The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-08-22
CUPID'S SERVITOR.

|
eschewed Love, made his bread and butter
by serving him. But like all who wait OF
Love with interested motives he received
| nothing but dross for his pains.
Yet one day it happened that his tickle
master had placed before his eyes those
illuminating glasses which turn the com
mon sky into heaven; which convert life
into lyric and woman into creature oil
perfume and melody and light.
But the next day, as one may say, these
| glasses were taken off again, and Clymer
| Ames d never looked through them
| since.
Yet every day from s in the morning till
5 in the afternoon this man, who could
| have killed Eros for his perfdious con-
duct, was obliged to toll in his behalf. He
was, in short, the clerk who issued the
marriage licenses. When he first went
| into the service of the greatest of cosmo-
| politans, Cupid, he dedicated to him a
very bad chirography, totally unedu-
Gated perception and an interchangeable in
dustry. He was a good looking young
man, or, to speak more correctly, his an
cestors had given him very few incon-
venient heirlcoms in the way of vicious
features or disagreeable tendencies. He
had not, in fact, many Distinguishing
traits. He was simply young fellow
with a slight disposition TO biliousness
and a matter of fact determination to earn
his living honestly.
But then, of course he was honest. 1t
requires a certain degree of originality to
be dishonest. And Clymer Ames would
have therefore satisfied Diogenes
In the course of few weeks spent behind
the little window in the county courts spa
cious apartments, the chirOgraphy of this
young man began to improve. So did his
perceptions. He could tell, when a man ap-
preached him, whether he had family pride
or not; whether or not he was sentimental
and impatient; whether he was inclined
for hymeneal display; whether he was
happy or fearful; whether he was going
to marry woman of whom ne was proud
or only one with whom he was in love.
Sometimes a worried looking woman &C
companied the applicant for marriage
license, and then the clerk knew how cas-
lily the ties of love could become chains, and
he felt it incumbent upon him to look
with dark disapproval at the unwilling
bridegroom. Indeed, when one is in the
business of issuing marriage licenses one
is almost certain to grow an Imagination.
One is no more responsible for it than for
ones beard. There is, however, this off
ference. After an imagination is grown it
is impossible to get rid of it.
Clymer Ames, who at first saw only the
stage carpentering and scene shifting in
this drama of the emotions, began to won
der how it would look from the front. He
found himself getting very curious as to
what man did and said befOre-armed
with the age, name, maternal and paternal
parents names of his bride-he came to
ask for legal permission to be forever
happy.
1t would be very easy, of course, for
Clymer Ames to get that legal right. In
his capacity of lover he could approach
himself in his capacity as clerk, and with
ont unnecessary Embarrassment or hesita-
ton ask for q license and get it. To be
sure, he could not well be on both sides of
the window at once, and he had some
doubts about the complete regularity of a
license granted under circumstances in
which the applicant associated with such
unseemly familiarity with his superior, the
clerk This, however, was a difficulty
which he felt could be overcome. But that
was the fifth act. What led up to it?
What did lover do through the four pre-
ceding acts?
Clymer Ames determined to find out
Fate, which is sometimes kind only to be
cruel, aided him. 1t went further, and
abetted him.
Lydia Eastwater lived in the next block
but one to where Clymer Ames boarded,
and she came down to see the daughter of
the landlady and play tennis with her on the
lawn. Clymer, who had hitherto detested
tennis, felt convinced as soon as he saw
Lydia Eastwater on the green that exer-
else was the only thing for him after his
long Office hours.
The rest OF the summer he put on white
flannel as soon as he got home, and he all
but slept with a tennis bat in his hand.
Il guess it must be pretty dull staying
in the Office all day this hot weather." said
Lydia Eastwater one night when they
stood together on the same side of the
white tennis net.
'It's dull enough. But nothing to what
it used to be, you know. | have something
to look forward to now"
Have your" said Lydia Eastwater in
nocently, picking bug off her red and
white skirt I'm sure I'm glad of it"
cts the tennis at night look forward
70. 1t brightens up my whole day Don't
you care for it too?'
''Me?" calculated Lydia with INGRAM
NAUTICAL nonchalance. ooh, yes, like ten
mis- well enough. | wish, though, that
these people would come back and 60 to
playing. Standing around on a tennis
ground till you are ready to drop isn't any
pieasanter than standing around anywhere
else" She hirted out one foot as she
talked, and revealed a marvellous stocking.
Clymer wondered if the twenty two fell
lows who had that day applied to him for
the sanction of the law to their bliss had
experienced such difficulties in the first
act-he felt himself to be nearing the end
of that part of the drama. If Lydia East
water would only show by some sign. how
ever slight. that her heart throbbed as MS
did, be would be willing to have the cur
tain rung down for the entire act and let
the orchestra play while.
1T IS not because play tennis that lam
happy" he cried explosively but because |
| play tennis with you"
oh" cried Miss Eastwater, as she re-
tied the yellow bow on her hat, isn't it too
bad then that ! am going away tomorrow |
for the rest Of the summer
Going for the rest of the summer ely
mer was sure none OF those twenty-five /
happy men with licenses in their pockets /
had ever known such suffering as this. He |
leaned against a tree He could not remem- |
Der feeling so strange siuce that day ne |
tainted in me Office, after being , al nignI |
with the poor agent who had the rheumatic |
fever.
Then you are not sorry 70 go'' he whis- !
pered You viii not miss rnef"
Lydia Eastwacer tied the yellow bow once /