Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-07-09
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waiter and some of the customers too,
were laughing st Us because we were
not in evening dress. or course, 1t
wasn't done openly. Walters seem to
know by. instinct that Barker will tip
them, and our man was outwardly most
polite, but l doubted his sincerity.
Sophy, too, behaved badly, or perhaps
I should say foolishly. Evidently I'M
conscious of the ridiculous figure we
were cutting, she seemed delighted with
everything and showed her delight 80
plainly that everybody must have no.
ticed she was not used to that sort or
thing.
"Isn't this nice, Algernon?" she said.
"Why didn't you bring me here the last
time?"
"Hushl" I whispered. "Don't speak
so loud. These people at the next ia
BILE are listening TO every word we say"
Then she laughed and turned to Bar
ker.
"Mr. Barker" she said, ''don't you
think Algernon is painfully shy9"
was sure the waiter heard that, so
blushed and looked at her reproachfully
but without effect. The thoughtless girl
Joined forces with Barker, and they
teased me till / could hardly est.
hate being teased. and l AN afraid
lost my temper bat just as l was going
to say something sharp we finished, or
at least they did, so rose hastily from
the table and made for the door. Bar
ker had taken off his overcoat, quite
needless OF the probability of having to
tip second waiter for helping him to
put it on again, and so he could not
follow me Immediately. Sophy did,
but when we got to the vestibule she
proposed that we should wait there for
Barker, as it seemed rude TO leave him.
My nerves had been so completely 1p-
set that 1 didn't care what it seemed,
and I told her she could stop If she
liked, but was going down the steps to
look for bus. l went, and she staid,
staring about her in an independent way
as if the place belonged to her. felt
somewhat relieved when l reached the
bottom step, and so escaped TO some ex-
tent from the curious gaze OF the people
lounging about the vestibue. Barker
had told me scores of times that people
do not look at me, and that my fear that
they do is nothing but fancy. But, II it
is, what difference does that make? The
fancy, if you believe in it, is as bad as
the reality.
Now, Sophy is very pretty girl, and
standing about alone as she was-en
tirely through her own fault, of course
she became mark for ell eyes. and
presently some half-tipSy fellow came
up and spoke to her. She looked at
him Indignantly, and he not only spoke
again but caught her by the arm.
Then she screamed-she is just the sort
of girl who puts herself In the way OF
unpleasantness and then screams when
it comes-and remained on the bottom
step in an agony OF nervousness as to
what would happen next.
should have FASTENED to her help,
but the man was very big, and as he
was In evening dress, l felt sure the
sympathies OF the bystsnders would be
with him. did not want to get into
trouble, either, and felt that Sophy
was almost rightly served for staying
there. Nevertheless, | hesitated, and /
really believe that l should have risked
the consequences and gone to her In an
other second, but up came Barker and
asked the fellow what the devil-Bar-
ker sometimes uses very vi0ie~A lao
guage; I have often told him he should
be more careful-he meant by insulting
a lady.
failed TO catch the reply, but It
must have been unsatisfactory, for
Barker Immediately knocked him down.
Then the manager came, and for mo-
ment thought that Barker, who has
no discrimination when he Is angry,
would knock him down, too; but he
contented himself with threatening to
complain to the police about the way In
which the "Gargantuan" was con-
Quoted. 1 thought the manager would
have given Barker into custody, but he
actually apolozived to him, and ordered
the other man off the premises.
Then Barker and Sophy came down
the steps, he swelling like q turkey
cock, and she rather pale but appar-
emily proud Of him.
"Sophy," I said; edo make haste, or
we shall miss the last bus"
"Mr. Barker" said she, ignoring me
altogether, will you see me safely
home? 1 am sorry to trouble you,
but"
Don't mention 1t, Miss Bell" he in
terrupted-I think he is the rudes San
l know-and then straightway got into
a hanson and left me standing there.
I.have not seen Sophy since. She told
me, by letter, that had behaved like
coward, and that she was very glad she
had discovered my real nature before
trusting herself to my care for
life. The accusation was false, Of
course Il was only nervous
but 1 did not condescend to explain,
as after all, married life would have
been expensive. l fancy Barker finds
it so-he has married Sophy-ior he is
not half as free with his money as he
used to be. He is still the bane of my
existence though. Just at the present
he keeps bothering me to come down
and have look at his first, and let by
cones be by cones.
l hate babies--they make me nervous
especially when they cry-and Of
course l shall have to buy something
for Barker's; but for the sake Of peace
in the onice Isuppose shall have 10 go
some day.-ALL the Year Round.