Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1889-05-23
PETE'S ESCAPE.

The father of Miss Laura Sniverly'
kept watchful eye on the male asso.'
ciates Of that young lady,. One day he
said to her.
Laura, who was that young'man'who
called on you this afternoon 2
What young man, az
Did so many men call on you this
afternoon that you do not know Who'll
mean ? You know we'll enough who L
mean. l don't mean the one who call
ed day before yesterday, but this after
noon.'
His name is Peter Randle, pa
i want to- know where you made his
scquaintance?'
I made his acquaintance at the ball
the other night. and he asked me to-
let him CALI at the house. He belongs
to a very respectable family. One of
his uncles is an alderman right here in
New York.
THAT may be, but Laura ; be looks
to me as if he might be addicted to-
meat. He looks like one of those de-
PRAYED wretches who eat beef
We may as we'll explain right here
that the Sniverly family were cranky
on the subject of vegetables. They are.
vegetarians OF the strictest sort. They
never tasted meat in any form or shape.
They were of the opinion that living
on vegetable products would make
healthy, wealthy, wise goodlooking,
etc.
They gorged themselves three con-
secutive times day with such tooth.
some viands as boiled cabbage. beans,
milk, pumpkins pies, etc. 1t would
not have required much persuasion to
have induced them to browse on grass
a la Nebuchadne zzttr.
They regarded all persons who ate
meat as being incipent criminals: even
the man who only took soup was, in
their eyes, unworthy of confidence, and
fit only for strategems and spoils.
1t is strange that these should be
such cranks, but somehow or other the
world is full of them. There are lots
Of eccentric people in New York. There
is said to be all alderman who is per.
fectly honest. This will, i'm measure
explain what Mr.. Sniverly meant when
be recoiled with a look of horror and
nausea and expressed II victim Of the
meat habit.
Ill ask him if he is that kind Of e
social outcast, and If he is Ill tell him
that I can never be more than sister
to him. even if it breaks my he-he-he-
heart, said Laura, and the poor girl
pressed her hand on the left side of her
collection of ribs and heaved a sigh
that sounned like the wlntry gale blow
ing into IN empty bottle.
That's right, Laura. I'm proud o.
you. Stick to your principles, and
your beans and your mush and milk.
Never trust your happiness in the keep
ing of man who devotrrs meat like
the wild animal that he is. He might
compel you to have soup for dinner
Pete was desperately in love with
Laura, and so was she with him.
Pete called again the next day. He
was a tall, handsome looking fellow.
with a red face. suggestive of beefsteal
and mutton chops. 1t was difficult to
believe that his beefy appearance was
caused by batter cakes and mush and
milk.
Laura, be mine he said, getting
down on his knees and paving around
on the carpet.
'Pete--I mean Mr.. Randle-I have
loved you with as passionate fervor
from the nrnute l first perceived you,
but
But what? Speak, dearest, and let
me know what is the obstacle.
4 have registered a vow never to
give mY hand to any man who is not a
strict vegetarian
Great heavens Does she take me
for rabbit thought Pete to himself
but he looked up into her lovely eyes
and said. I am one. too
%, Pete, what happiness. This is
too much =
Yes, l began early in life; drank
nothing but milk when l was little
child
And you don't touch meat? p
Not with ten foot pole
He spoke the words Of truthfalness
for he did not touch meat with ten
foot pole. He used knife and fork
They embraced on the Europea.
plan.