The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1892-12-24

ing been detained on her way, by sue
cessiOn of delightful shop windows, before
she came out of Sparkler x Cos swapping
her portemonnaie together with just one
hundred dollars and her car ticket in it,
thinking how nice it was that now she
could do all her Christmas shopping before
the rush.
1t was very uncomfortable that, just at
this instant, she should run against Harry
with a violence that set her hat all awry.
But he said "Hello = and she said "Good
gracious, there goes my hat p And with
the impatient concern that anything at
fault in her hat always gave her, she
stopped, in momentary forgettulness OF
all else, to set the hat right by the aid of
the wonderful Venetian mirror in the ad
jacent window and she gave glance af-
ter Harry and thought how angry she was
with him, and what superb-looking fel
low he was, in spite of his being so un-
kind to her, and half wished she hadn't
sold the earrings. But if she hadn't sold
them all the world who got no presents
from them would only think he was as
stingy as he was good-looking, and it was
nearly as much to prevent such thinking
as anything else that she wished to make
her gifts And she turned to go her away
and her pocketbook was gone.
The passers on that crowded thorough
fare might have thought there was little
mad woman seurrying around there for
the next five minutes; and so many of
them assisted her in the search that as a
bee gets wind of sweets, policeman pres
emily came bearing down upon them and
scattered them by his appearance. 1t was
nowhere on the sidewalk, or the grating,
or the gutter If it had flown out of her
hand in her grasping for her bonnet, it had
been swept along by the crowd. If
purse-snatcher had it he had made off with
it. She had lost her money and she had
lost her earrings.
Her first impulse was to rush into the
jewelers. shop and demand her earrings
back. But, of course, they wouldn't give
them back and Mr. Sparkler might speak
of it to Harry. And if she told the po-
liceman, again it might get to Harry's
ears. And at last, the tears pouring down
her face, oblivious of all she saw, she hur-
ried home and wept herself into bed with
sick headache Her earrings, her money,
and all possibility of her Christmasing
we're gone-for what could she do without
cent, and with all the brothers and sis
tiers, nephews and nieces to be provided
for; and between the pangs of head and
stomach her mind rummaged her drawers
and wardrobe shelves for things that might
be transformed into gifts. A message had
come from Harry that he should not dine
at home and she need not sit up for him,
but could spend her evening specializing
as to whether he was detained at the club
or at champagne lunch, or by catching
or racing or theater party. Of course,
she only cried the harder, and Josephine
bathed her head till midnight and when
Mrs. Trench woke in the morning and
found Harry beside her, she shut her eyes
again in a twinkling meaning to keep them
shut till he was up and gone. She was
far too deeply hurt to have anything
whatever to say to him. And she did not
descend to the breakfast table till she
thought he was we'll out of the house.
To her amazement Mr.. Trench sat there
with his morning paper, in the sun, having
breakfasted, but wishing apparently for
the privilege of another cup of coffee with
her. "Do you suppose l didn't see you
open your eye and shut it?" he cried
quite gayly. II never knew how bright
your eyes were before. That was really
done like a fash. Hurt because l stayed
late at the club? Well, L wasn't at the
club. l made ten-strike yesterday and
think little opera tonight would be
rather in order How do you like that?"
And he took a couple of tickets from his
waistcoatpocket, magic talismans that
opened the gates of music and joy to the
little being opposite, whose ribbons-fut-
tered and whose eyes sparkled, whose
bushes came and whose dimples deepened,
till she had to laugh with him and say to
herself that bygones must be bygones be-
tween husbands and wives, and run round
the table and kiss him, and shed two or
three tears sacred to the memory of anger,
grief remorse, agitation, and the far off,
unattained and dim. Poor, pretty Mrs.
Trench After dinner she came down
ready for the fray, in her white fur opera
cloak with its rose-colored satin Innings,
and her rose-colored bit of hat, tremu
lous with white marabouts and gold-tipped
sprays and spires over her lovely rosy face.
'Dressed for the warpath p said her hus-
band gaily, pulling on his gloves. eft
for conquest. That's the way | like to
see my wife look And that's pretty
hat, by the way"
81 made it myself today" she cried
triumphantly.
"It's work of ART" he said "And you
have genius for millinery" and then he
looked her over from head to foot. "There
won't be such a little beauty in the whole
house." he said "Where are your dia-
monds You've forgotten your earrings.
Run and put them in and make haste
we're a little late as it is.
Mrs. Trench turned so pale that the
powder stood on her face like blue bloom.
'.Oh, people don't wear earrings now"
she managed to say, although her lips
seemed too much to move.
"Don't wear earrings? How long
since p
''Oh, they're quite gone out, she said,
gathering heart.
"Gone out ?" Half the women / meet
have them in. Come, make haste I"
"You're very much mistaken cried
Mrs. Trench then. "Nobody thinks of
such thing. And | should think |
ought to know as much about the fash
ions as a man. And nobody pretends to
wear diamonds at all now, anyway.
They're all given up for colored stones"
81 don't care if they have" exclaimed
Mr.. Trench hotly. 81 thought women
were supposed to dress to please their hus-
bands, and 1 liked to see you with your
diamonds"
L shouldn't wear them any way, you