The Somerset reporter., 1893-05-11

never tired Of dancing attendance upon
the little widow, and he praised her till
ms brother officers were sick Of her very
iiame. And now he was her accepted
lover and although their marriage was
not announced it was tacitly understood.
Strongthearn had but one failing; he
smoked morning. noon and night. 1t
was real grievance to him that the
queens regulations did not allow him to
smoke on parade. Now, Mrs. Redmayne
hated tobacco, and ever since his court
ship Stronglthearin had become non
tlnoker for her dear sake. Ii was a So
we're penance to him, but he bore it like
a man; he suffered in silence and never
complained.
But one fatal afternoon Strongthearm
was tempted and Strongithearin fell. \
very exalted parsonage, indeed. was ac-
customed occasionally to drop into the
Warriors club. Once inside its exclusive
walls the exalted parsonage used to un-
bend and become very much ike an or
binary mortal. His proceedings were
always exactly the same, He would take
up his position III front Of the fire or at
the window, according to the season Of
the year, order a brandy and soda. pail
out his cigar case and politely offer
cigar to one of the Warriors. and linen
for the next half hour the distinguished
parsonage was Int an ordinary member
Of the club. Bat there Is an etiquette
even III little things.
No one had ever been known to refuse
10 smoke the offered regalia it was 4
kind Of royal command which could hot
lie disobeyed-and so il happened that
Strongithcarm. who had been innoccntly
sitting at tla window waiting for Mrs.
Redmayne's little victoria to pass found
himself the recipient of the royal bount Z
in the shape Of very dark looking lla-
sana of exquisite flavor. There was
nothing for it. The captain lighted up
with smile and groan, and all the
other Warriors envicd him his luck, and
then he and the distinguished parsonage
continued to stare ont of the window ana
criticise the plssersby.
They had not been three minutes there
when the little victoria flashed past, with
its cockaded coachman and its pair Of
fiery chestnuts. The big pink sunshade
was tilted on one side, and pretty little
Mrs Redmayne looked up at the viii
dow and smiled Then StrongtheaYn
blushed to his ears and returned her sa-
Lutte. as did the distinguished parsonage
at his side.
Il fancy that bow was meant for You.
You're lucky fellow. Captain Strongi-
thealm. AheIn. Who is she;'
strongithearm wonld have liked to lie
10 him. but that unfortunately is con-
traiy to etiquette. Widow of Justice
Redmayne," he replied. AT least be
lieve So"
Seemed TO know one of IT. ut all
events, said the distinguished person
age. splendid compleXion Wonder if
il is her own
ooh, it's perfectly genuine" blurted
out Strongithearlu, and then he felt that
he had made an ass of himself
The president of the Warriors club Che
was likewise the titular colonel of tht
regiment looked annoyed. He did hot
say anything however, but went oll
calmly fumigating himself and Captain
Strongithearm. Strongithealm would
have boltcd if he had dared, hut the stern
unwritten law of tyrant custom for-
babe it.
Il wonder whether her complexion
would stand the Glove test" said tn,
distinguished parsonage. Its Won
derful thing, that Glove test" he con
tinued, with the air of one about to inn
part scientific fact You know The
Glove test, Captain Strongithearmt'
The distinguished parsonage, like the
rest of his family, hardly ever forgets a
name.
Cant say do, your
"Not know the Glove test? I've known
it ever since | was a boy burst in the
other Its an invaluable thing TO knew
an infallible test You get Il Glove
you know, and you've only got to get
near enough to the suspected cheek and
that not generally so very difficult, by
gad.-and just to breathe upon it, and
if it's paint it turns black at once"
And there was instantly "a chorus OF
testimony to the truth of the distin-
guished personages assertion from tle
Warriors present.
"You don't seem to he getting on with
that weed continued the Distinguished
Parsonage; Try another" and out came
the hosltable cigar case.
There was nothing for IT, To hear is
to obey" is in London as solemn duty
as at the sublime porte. Strongithearm
accepted the cigar, and this time tool,
good care not = let it go out. The CONVEX
sation then became general, and the dis
tinguished parsonage having turned hi-
back for an instant, Captain Strongithe-
arm seized the opportunity to make hls
escape
And as he went down the stairs of the
Warriors club his soul was tortured by
unworthy suspicious. Was it possihl9
that Cissy Redmayne's complexion was
not her OWL? cat any rate thought
the captain to himself, I'll get some
cloves. It'll take the beastly smell of the
smoke away anyhow" And he went int
the nearest chemists and made his pur-
chase. Then he had his hair brushed
at Douglas and was vaporized with
strong odors, and he bought II squeezer
Of The Exclusive Bouquet" from the
Young lady with the ringlets, and the
lac jumped into a cab and drove stiHight
to MAYFAIR, and in the cab he deodorizrll
his garments to the best of his ability
with the pungent perfume and munchaa
away at his packet of cloves.
Tho can't ,A-a. tpt TIL