Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-07-22
BUYING A BUSTLE.
THE AWFUL EXPERIENCE OF A POOR CHI.
CAG0 NAN.
The Wicked Store Girls Gassd and Giggld Until
he Almost Fsintd-fhsn the Thing R1-
plOded in the Car, and Now His
Wife IS Sad.
Chicago Htbunk

Chicago HtbuR.
us there anything else?" asked Adol.
phus Mcslo9gerty as he paused, pencil and
tablet in hand, before the wife of his
bosom. She was busy making Q new gown,
and Adolphus had offered to purchase some
little trifss which abe needed to complete
the costume. He often did the shopping
for her. like u dutiful young husband, and
saved her q world of trouble, 90 she de.
clared. He had become quite an expert at
matching ribbons and other TRIMMINGS,
and his taste in colors, his wife said, was
better than her " He kept the run Of
bargain advertisements, and knew all
about remnants and ruching and buckram
and surah silk and ~buttonhole twist and
the other gewgsws which 70 to make mp
the female form divine. She had given
him a little order, and 50 when he asked
her if there was anything else she said:
N; yes, there is, too. I need q new
hustle"
"A what, my deaf?" said Adolphus,
thinking he had misunderstood her.
"a new hustle, darling. Tbs one / have
now is out of fashion. I don't like the
shape, anyway. l want one of those
Why, Adolphus, what is the natter" abe
suddenly asked. She might we'll inquire.
Adolphus, pale as q ghost, had suddenly
eat down on q chair.
"Y-ou don't want me to 20 and ask for
q hustle do your" he asksd with q sickly
grin.
''Why, yes; what is there in that?"
well, I hardly thought men ever
asked at q dry goods store for-for any such
thing as-ss that" he explained.
~ thought that" she said, "but, of
course, if you don't want to, why Tll-do
without, abe added with that accent OF
resignation which women so frequently use,
and which 80 exasperates 0 man.
"Oh, no-no-" Adolphus feebly began.
Every WE'LL" quickly said Marcells, II
want one of those in semi-circular layers,
made of wire spirals, small at the ends, and
fat in the centre. You know what / mean,
don't you, dear?"
"Ot course" said Adolpbus, his pride
somewhat touched by tbs detailed descrip.
ton of the desired article. "Tll get it, Of
course" He went away cheerfully enough,
but his heart rather misgave him when he
thought of the task Of asking for the mys-
terious and unique article of feminine
wear. He sought ont his favorite Store
and purchased the thread and the ivory
white braid and some buttons, going from
counter to counter, and putting OF the
dreaded purchase for the last.
THAT will be all, I think, he said nom
chantly and then added in an of. hand
way, ooh, by the by, I wish to buy IA
hustle"
The girl looked at him suddenly, but
Adolphus riveted his gaze on o case Of per-
fumery and bit his lips.
Next floor for the bustles," said the
girl, in a tone Of voice which Adolphus
thought unnecessarily loud. Several per-
IONS buying goods near by turned and
looked at him. He walked hurriedly
away and sought the upper floor. He saw
nothing that looked like bustles, and he
approached q floor. walker and said in the
softest of undertones:
II would like to see some bustles." The
fOor-walker wheeled about, and shouted
like o colonel addressing q regiment:
miss O'Brien, show this gentleman
some bustles?" McSloggerty could have
Drained him on the spot, for every woman
on the floor stopped buying to look at the
man who had the nerve to buy o hustle.
With his ears tingling and a burning face
poor Adolphus walked as bravely as he
could across what seemed to him a mile OF
floor space, gazsd at by hundreds Of eyes,
to where q pretty girl with mahogany red
dress and her hair done mp in a Ssppho
knot stood with a smile waiting for him.
With a look in her eyes that Adolphus
thought was perfectly develish, she said:
"What did You desire?"
"a hustle" said A~dolphus, between his
teeth.
81 beg pardon" with q deepening smile.
"a bustle," family.
"Oh, q hustle" she repeated in a clear,
distinct voice. glancing about her az she
spoke. "Well, what sort of a hustle do you
want?" and she indicated a counter piled
with strange, wiry things. Adolphus ex-
planned. Thegirl, with almost tantalizing
looks, said they didn't keep that kind, and
she looked as if she wa glad oft. By this
time tour other clerks bad ssuntered mp a.
if they had just happened along, although
Adolphus could have sworn that the chief
Of the inquisition had sigualled them to ap-
proach. They whispered to each other and
giggled q little, never taking their eyes off
his face as he paved over the wonderful
additions to the female frame, seeking for
a substitute for the design Msrcella had
described. At length he shut his eyes, put
out his hand, and selected the one he
touched.
"Gimme that quick" he said choking
ly. The girl, smiling most abominably,
had the internal machine wrapped up for
him, gave him his change. and allowed
him to hurry away, with a ripple of laugh
ter sounding ia his reddening ears. He
was on the street before he noticed that
his fearful purchase YVES wrapped In paper
almost transparent and nearly as fragile as
tissue. He saw with alarm, too, that the
hustle was 30 compressed that il occupied
only about ope-sixth of its natural space.
He thought it the safest to take the thing
straight home, so he started for the train.
At every step he could feel the steel
springs and wires pressing aSainst the
tender paper and thread-like strings
which confined them, and he has
tened his pace to avoid the accident
which he felt sure was about TO take place.
He drew Q long breath a. be gained bis
seat in the train, but his heart sank within
him when he saw that the paper had given
way at one end, and that the steel bands
were slowly resuming their natural posi-.
ton, and coming into view. He grasped
that end with both hands, but there was q
tearing sound, the whole package gave
way, and the internal apparatus straight
ened itself ont with q triumphant twaug
at being released from the unnatural press
ure. The sweat rolled down McSloggerty's
brow, and he groaned in anguish when o
roman came TO occupy the other half Of
the seat in which be sat. His contortions
had now attracted the attention of.
the whole car, and between the litter
ing of the women and thu sarcastic
comments of the small boys he felt that
re