Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-12

agencies are no longer to be invoked to make
the unusually difficult course Of true love run
smooth. and for this reason certain astute
and cautious Washington matron has hitherto
induiged entire confidence in her ability to
guard her only son. now just attaining man.
hood, from the wiies Of seductive maidens who
might, save for her precautions, succeed in en-
tangling his youthful affection before he should
have got beyond the age of injudicious sus-
ceptibility. But alas! Trouble was as sure to
arrive as if the old-time fairy had been on
hand.
1t was simply an ordinary register, such az
ia commonly put into houses to convey the
heat from the furnace, that took the fairy's
place in this instance. And surely the most
anxious mamma could not reasonably have
viewed SO apparently harmless an object with
suspicion Tie register in question served to
warm the young mans bed room, and in itself
would have been innocent enough, but for the
fact that the tin fue connecting with it imme-
diately adjOined and in fact actually came into
contact with the hue communicating with q
register precisely corresponding on the other
side OF the party wall separating the house
from the next one in the block. Hence arose
the trouble. For in the next house dweit a
pretty young woman with reddish hair. bright
blue eyes and pleasing gift Of song. This last
she was accustomed to exercise freely at times
when the young man next door wanted to
study, and the sounds came through the reg
lister so clearly, thanks to the vibrations Of the
touching hot-air pipes, as somewhat to disturb
the youth at his work. So one day it occurred
to him to convey hint to her on the subject
by hammering on the register. She, however,
INDUCING an exuberant sense Of humor
merely responded by coming and singing into
the register on her side. Whereupon the
young man, who had never seen her up to that
time, addressed some expostulatOry remarks to
her through the improvsed telephone. But
the pretty girl replied that her neighbor was
evidently joking, since no one could fail to en-
Joy such beautiful singing as hers, and the con-
versation on the subject continued at intervals
during subsequent days, did not take very long
to arrive at firtatious stage.
In fact, the Irritation conducted in this way
had become pretty desperate-though neither
Pyramus nor Thisbe had met as yet-when one
luckless hour. the youth being out, his mother
CHANGED to visit his room for the purpose Of
seeing that all his things were properly in
order. What was her astonlshment and horror
to hear almost immediately after her entrance
an unmistaksble vox femins come through
the register saying:
"Prince Charming, do You want me to sing
for you today?'
The severe mamma made no response in
words; she simply stood with arrested breath
and protruding eye balls, waiting for further
observations Presently the far one next door
had something more to say.
why do you not reply?" she asked. ut
matters not, however. your footstep tells me
Of your presence. We shall meet this after
/
you will be promptly introduced to me. trust
l shall not be disappointment
without waiting to learn any more of the
shocking details Of this clandestine appoint
ment the stern mamma left her sons room and
devoted the rest Of the afternoon to construct
ing formidable lecture for delivery to him on
MS return. Easily may you imagine her dis
gust when, after hearing the discourse pa
tiently, he replied:
"Awfully sorry, mother; but the fact is that
the young lady and myself came to an under
standing this afternoon and are now under en-
gagement 70 be married When you have seen
ner you viii be 90 much charmed with her as I
am; she awaits your blessing"
Az Lass accounts the severe mamma appeared
rather disposed to give in than otherwise. hay-
ing introduced herself to her apparently newt
aeie daughter-in-isw in the mesnwhile. All of
which goes to show that this notion of keeping
young people apart from possible lovers l.
oimcu!t, mos TO say unpromising, task, even
wnen iairies are left out Of the question.
The Rounan h.