The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1892-07-29
a FAD IN LITTLE AFFECTIONS.
An Odd whIm That Has Taken Hold Of
the Fem lnIne World.

the Feminine World
A funny little story is going therounds
concerning u new fancy a pretty and
original society woman has introduced
to the women of her special circle who
have the time and talent to spend on
the expensive details Of life, This fancy
is nothing less than reckless indul-
g92ce in assumed Affections, not shock
ing diseases or terrible complaints, bat
nice, gentle, piquant little Affections
that will arouse curiosity, stimulate IN
terest or excite pity for the subject that
pretends to be touched lightly by Fate's
blighting finger; for after all there is
nothing woman 80 enjoys and appre-
eiates as sympathetic pity.
When at a garden party not long ago
the hostess, in a simple French gown Of
white muslin, appeared with black
band over her eyes, every one was torn
with curiosity to know what was the
matter. Nothing, nothing" the pretty
hostess protested; she had merely been
out on the water the day before and had
her eyes inhamed by the glare of re-
heCted sunlight so she had tied a bit Of
black chiffon over the sensitive orbs to
protect them from the afternoon sun,
The effect of the chiffon was very
charming, 1t was cut somewhat in the
shape of the black velvet masks Vene-
tian women used to wear IN the four
teepth century, and the soft, dusky band
against the snowy forehead and peachy
cheeks was contrast admiringly noted.
Now and then, through the black mus
Lin folds, a bright CLEAN of the poor eyes
could be seen, and the next day half
dozen boxes of flowers were received
from masculine admirers, who, with
the eyes as a theme, composed thrilling
notes of coincidence, heavily interlarded
with appropriate quotations that the
little lady enjoyed,
The clever woman intended to keep
the facts Of the case a secret, but some
how the story leaked out, and the next
week she met bosom friend whose
pretty white hand, the left one, ban
daged in q brothers silk handkerchief,
hung pathetically at her side in a ribbon
sling. Her wrist had been strained
while driving, and for day or two the
hand was the center of sympathetic at
traction and the recipient Of bonbons
and flowers galore. The third woman
who followed these absurd examples
went distressingly lame, and found 1t
very amusing; fourth impOstor sui
fered for week from a series of slight
fainting att Hcks, and the fifth woman,
who had been told that her face was
purely Greek in outline and most chaTIa-
ing when in dreamy repose, suddenly
became slightly deaf. Twice or thrice,
as she gazed placidly, with smile
wreathed lins, into nothingness, a ques-
ton had to be repeated until, with
bIushes ana confusion, she would in q
low tone confess herr infrmity as she
just caught the tones of a speakers
voice.
However, keen eyed young woman
who rather suspected the Affections of
her friends, proved the innocent duplio-
ity of her dear hostess by whispering to
her neighbor at luncheon not to scream
and alarm Mrs. Blank because mouse
was stealthily crossing the room-a pre-
canton that was quite useless, as Mrs.
Blank promptly forgot her prettily at
sumed infrmity, and was the first to
warn her guests of the approaching
monster, as with an accompaniment of
shrill little screams she stood in her
chair at the head of the tahle.-New
| York Sun.