The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-06-23


lie called Johnny to him, took his hand
in patronizing way, and in the pres
encc Of the proud and smiling mother
and father began his foretold catechism-
But Johnny was one Of those smart
youths who like TO get ahead OF people
by anticipating their remarks, and SC
when the bishop asked him what his
name was, the young terror struck an
attitude, squintcd his left eye, pointed
his finger derisively at the good bishop
and replied;
Johnny Nine years old God.
Y-a-a-al"
Even the ladies tell stories, and right
good yarns some Of them are. Mrs. Tan
ncr, wife OF the pension commissioner
has a story Of the experiences Of frieno
Of hers which never fails to excite wild
and undigniiicd laughter. The friend
was a Brooklyn lady. and her amusing
experience occurred at Cooperstown, n.
Y, in the summer resort hotel there,
made somewhat famous by the Garter
divorce trial in Chicago. The Brooklyn
lady was the envy Of all the other fcmi.
nine guests Of the house. for tho reason
that her complexion was always cieai
and bright. No matter how often she
went boating in the hot sun, or playec
lawn tennis at high noon, she was SURF
TO appear at dinner with "A complexion
white and clear as a rose in early morn.
ing. The other ladies, who tanned anc
burned and blistered, despite all theiI
precautions, could not understand the
secret Of the Brooklyn womans immu
nifty. No cosmetics were ever seen on
her face, and sho exposed herself to the
sun in a most reckless way. For two OF
three weeks the mystery remained un
solved. and probably would have con
tinued to this day but for the interposi
ton of peculiar and amusing accident
One afternoon the Brooklyn lady left
the veranda Of the hotel, saying to hei
friends that she was going to he down
in her room and take her daily beauty
nap" Five minutes later, with her door
carefully locked, she was sitting in hei
rocking chair with a complexion mask
on her face This. then, was the secret
Of the clear skin and defiance Of SUI
and wind The "beauty nap ruse hao
been played with great success, and as
vet no one had suspected the true state
Of affairs On this occasion, however
a bell boy raped at the lady's door Will
a package in his hand. Hitherto all such
knocks had gone unheeded, but for once
the belle from Brooklyn forgot herself
and went TO the door with the hideou;
complexion mask on her face. As soo1
as the bell boy had set eyes upon the un
canny apparition ne took to his heels
and ran down the hall screaming at the
top of his lungs.
He had had no experience with com
plcxion masks, and naturally supposed lac
had seen a ghost Not thinking that the
boys strange conduct was caused by he,
own appearance the lady stepped out
into the hall to see what the matter was.
Sine thought the hotel must be on fire
and so did the other guests of the house,
for, alarmed by the boys cries, they
came rushing into the hall by scores
In twinkling the corridor was filled
with men. women and children, all ex-
cited, shouting inquiries at one another,
and running up and down to ascertain
where the fire was or what the trouble
might be. In the midst Of them was the
lady with the fine complexion, entirely
unmindful of herself and thinking only
Of the danger which threatened the hO-
tel and its guests.
As one after another Of the people dis.
covered the secret Of the uproar the fair
disturbcr was surrounded 10y curious
and mirthful crowd, and among the very
last to understand the situation was the
wearcr Of the hidcous mask. CHANGING
TO put her hand to her face, the horrible
reality was instantly revealed TO her
With a scream that rose high above the
laughter of the crowd in tho corridor,
she made a wild plunge for her room,
locked the door after her and relapsed
into Mysteries. She did not go down TO
dinner that evening. and for once there
were no whispered inquiries at table:
How in the world does she keep her
face so clear" Early next morning
closed carriage conveyed to the train
lady who concealed beneath heavy veil
the finest complexion in Coopcrstown.
BY the way, there is no more interest
ing woman in Washington than Mrs
Tanner She and her husband live in
two small rooms in the Ebbitt house.
Every day Mrs. Tanner goes to the pen
sion Office for two or three hours to help
her husband at his work, and to make
sure that he eats some luncheon and in
other ways takes at least little care Of
his health. She has learned the rou-
tine of his work, and if necessary could
take his desk and keep the machine a-run-
ming WALTER WELLMAN.