Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1890-08-22

'hu whlte, with nails beautifully trim
'ned AMI polished. "Badgc of hel
Profession" was my cynical comment
And how defily they welded th,
spldcrlike scissors, on which were en-.
graved the initials m. J.lp
But she was finishing now. / be.
gan TO feel nervous about paying
money to such superb creature.
She arose, packed up her instru.
ments and put on her hat, which shC
had laid aside.
handed her double the usual
charge, my habit always. She took
1t calmly, thanked me and passed out
with bow and smile, ! holding the
door open for her, and speechless as q
sixtecn-year-old boy.
was consoled by the thought,
however, that | should see her again
the following Saturday. Judge of my
disgust, TO find another sent in hel
place, who knew nothing of Miss
J. at all.
L Tie following day / called on Mrs
c.. Madame did not even know
Miss J"'s address-she was not one
Of her regular operators, but had been
sent to her, her own staff being pre-
viously engaged. So sorry, ETC., etc.
Months rolled on. had contracted
the bad habit of promenading the
streets, in the hope that Fortune would
be kind to me-that might meet hcr
accidentally.
! never did.
'Delighted to see you, Mr.. s..
! To whom shall | present you? OH |
know. My niece. Awfully clever
girl. Supported her mother and her
self for a long time after her father 8
dFath. An uncle left them legacy o
month or two ago, sufficient to enab' c
them to resume their rightful place in
society. Where can she be? Don't
see her anywhere. Never mind.
viii later" Thankful for my escape
from this paragon, | left my hostess
@ receive her guests, and threaded my
wiy through the crowd of gay mask
efs, At last gaining the shelter of a
friendly doorway leading into a CON
seryatory, against which | leaned with
q sighsof relief | had come to this
ssi'al nlasaue' of Mrs. VS. princi-
{ L i escapc from my own company.
i. ! --lfala lans.sil kneIllng with
gay assemblage, and s00ff T5i1nd
my thoughts wandering when
GLOW do you do?' soft voice at
my elbow said. ''You do not seem to
recognize old friends"
started. Where had heard that
voice? There was the self-same treror
againl Was in my dotage? Could
not lady speak to me without my
losing my balance? Truly, it seemed
not.
"You have rather the advantage of
me, with that mask on" said |, con
fusedly, almost falling over a plant
standing near. | clutched the door
frame TO steady myself, breaking o
finger nail in the effort.
Recovering somewhat, | took the
outstretched ungloved hand-striving
all the while to penetrate the disguise.
There was something familiar about
the large white hand, with the well
polished nails, about the curry auburn
= = s*',ssSyzAs.
The tall figure was SO draped that
it was an utter impossibility to tell
anything regarding it. The eyes
were hand ONE, but the mask prevent
ed their color from being detected.
"You have broken a nall" examin-
ing it critically "AlIow me to trim it
for you." all the while retaining my
hand.
"Certainly," l helplcssly stam-
mered.
Then came forth a pair of scissors.
Snip! snipl the rugged edges were
trimmed.
Are those initials engraved on them?
Yes. What are they? Ye godsl an.
J.'lll
"My manicure!'
"And Mrs. VS. niecew
l married Hly' manicure. We have
two little manicures, whose nails are
personally treated hy their mother