Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-02-22
TWO TENDER HEARTS.
THE LIVING SKELETON AND THE
FAT WOMAN DECIDE TO
HITCH,

FAT WOMAN DECIDE TO
HITCH.
"Flossie, ! yicld to the magic of
your charms. lay my heart and
my fortune at your feet.r
The eager, passionate voice was
that of the living skeleton. He
was addressing the fat woman.
III would cherish you, o so
tenderly, Flossie," he went on,
pleadingly. "Give me the right to
shield and protect you from the
perils OF lite's tempestuOus jour-
ney-to stand between you and
the barbed shaft of malice, the
venomous tooth of SANDER, and the
stuffed club Of injustice
"Lycurgus," replied the fat wo.
man, with downcast eyes and a
tremor in her voice that shook tue
room, while blush sufiused her
fair cheek and cast a pinklsh glow
on The cage Of performing snakes,
"this comes upon me so unexpect-
eddy, SO emb arrasslngly, that |
scarcely
"FIossle," said the living skele.
ton gently, "forgive me If [ have
shocked You by the suddenness of
my avowal. You must have seen
that | have appeared m ore i'll at
ease in your presence and less self
possessed, less baughty and dignl-
fed, if l may so express myself,
for some months past than you
formerly knew me to be-"
81 have observed it, Ly curgus,"
she replied, "but l attributed it to
to liver complalnt-Or-Or cOrns.
| am so inexperienced, you know,
Lycurgus," she continued softly:
$50 unused to the ways of men
that-I-p
"My darllngw he exclaimed with
startling energy, "your maldenly
hesitation, your artless and inno-
cent timidity, only deepen the
passion that possesses me SO en-
tirely and confirm me in the re.
solve to win you. Permit me !"
With an effort that swelled the
veins on his forehead and nearly
broke his back Lycurgus picked up
one OF her gloves that had fallen to
the floor aud replaced it on her
lap.
The fat woman THANKED him
with a quivering sigh that ap.
peared to lift him from his feet,
but he went on undaunted
"Flossie, in my professional
career have accumulated q
competence that is ample for us
both. Ny financial resources
beg pardon, did step on your
toep
81 think not, Lycurgus," she
murmured. ~ did not feel It,"
g. are ample to any demand
that IS likely ever to be made upon
them. Ny personal expenses for
clothing and-blister that hairless
dog! He shall MOI harm you,
Flossie-be careful, my darling !!
You are about to step on the tail of
that stuffed otter and make a
beaver out of the animal-my per-
sonal expenses, | was about to
say, are naturally heavy, but my
income is far heavier. 1t may re-
quire a whole bolt of silk to make
you a dress or an entire calfskin'-
his voice faltered slightly-"to
make a shoe for you, but / can face
all this cheerfully, bravely-
"Say no more, Lycurgus I" she
said with shy, bewitchlng tender
ness. "Your, manly devotion has
won ny heart 1 am yours. But
o, Lycurgus BE kind to me. Be
tender"
"Ladies and gentlemen :" yelled
the excited manager, appearing at
the outside door and waving his
arms wildly at the crew Of passers-
by on the street, "the Twin skellen-
ton, the most remarkable specimen
of skin and bones that ever drawed
the breath OF life, is at this dientl'
cal moment a.sparkin' of Big
Flossie, the mountain of flesh, the
most colossal hunk Of humanity
that ever lived Together with
10000 other curioslties. Ten cents
oIr,;ka 70 oil Dooo ri0ht in ~