The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-10-02
"TODDLES."
CHAPTER I.

as he flashes across the polished floor of
the ballroom to where tall, handsome
man is standing.
That tall, handsome man" is-Toddles.
He starts when Capt. Hardness touches
his arm, as though his thoughts had been
OF an absorbing nature. However, he
seems quite willing to relinquish them for
the present to follow Capt. Hardness
whithersoever he may lead him.
"You see, Nan, 1 have robbed the door
way OF its novel ornamentation~ ex-
claims the latter airily as he reaches his
cousins side "Toddles-1Iiss Hardness"
introducing them. "Now, Toddles, l will
leave you in charge of my cousin while |
sacrifice myself on the altar OF stern
duty, and take some of these hungry
dowagers TO taste of the supper their souls
love-"
ToddleS steals q glance at his new
charge, and during that glance his heart
passes out of his keeping. TOddles falls
in love at first sight.
Cool of my cousin, is it not ?' inquiries
Nan, smiling gently at the burly young
giant.
Toddles smiled, too.
Just like Hardness" Then, after
short pause he adds: "He is always doing
me some good turn or other"
''Is that your notion OF it? l call it
shifting his responsibilities on to another
persons shoulders" Nancy declares, with
a frankness peculiar to herself.
"Ah, l guess my shoulders would be
broad enough to carry such feathers
weight OF a responsibility the rest of the
journey"
Miss Hardness looks obviously at him,
as though not quite assured Of his mean
ing.
Toddles begins to fear lest he may have
put his foot into it.
There. don't mind anything that say
nobody ever does. Just say 10 yourself
when you feel inclined to be shocked or
vexed, it's only Toddies, so won't mind
Promise"
He has a habit OF stringing together a
number of short sentences, and pausing
between each, as though to watch its effect
upon bis listener.
Miss Hardness is much amused by him.
81 promise, then, Mr.. TOddes."
Toddles goes off into a shout of laugh
ter; the girl half turns away from him,
then. hesitating, says aloud: ut is only
'Toddles, so | won't mind"
He stares at her.
Taken me at my word That's right.
Tell YOU what | was laughing about.
shall -"
Il should like to know" she admits
ut sounded so funny 10 have You aiiix
Mr.. before Toddles, YOU know" and
once more his face grows a mirthful scar
let
II do not understand. You could hardly
expect me TO call you by your surname
only"
"That is Just Il. Ny surname is Ches-
ney, but everybody calls me Toddles."
Why inquiries the girl, smoothing a
refractory curl
The young giant looks puzzled
Pom my soul, don't know, and, what
is more, | don't believe that anybody else
/ is wiser
"But there must be some reason" per-
sists Nan, "else there would be no sense
in it,"
Exactly; you see it is not sense, but
nonsense
Then they both laugh.
An hour later Capt. Hardness, having
/ inundated himself on the altar of duty,
goes in search OF his cousin and Chesney.
lie finds them at length in n remote
| corner of the conservatory, seated on a
crimson velvet settee. with heads bent
near together, the girls fair, touzled curs
touching Chesney's close, military crop.
mine is even more absurd than some
OF yours have been,' Nan cries. with n
burst Of laughter, and nourishing a mar
/ row slip OF paper before her companion s
eyes. "Just LISTEN
any life Is love.
And love my life.
| 10th shall be yours
| III you'll be my wife"
Sounds more like a nursery rhyme
/ than a motto, suggests Toddles.
Rather too advanced for the nursery,
surelyI' exclaims Capt. Hardness, who has
/ been standing within earshot for the past
/ two minutes.
! Jack" cries Nan, springing from her
seat 10 her cousins side. what an age you
have been! | finished my supper long
/ ago; we brought out all the notices we
/ could find, and have been reading them
here. Such nonsense! l wonder who
K could have written them?"
Toddes feels conscious of a keen sense
OF disappointment at her words. For him
the hour bad flown.
'You little coquette" laughs Hardness
81 can see you have been far too happy to
miss me"
"Well, Mr.-er-Toddles- mean Ches.
ney-has taken great care OF me and has
kept me amused" admits Miss Hardness
lie has ventured beyond the regimen
tai stock phrases, them" laughs the cap
tain.
Nan shakes her small fair head.
81 do not know them?" she says in.
quiringly.
"Shall tell you the story ?" smiling al
the thought of it. "Wel, my dear Nan
you must know, to commence with. that
on the return of our regiment from for.
eign service, when we had for the best
part OF ten years, endured social isolation
we discovered that we hung fire when
conversing with ladies' For the life of Ms
we couldn't think of anything interesting
TO say 10 them. In one month we earned
for ourselves the reputation of being the
slowest regiment on record. The ladies'
in their turn, began to hang fire, and we
found ourselves forming shadowy back
ground ut all the balls and enter
tainments. At last brilliant idef
struck us, why not draw up a regular
code of stock phrases and remarks will
which TO keep the ball of conversation
rolling, each member of Ours contributing
his item. No sooner thought than acted
upon. In less than month we had rein
stated ourselves in the graces OF the fail
sex, and have since become the most pop.
ular regiment in the service-eh, Tod
dles?"
Mr.. Chesney throws back his head and
fairly roars with laughter at the recollec.
ton OF this their last campaign.