Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-09-27

| DIuCllSdl JohC Va elA4o 4l'oAO1A
What on earth are we to say to him :?
| Fortunately dinner was at once an
nounced, and put an end to the momen
tary awkwardness which Mr.. Twizzle
toms little joke had caused. The ma
jority of the company were, like thei
host, uncertain what line to take will
the practical joker, and, as a conse
quence, he was left during the progress
of the meal mainly to the society O
Mrs. Carnegie, whom he had brought
in to dinner. This lady was the well
preserved and vivacious widow of al
Indian judge. and fattered herself that
she was fully match for the eccentric
individual by her side. They had not
conversed very long, however, before
MIR. Twizzleton fairly puzzled her.
Il hope, Mr.. Twizzleton," she re-
marked, soon after they We're settled in
their places, "that your sight is not SO
bad as to prevent your dancing this
EVENING""
Dancing, my dear madam!" replied
Mr. Twizzleton; Il fear my infirmity
of sight is not the only obstacle to that.
1t is thirty years since considered my
self dancing man, and to be asked to
dance was the last thing I expected
when I came here"
"Indeed?" returned the widow, with
an arch glance. "Did you expect to be
left in charge of the hall while the rest
Of us disport ourselves at the Dumping
ton ball?"
"Ah, madam, I see that you are jok-
ing" replied the imperturbable Twiz-
zleton. "My engagement with our
charming hostess, whom am agreeably
surprised to see looking so we'll, is the
only occupation [ can look forward to
tonight"
WELL" said Mrs. Carnegie, with o
little toss OF the head, "of course you
will have to dance with Cicely, but it is
little cool to inform me that you in
tend to favor nobody else-even though
she be our hostess"
Mr.. Twizzleton assumed an air of as
tonishment which would have done
credit to any actor Oh the boards.
Il dance with her?" he exclaimed.
Surely, madam, l misunderstood you?
L cannot believe that lady would
dream of dancing under such circum-
stances"
"And why not, pray?" inquired the
widow.
Because it would be the height of
imprudence-I had almost said mad
ness. So far from encouraging her, I
should feel bound to forbid anything of
the kind.
Mrs. Carnegie looked at Mr.. Twizzle-
toms unmoved features, and felt thor
oughly mystifed. She tried other lines
of conversations but had no better sue
cess in persuading him to drop his as
sumed character.
Before dinner she was more than half
convinced that he was not acting at all,
and that the real author of the farce was
MI. Reggie Bunlum, who had amused
himself by palming off this old fossil
upon his cousin for drawing-room
comique.
When the ladies had retired the male
portion of the company tried their hands
at drawing out Mr.. Twizzleton; but as
they succeeded no better than Mrs. Car
negie in getting behind his disguise, the
opinion was very soon formed that the
joke was dismal failure, and that Mr..
Twizzleton was making an egregious
fool of himself. The last hope of get
ting any fun out of the thing expired
on their return to the drawing room
On being sounded respecting his banjo,
Reggie Bunkum's boosted chum vehe-
mently repudiated any knowledge of
the instrument, while request from
Mrs. Hardup for the "three dogs in a
barrel" produced look OF hopeless be.
wilderment upon his features which was
almost pathetic in its intensity.
In the meantime, however, the strik-
ing realism of Mr.. Twizzleton's per-
Torrance had made an impression on
Jack Hardup somewhat similar to that
on Mrs. Carnegie, only Jacks sus-
picions took somewhat different direc-
ton from the widows. When the gen
tlemen moved off to the drawing-room,
the master Of the house called Thomp-
son, his trusty butler, on one side, and
Intercepted him closely as to Mr..
Twizzleton's appearance on his arrival.
The butler no sooner gathered that his
master was perplexed about his new
guest than he proceeded to unburden
his own mind.
BEG pardon, SIR" he said, "but do
1 understand as you think there is some
mistake about Mr.. Twizzleton?"
"He is not at all the kind of gentle
man I expected to see, Thompson.
But why do you ask?"
Because I see some things, sir, when
I was up packing the portmanteau 4hat
r L.