Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-06-05
WAS A REAL BEAST THOUGH.
A Chameleon In Girls Hair startles Two
Hard Drinking Men.
New York Herald.l

IT was NJ ball at Fernandins q short
time ago. said the handsome purser OF the
Iroquois, land the belle OF the occasion
wore a beautiful live chameleon on her
couture. 1t was anchored with gold
cable--the heard, l mean, not the mar.
and was as luxuriant aud fluffy as tho moss
that hangs from the branches along the 81.
Johns. only il was coal black.
"She was certainly very lovely woman.
rather too taut in the waist, but had
charming rakish set fore and aft, and was
not too much loaded down about tho bows.
That little critter on her foretop must
have been quite vain Of his position In So
ciety. for he showed all his cOloTs during
the evening. running up the red and green
and cold and silver alternately, like he
was the fiash.light off Hatteras. The fine
cable lust abaft his forelegs gave him
enough swing to move his length, and he
kert signaling all the time. OF course the
lady was very much admired: so was the
chameleon.
"She had several swells from Boston and
New York after her. Two Of the latter
fellows came down on the cat with us
and had been drinking good deal OF
cham TO keep of seasickness. They
were rather stylish-looking fellows. and
young men of that build being scarce at
the winter resorts. they had any amount
of attention among the ladies'.
Both of them got lntroductlons TO the
clipper with the chameleon. The first one
snapped up her card and leaned over her
where she sat, and was about to write his
name down for dance, when the lizard
perked up its nose at him within six inches
of his face and slowly wiggled It's tail. lie
turned as white as a new staysail, ana
dropping the card hurried out of the room.
His friend, who had been watching for
n chance TO get in, saw him 90 and made
straight for the pretty woman. lie seemed
10 be tickled TO death TO find an opening on
her card and his face was wreathed IN
smiles when they swung out into the
stream tor waltz. AZ they came around
past me, lying at the perl mean leaning
against the wall near the door-he seemed
TO have caught sight OF the lizard Tor the
first time. II was showing red and was
straining at the cable to get over into his
neck.
lie shut both eyes and bllnked hard
the lizard changed 10 green and Topped lts
tail at him. He looked like sailor who
had seen a iack-o'- lantern perched on the
bowsprit. His legs had kept lying 10 the
music, but he missed the step twice ana
the lady chided him. The lizard slgnalleu
blue. then green-then turned duh cop
per color-then reached out one foot tor
him.
u He slipped and got thumped in the
neck by q good stout boot from the nearest
couple. He gave one yell and scrambled
TO MS feet. The music stopped aud lot
of people gathered round HIM, supposing
be was severely hurt. but he got away and
came out hastily. catching him by the
! coat as he went by. Invent out with him
laughing.
- S-s-say :" says he, trembling all
over, d-d-doyou.-d-d-didy you see
The lizard in her foretopY' says l.
Yes-pretty. isn't II
"'Is it's it real-the real. live thing,
you know he asked, Frightening mp.
Il explained that it was, and laughed
till both OF Us were red IN the face. HC
was as mad as O wet hen.
q" What a - fool pretty woman vii
make Of herself, anyhow says he, anc
| bolted Tor a courtroom. / saw both tel
lows IN Jacksonville afterward. They
were both sober and neither would speak
4 10 men