Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-08-27


ward, Il really does seem cheap. ]
bonnd A hand kerchief about my wounds
while Maude regarded the tall mirror
with an expression In which admiration,
doubt aud disapproval were uppermost
according as her eyes fell upon herseI'
her dress or me.
"Now. Howdy," she said, handing me
a Din much sharper and more pene'
traling than the other, do try 10 use
your intellect this time"
seized the pin aud the dress. l
punetured one fold OF the material, ana
was about 10 reach out after the other
when Maude took four rapid steps
forward with her head over her should
CIR. pursued her on my knees. Tnen
she took four steps backward, and 1
executed a skillful flank movement,
and escaped being run over.
"Maude, said I, what are you try
Ing to do?"
Il lust want to be perfectly sure
that the skirt hangs even," she said.
''For goodness sakel Haven't you got
IL pinned yet?"
With this she swung sixteen points
10 starboard and l followed her, collid-
ing violently with the dressing table
Is / did so. My blood was up, ana 1
resolved that even IL wore my knees
out till they were only half their orig
NAL distance below the belt l would pin
that dress.
Maude took up a hand mirror and In
spected the skirt by double reflection
Then with sudden downward sweep
Of her arm she let the mirror fall. II
was a graceful gesture In which M.
DelSarte would have seen great prom
Sc, but my admiration OF it would
have been greater II the back or the
mirror had not encountered my head in
such a way as 10 depreSs my bump oil
love OF the beautiful nearly two inches.
"Howdy. why don't you hurry up
she cried; you're making me just as
nervous as l can be"
III you'll only stand still"
Now that shows how much man
knows about anything. How can |
tell how the skirt falls II l stand
still? II were a statue that might
answer, but I've got to walk In front Of
but I've got TO walk in front OF whole
I
lot Of people and"
The thought inspired her so that she
began To walk Just as she expected u
DO. I pegged along after her on my
knees like the celebrated soldier whose
legs were hewn in two. Every time
Maude passed the mirror she looked iutI
it. But why mention that? OF course
she did. What woman does not?
The track was not over twenty feet &c
a Lap, but I think We walked eieVeI
miles. My breath came In gaSps' MY
nine dollar pantaloOns were worn tC
single thread across the knees. And
never got the pin through two thick
nesses Of the dress at the same time
As Maude got more and more nervous
she ouickened her pace. l was falling
behind. But pegged on, stretching
out nv hand in desperation toward the
skirt that ever reCeded before me.
How long this continued l cannot
saw. NV brain reeled. / felt
that must inevitably fail, and knew
that this exhibition Of myself would
poison all our HAPPY married life.
should never hear the last OF II. This
was the final effort Of my wavering
mind. When consciousness returned,
was lying upon my face trying to unite
two little folds Of the carpet with that
pin. Maude was standing back 20 the
mirror with the hand glass ia position.
"Howdy," she said, sweetly, Il don't
believe the dress needs anything after
all. The skirt hangs perfectly lovely"
HOWARD FIELDING.