The Portland daily press., 1893-11-06

most of the ladies who mad charge of stalls
abandoned them for awhile and deserted
into the dining room.
Then Sam Brassey stepped up to the win
dow of the postofice.
Are you going to see the drawing of the
prize, Miss Bessy?" he asked.
NO." she answered, II shall stick to nv
post"
''That's all rightr' he returned, and
smile lightened his face. "That's all right
Then here's my quarter"
So saying, he placed the coin before her
and hurried away.
"But what's it fora" she cried. There
was no reply, as he had already left the
house.
The ballroom was almost empty by this
time. Mr.. Harry Brackett, who had been
writing most amusing letters from Sandy
Beach to the Gotham Gazette. was standing
before the well and slipping glass of lem
onaGe for which he had just handed Miss
Rebecca a So bill, receiving no change.
'sHow much of this tipple have you hads"
he asked her.
"Two big buckets FULL" she answered.
"Why?''
Mr.. Bracket made no reply, but began
to peer earnestly among the vines which
formed the bower and draped the well.
What are you doing?" asked Miss Re
becca
81 was looking for the other half of that
lemon" he replied.
Then he offered her his arm, and they
went off together into the dining room to
see who should win the prize.
Miss Bessy Martin was left quite alone
in her corner Of the ballroom. She was
counting up her gains when the telephone
bell rang sharply. Before she could put
the money down and go to the instrument
there came a second impatient ting-a-ling.
Somebody seems to be in hurry" she
said as she took her station before the box
and raised the receiver to her ear
Then began one of those telephone con-
versations which are as one sided as any
discussion in which a lady takes part, and
which are quite as annoying to the listener.
The torture of Tantalus was but a tride
compared with the suffering of an inquisi-
tive person who is permitted to hear the
putting of question and debarred from
listening to the answer. Fortunately there
was no one left in the ballroom near enough
to the postoffice corner to hear even the
half of the conversation now to be set down.
Hello, hello!' was the obligatory remark
with which Bessy Martin began her COLO
guy across the wire.
Of course the response of her partner in
the CONTEMPLATION was as inaudible as he
was invisible.
"Oh, it's you, Mr.. Brassey, is itp"
-?
"Yes. wondered why you had run off
80 suddenly"
-?
'You have paid your quarter. and you
can talk to me just two minutes"
ST like to listen to you too.'
"Of course didn't mean thatl You ought
to know me BETTER"
-?
I "What did you sayW :,
mot laselys"
eyes, she had on blue dress, and I
thought she looked like a fright. Didn't
your"
"who were you looking at them"
"At mes Oh, Mr.. Brasseyp' : /
'No. They are not here now" J
'There's nobody here at ALL"
Eyes, I'm all alone-there isn't creature
In sight"
p
IT love secrets. Tell mer'
"Tell me nowv'
"Why can't you tell me now9 I'm Just
dying to know"
81 don't believe you'll die"
mo. there isn't anybody here at all-no-
body; nobodyp'
Besides, nobody can hear you but me-"
"of course Pm glad to talk. What girl
tsn't?"
"Well. it is lonely here just now"
II can't chat half as well through a tele-
phone as can face to face"
"Oh, thank you, sir. That was really
very pretty indeedl If you could see me,
I'd blush!'
-?
Can you really see me in your hearth"
-?
How poetic you are tonightr'
-?
"I just dote on poetryr'
-?
''Well, do love other things too."
-?
"Oh, Mr.. Brassey"
-?
'You take me SO by surprised
--?
you really have startled me sop
-?
II never thought of such thing at alp
-?
Yes. "--Exchange.
~ Corjuga1 Conundru1n.
Mrs. WickWi,e-What IS the difference
between me and y chicken, dearF
Mr.. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. IS yeals, guess.
Mrs. Wickwire-Oh, you hateful thing.