New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-10
OUT OF STEP.
I'll.
TWO GIRLS.
cspyrfqnt. 1893: BIZ The Tribune Assccta,,on.

grinninQ az she watched Mr. Lincoln going ponder
ously toward Miss Nnnay She'll witllcr him
all up, and it'll do him lot of good TO be
wthered I declare I must soc something going
OIL besides doctors cutting peoples heads open
Nelly passed out into the open porch, and stood
there leaning against post She could not with
hold her admiration from Miss Nunay as the
girl paused in response to a gesture made by Mr..
lincoln: hut Ncys admiration was saturated
with the quick and unrcasonlng hatred that comes
80 often to youth
She had instantly decided in her own mind that
Miss Nunally had no right TO be engaged to that
young man in the bedroom. That young man
belonged to Salome, that is, if Salome wanted
him 10 belong to her. In the bottom of her heart
Nelly hoped that Salomc did not want him. She
felt sure that it would make matters simpler and
easier in every way if Saomc should scorn him.
But perhaps he was going TO die; that solving
of the affair would simplify things still more.
Nelly in the great hardness of her young heart,
thought it would be a good thing II that man
died and there was an end 90 it all in that way.
Yes. he might far better Die What curious
thing it was that those two girls, Salome and
Miss Nunally, were in love with him. Yes, they
certainly were in love. How interesting they
must be- to themselves! Nely's mind al this point
suddenly flashed of TO the conclusion that Miss
Nunally should Moore die would be chiei mourncr,
since Miss Nunaly was the TO whom DIR.
Sands had tcegraphed.
Portia was now standing before Mr. Lincoln
and looking at him. He duly aware that
he had never woman in the least like this
There was something about her that made his
small eyes brighten as he gazcd. And some dim
sense Of her insolcnce stung him somewhat But
it was interesting to see her. OF course she must
81. IL,
had been instructed for the last thirty years by
his wife that it was bad women who were by FAR
the most likely TO be interesting. Mr.. Lincoln
was positively sure, by the light OF this bringing
up, that his wife not bad woman since she
was not in the least interesting.
Il hone You're : well + could lie expected at
last remarked the man. lie had had a kind OF
hope that his companion would speak hrst, ana
thus open the way To conversation; hut lie vas
greatly mistaken in this hope
"Thank you." said Portia She did not go
away a. she might have d1r'. She stood th'f"
easily looking AT the man. III" wa, beginning
10 lie CONSCIOUS oil 4 slant dc-i'" oi 'h''-hilHi-
ness for any KIND OF diversion. She Wa ind
OF that horrible dead level Of suffering III"
WA not fitted TO suffer. She had no doubt that
some peopb, were iittcd TO suffer. Size wondered
calmly what made this mans face 80 puIp'c, rlnc'
il was a cool day, and why did Ills lett ry"lh
| twitch 80 before lac spoke She should thlnk ms
wife would 20 mad with seeing that dreadful
twitch every day Of her life
Mr. Lincoln was now divided between two
emotions; a regret that he had Addrc,,0 tii~
| .url and "A desire 10 continue to stand th"i" and
gaze at her.
Il understand he began. Here he Wa con
scion- Of a strong wish that hr had taken hi
v,bin with him when hc left hi- cart The i'''l
Of hi, whip III Ia, right hand an accustomed
and much needed >fimulant 10 lin mental lac1l-
ties He was also thinking that probably there
were '|Ihs Of gals Jc,t like this on all round IN
I the thick --.ttl"d places
81 understand, he began again, that il" man
that's ben huIt-caus.. unknown this pliId@'
stokrn somewhat proudly MAS A"hr beau
| neg your PARDON sad I"rtia
That word beau" always made 'irr III, she had
Once, told Salomc IL word calculated I"
! utoduc. i disastrous effect upon her wh"li"'"r ehc
heard ii.
MIR Lincoln did not know why she begged his
pardon. but he laboriousIy repeated mat ne ha''
| understand that the man who han been hu't' cause
unknown was her beau. lie gained courage WIN
,r,,. ,.petition to make an addition 10 his re-
marks He said his vito Ma prevented py
rheum,tIsm from coming over with him lie
had b.en greatly aggravated by her going out
IN the pOpple swamp u pich """e'''''
oh, said Portia.
| y.s , said MIR Lincoln with hir eyes what the
old novel, used TO call "gued' to the girls face.
popple swamps is no place for old women with
rheumatics'
MIR. Lincoln sometimes. when sufficiently re-
| un,-d from his wife's presence, greatly ehJoy'd
! .Ieaking Of her as an old woman
II. now had "a fast grOwing SENSE thaI II" "aS
living himself up 10 what seemed ~ MN Il 'i""'l
admiration Of Mis- Nnnallys complexion. MI
the ".women folks whom he habltnally saw mao
AN almost exhlarating sense OF dlssIpitloh. lie
that there could not be a woman whose lace
| was not frecklcd But here one Whose skin
was-Mr. Lincoln staggered mentally when lie
came to try to find a COMPARISON
And 70 look at Porta Nunally gave the hulk
ing. elderly, bovine creature standing near h"'
an almost celebrating sense OF dissipation. lie
could not understand IT. But then 1t was
long time now since Mr. Lincoln had tried t'
understand anything; and h" seemed to ren'm
no, that when he had formerly tried he had
never succeeded.
lie wa. wondering now what he had been say
ino AGAIN he wished that be- had his whip /.
his right hand
On, ne was rdNlnS SoH''"i"t ""'"' "'T WV
rhcumatics. But there did not seem to be- any
thing more to add or that SUBJECT lie dld mo-
know bnt that he ought 10 90 out TO his cart now
If he only had his whip
He did not wish TO go home without indin,
ont something about that wedding drcss. ~
much hung on that, in Mrs Lncons mind.
1t must be dretful hard to BEAR" he now
remarked.
And again Portia said
IL beg your pardon" and again he repeated hi
words
His face grew more purple and hIs cyclic
twitchcd more markedly than before.
81 mean to have your beau hurt 80 sudden
cause unknown"
YES" said Portia.
The girl was finding an enjoyment in the en-