The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-02-26
A PRETTY MOUTH.

going long Journey. He had grown
tired Of the ever-recurring monotony
of people and places. He took in
character at glance, and everybody
reminded him remotely, pleasantly,
or disagreeably of somebody he
knew at home. He had studied the
faces, voices, hands, and habiliments
of This fellowtravelers, and had men
tally set them down as morose, tidy,
studious, vapid, honest, aristocrat-
ic, egotistic, and so on through the
list of human attributes.
He was glad, indeed, to make the
last change of cars, which he did aft
er crossing the D. river. He ex-
ercised his tired and impatient limbs
in the intervening moments of hurry
and hustle between the trains, and
at last jumped aboard, congratulate
ing himself there were but forty miles
farther before he reached his journeys
end He stood on the platform with
his hands in his pocket, whistling,
until the wind, which was blowing
sharply, drove him in shivering. He
involuntarily glanced over the pas
sengers, most OF whom were a new
relay. They we're all awake and quite
lively. but he knew how soon they
would relapse into somnolency and
ennui. He stretched himself at full
length in an unoccupied seat, partly
slouched his hat, and then fell to
dreaming OF times past, brought
wildly to him now from his nearness
to Cousin Fanny, whom he had
not seen since her marriage
long years ago. He had loved
Fanny once, desperately, as
youths do, and traced all his nissan
thropy-of which he had a good-hu-
mored share-to this early disap-
pointment. He was now quite a
bachelor; was going out west on
business for his firm, and had re-
solved to visit his early ideal, whom
he still invested with long, brown
curls, cheeks bright and glowing as
= a ripe apple, eyes Of no discoverable
color, so sparkling and so roguish
were they. Unconsciously to himself,
he revived the old enchantment, as
be recalled their youthful intercourse,
and wondered how she would meet
him-blushingly, as Of old?-or So
ly, or indifferently? He grew ne.
vous over it, and readjusted his al
ready sideways-inclined hat.
A little movement in the seat be-
hind diverted his eyes. 1t was a
lady reading, and she was changing
her position to get the full benefit OF
the now fading daylight. Her head
was slightly bent, and her beaver
hat, with it's abundance of p]umes
and a veil, entirely hid her eyes, but
he could see her mouth.
Who has not read, or spoken
learnedly, Economically, or practi-
cally about eyes-blue ones "wet
violets," black ones liquid souls in
mourning?' Setting aside utili-
tartan considerations, mouths are,
esthetically, as much feature of
interest. The charm of charm
ing mouth has an indefniteness in it
that tasclnates more than the direct
and easily detected power OF eyes.
You can look into black, or blue, or
gray orbs. and watch changing color,
dllatation, contraction, or sudden
eclipse, and see how each change is
effected by light, or the exclusion of
light; but a mouth is a mystery.
From rocky sternness to broad
laughter each change is bewildering.
1t is the gateway of speech; the out
let of heart and brain. Every man
knows how much veal or woe, in
smile, speech, or kiss, certain lips
have wrought him; even woman re-
members or dreams of whispers and
tender laughter-of mustaches, and
some even go SO far as to tolerate
cigars.
This mouth was just arranging it,
self after smile, he thought; very
red, very pretty. He was right. The
lines contracted, and the two lips
closed demurely as hands in prayer.
The under lip was full; the upper
short-a mere coral line at the cor
ners; both together were the very
type OF gravity just then. The book
she read was evidently absorbing,
serious, he Thought; tragic, perhaps.
The lips parted slowly, intent; closed
again, transtixed! All at once, with
out any visible play of muscles. a
premonitory shadow wentover them;
then a vague CLEAN; then q slow
consciousness; the muscles relaxed,
ioosened numerous dimples about
the corners, the lips parted, and out
flashed tiny, white teeth. She was
laughing. He thought her hero
must have got into some scrape-or
rather that the girls in the book
must have got him into one-from
the amusement and qualification he
detected in her quiet laugh. She
glanced up at the window, half in re-.