Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1893-01-11
THAT CORSET.

/ The announcement that the engagement
If Teddy O'Mara to the rich widow Nc
Donaghue would have caused less surprise
n social circles IL the circumstances which
brought the courtship to close had been
more generally known. But both the
fances had been discreet, II was known
that Ted had been keeping company with
One wealthy widow, but what had induced
Der to depart from her oft expressed de-
termination never to give Pat McDona-
ghue successor was a mystery.
If Ted had been young and handsome
her choice might have been accounted for
But he was fifty II he was quarter Of an
Hour, and when he dropped nickel in the
slot the arrow did not stay Its motion till
d had passed the point Of goo His circum-
ference was longest at the equator. From
Chat line it tapered up and down. Like so
pany other San Franciscans, Ted had once
Been rich, but having In an i'll advised mo-
rhent resolved to get even with that grasp
hg bonanza firm he had left most of his
din on the bleak shore OF Pine street, and
gas eking out a small remainder of his
fortune by precarious Jobs as a real estate
snd insurance broker. His symptoms. as
the homoeopathists say, indicated marriage
With woman of means. And Teddy who
vas jovial, good tempered and full OF fun,
DID not despair OF carrying conviction to
She mind Qf one of the many California
Widows whose husbands had been judicious
dough to die before they lost their money.
After much accommodating he had fixed
his glittering eye on Mrs. McDonaghue,
whose husband had been killed in the
Bloody Bootjack mine just after he had
struck pay ore; the widow sold her interest
d. the mine for a round million. and had
lived sumptuously on the interest ever
since in a roomy house in the Mission.
She had no children, but she could always
Ind girls TO accompany her to the park, or
q the theater, or to the watering places
a. the season. Like Ted, she had run to
Rlipose. None but the descendants of
Longitharm could clasp her waist. Few
chairs could sustain her weight. Her
favorite seat was sofa.
When she became aware that Teddy was
paying her attention with q view to mat
rimony she told him that he was ridicu-
bus.
"Misther O'Mara," said she, "there is no
carriage built in which we two could sit
side by side. II we walked the streets
srrum and arrum, we'd push every one
iuto the gutter"
"Misthress McDonaghue," said he, "av
could hold your warrum, plump hand In
Hoine, the whole worruld might pitch into
the gutter for anything I'd care"
but the widow had been so long weaned
from thoughts of love that she laughed at
Teddy's gush, and he made but little prog
hss. He brought her flowers, which she
shifted without the least sense of gratitude
10 the donor. He brought her candies,
which she gave to her girl friends He
bought her theater tickets, which she ac-
opted on condition that he was not to ac-
cbmpany her "D'ye want" she would
say. ito have us taken for freaks from the
clrcus--the fat couple from Oireland inn
ported at great expinse"
She was always glad to see him, asked
him to dinner, and gave him old sherry
Which the late McDonaghue had laid in
sound wine which that rogue Ted loved,
but when he tried to breach the subject Of
bis hopes, she made fun of him. After a
long campaign he succeeded in obtaining
tle privilege of holding her hand. IL was
3pudgy hand, with short, stubby fingers;
bis own was fat, very fat, so that when he
field hers the clasped hands looked like
two obese mollusks glued together.
There were times when he despaired
But his circumstances were not improv-
ing, and he would not give up the game so
long as he had not been actually shown the
door.
One day when he called he was told that
the widow had gone to Santa Cruz
| Happy thought Why should he not go
too? The sea air opens the heart. At
watering places ladies pine for alteration
There Is no business there. Everybody
firts, when any one can be found to flirt
With. Women have nothing to do hut to
listen TO words of love. He would go to
Santa Cruz in a brand new outfit of clothes,
and would push his suit with ardor. IL
the widow had any heart at all he would
Gnd it. He was good swimmer; he
Might have a chance of saving her life
At any rate he would show her what he
Gould do in the foaming breakers. He
You'd prove to her that he was not too old
for love or for any other manly exercise.
. IL did not take him long after his arrival
TO ascertain that the widow bathed daily,
apd that she had several bathing suits, OF
different colors, which she had brought
down with her. AT the hour she was ex-
pected he appeared at the baths and de-
handed a bathing suit. The man who dis
penses those garments looked at him
doubtfully, and then called his wife. who
siso inspected him. Then said the man:
Z "I'm afraid we have no suit that will fit
9gentleman Of your size"
"Tutl nonsense!" replied Ted. "You
must find suit. My doctor orders me to
take salt water baths. My death may be
on your head If you prevent me. I'll
squeeze myself into any suit"
2 ( While the visitor was uttering these
calculations the man and his wife were
s'n-uit;nk ia wA;spars. Ted caught the
L,sG remark Of the wife;
'Pd risk it, It's odds she won't come to-
day. She said yesterday that bathing gave
ier a headache. II she does come, why,
we'll say the missing suit fell into the wa
Ter and is hanging out to dry"
cit goes" whispered the man. Then to
Die visitor: 81 think you'll find what you
want in ~. The boy will show you the
xShy non ba fftv centA for the suit il