Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1891-08-22

He is ''bon vivant" As soon as we
exchanged the salutations of the day,
said:
"Come, and dine with me to-mor-
row"
mo, thank you; it is impossible"
''Why impossible?"
Because am going to the mas
querade ball of the Princess Wassa-
lowna. 1t will be magnificent affair;
all the best people in society will be
there, elegantly dressed, ZEN masque,
consequently mysterious intrigues
and coquetry ad libitum, topped off
with superb supper-truffles and
champagne.
"Ah, you are lucky" I answered
with an envious sigh.
well, come and go with me- / will
present you"
What! without my wife,
t'Of course"
But there's my mother-in-law. NY
dear fellow, you don't know the severe
principles of that austere dame. She
would be furious at the bare thought
of such thing"
''Ah, you are too guileless. / can
manage all that. | will send you a
dispatch saying: The case OF Gilliard
comes up tomorrow; you are needed;
come without delay. 1t is the simp-
lest thing in the world to arrange, and
your mother-in-law will never know"
But have no costume. | would
not dare to go unmasked, and have
some driveler reporting my name in
his paper"
mo trouble about that, Babine,
the great costumer, is not ten steps
! from here. Let us go there and choose
| a costume. You can have it sent to
! my rooms. Come there and dress,
and your 'belle-mere' will never be the
wiser"
What would you have done in my
place? | did Just what you would
have done. said: IAN right. Come
on"
Perhaps you have never met my
mother-in-law. will describe her.
Between 45 and so years Of age,
hair slightly gray, eyes still bright and
alert, reasonably embonpoint, always
dressed i'll q black serge robe, and
poke bonnet, her lips thin, her voice
sharp; in truth, her whole appearance
harsh and forbidding.
But / must acknowledge she has
reared her daughter perfectly. I have
but one reproach to make-she has
developed in the dear little thing an
exaggerated distrust of all coniugal
probity. / have often asked myself
how this austere person could have
learned the deceiving ways of our sex.
Her acuteness does not tally with her
rigid principles and manners. Well, she
may have gained her knowledge from
the experience OF her friends You
know many persons speak Spanish
who have never been to Spain.
do not know if | have told you
this severe matron passes herdays at
my house. 1t was at first understood
that this arrangement would be tenn
porary. 1t has lasted seven years,
and it seems from what my wife
says that / am the one who insists
upon her remaining-ugh-
! The next day after meeting my
friend Edward, during breakfast,
| ANOhioJ my NtllGby EliLCIth Will IL lDlI-
ed envelope upon his waiter. / felt
hot tinglings run through my whole
body, but pretended not to see the
scamp standing by my chair.
"My son-in-lawp'
| looked up with most innocent
candid expression.
well, my dear madam"
"Louis has adispatchfo for you"
| "a dispatch An, let me see"
/ take it, unfold it, feel the eyes
OF my wife and mother-in-law fixed
upon me, but / keep my countenance,
read it slowly, then shrug my shout
ders with q gesture of annoyance.
what is it?' asks my little wife
anxiously.
Nothing serious, my dear" hand
her the dispatch. 1t reads: ''The
case of Gilliard comes up tomorrow;
the solicitor begs you will come i'm
mediately."
! Ny wife gave little sigh, sigh
which signified:
poor fellow, obliged to travel all
night on the railroad; how fstiguing,
how annoying"
My mother-in-law said nothing, only
| fixed her eyes upon me. / sustained
the fire bravely.
That evening at o'clock left these
ladies, a valise on my arm, promising
to return in twenty-four hours.
| My friend Edward and / arrived at
the Princess Wassalowna's about 10
O'Clock. The orchestra was intoxica-
ting. The gorgeous scene of simmer
ing silk, jewels, flowers, lights, all a
sparkling, dazzling, hurly-burly, en-
chanted me. / forgot my austere
mother-in-law and her rigid principles;