Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-14
CAUSED BY A CHAMELEON.
In Lady's Hair 1t Made Two Men Think
They Had I'D. Ts."

They Had I'D. Ts."
From the New York Herald
II was at a ball at Fernandina short time
ago, said the handsome purser of the Iroquois.
land the belle Of the occasion wore beautiful
live chameleon on her couture. 1t was
anchored with gold cable-the lizard. 1 mean.
not the hair The latter unquestionabIy be-
longed there and was as luxuriant and fluffy as
the moss that hangs from the branches along
the st. Johns, only it was coal black.
She was certainly a very lovely woman,
rather too taut in the waist, but had a charm
ingly rakish set fore and aft and was not too
much loaded down abou. the bows. That little
critter on her foretop must have been quite
vain of his position in society for he showed
all his colors during the evening. running up
red and green and gold and silver alternately
like he was the flash light off Hatteras. The
fine cable just abaft his forelegs gave him
enough swing to move his length, and he kept
signaling all the time. OF conrse the lady was
very much admired; so was the chameleon.
''She bad several swells from Boston and New
York after her. Two of the latter fellows came
down on the boat with US and had been drink
ing good deal of Cham to keep off 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 intrOductions to the clipper with
the chameleon, but l noticed tina: neither of
them seemed to cotton to her much. 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 its tail. He turned as white
as a new staysail and dropping the card hurried
out of the room.
His friend. who had been watching for a
chance to get in, saw him go and made straight
for the pretty woman. He seemed to 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 for waltz. As they came
around past me, lying at the pier-I mean Lean
ing against the wall near the door-he seemed
to have caught sight of the lizard for the first
time. 1t was showing red and was straininy at
the cable to get over into his neck. He shut
both eyes and blinked hard-the lizard changed
to green and topped its tail at him.
He looked like a sailor who had seen jack-o'-
lantern perched on the bowsprit. His legs had
kept flying to the music. but he missed the step
twice. and the lady chided him. The lizard
signaled blue, then green-then turned a duh
copper color-then reached out one foot for
him. He slipped and got thumped in the neck
by good stout boot from the nearest couple
He gave one yell and scrambled to his feet The
music stopped and lot of people gathered
around him. surprising he was severely hurt
boe ~ 81 away Canic Out
me by the coat as lie went by. l went out
with him, laughing.
"'S-s-say" says he. trembling all over,
dido you-d-d-did you see-i
1.-The lizard in her foretop2 says I. Yes
pretty, isn't it?'
know?' he asked, Frightening up.
81 explained that it was, and laughed till
both Of us were red in the face. He was as mad
as a wet hen.
"'What - fool pretty woman will make
of herself, anyhow" says he, and bolted for
coat room. saw both fellows in Jacksonville
afterward They were both sober and neither
would speak to me-