockaby did not, however. He la bored under the delusion that he was maste | of his house-a most egregrious crror. l Archibald" pursued the fair Malvina presently, "you talk of my black and golt dress. assure you Letitia Ruggsmith vii have something far moro elegant" "Is Mrs. Rnggsmith going?" asked MI Bockaby gently. He had once-long ago wasted great deal of boyish affection upol | the unloving Letitia, and the remembrance he was glad to say, was pleasant, simply be | cause it amused him. Letitia had married supposedly wealthy man, and was now an al | most penniless widow, and an adept in the ar of how to keep up appearances on nothing I year. Mrs. Bockaby hated Letitia in her ow7 negative way. She disliked to hear the purr ing tone which her husband always used i nlluding to the lady.
 "Yes, she is going," said Malvina, malicious ly, "and I've no doubt she will appear something particularly startling"
 [" It will, indeed" assented MT. Bockab rather too rapidly. 1 And you refuse me the means of lookin nice, Archibald. Well, dear, you know bes
 shall go to Mrs. De Snigby's bal poudre,
 will tell you that much. I will also let yo know that do not intend to be disgraced.
 presume you will not be there7" rather an,
 iously.
 Probably not. have a club meeting whic must attend"
 "I would not like you to neglect your dutit
 for my sake," chirruped Mrs. Bookaby, as st l loft the room.
 She went directly to her bedroom, and si
 ting down on the easiest chair she could i'm
 devoted herself to meditation. For ten mil
 utes she remained in deep thought. She W,
 evidently at work upon some very obstru,
 problem. Presently she rang tho bell aI
 ordered the maid to bring her daily pape
 She ran diligently through it's advertisir
 columns until she apparently found what sl
 wanted. She read it carefully at least half
 dozen times. Then, unlocking the heavy e wardrobe which stood at one end of the rool she took from it 2 black and gold drnss, q
 laid it rather impotiently upon the bed.
 Mir. Bockaby had certainly been corre i whom hs had characterized 1t as un0omnaG
 Inn nnIlIMIMn