The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-21


my assistant told me that the dress was .
very good and new one. and that the mans
manner was just bit suspicious"
you didn'ttake it, theD?"
You don't know where be went?"
No idea"
The red-hearded man plunged back into
MS morning pager. and the woman hurried
on upon her quest. Should she turn up the
street or down. The sight of distant
gilnmer OF gilt balls decided her, aud she
found herself in another Office. They had
seen nothing there either OF her husband
or of the dress.
She paused irresolute outside the door
Then she reflected that If her husband had
come up the road, ha would certainly have
come there. He must. then. have turned
down. She entered the first pawnbroker's
in that direction. and there was the gray
foulard dress HANGING upon hook right in
front OF her, She gave a cry of joy at the
sight OF 1t. 1t was not yet o. and there was
time to keep her appointment.
That's my Dress, she gaspad.
The pawpbroker gazed at her euriously
st was pawned this morning. marin, oy Il
small, dark man.
Yes, sir. that was my husband. How
much did he get on it p
Three pound five."
She had put some money into her pocket
when she left home. Now she laid four
soyereigns upon the counter.
''Please let me have 1t at once"
where's the ticket?"
"Ihe ticket? / have none"
Then you can't have the dress"
But it is my dress, and here is the none.
Why can | not have it?'
Il am very sorry for you. marin. But we
must stick to the law. Suppose | take your
money and give YOU your dress, and sup
pose then your husband comes here with
the ticket and demands his cIedop what
Qunld N him . He Is,
price on it, and | should have to pay him."
But promise you he won't come Do.
do let me have the dress. I've promised it
to a customer at 10.
Il tell you that l can't. and there's an end
OF IL" said the pawnbroker. turning upon
his heel.
1t was hearthreaking to be within touch
Of 1T and not to be allowed TO take it. And
yet she could not blame the pawnbroker
She could see that he could rot act other
wise. What remained then? To find her
husband. But how could she tell in which
of a hundred puble-houses lie was making
amends for his long abstention. She paced
wildly up and down the pavement. What
would this lady think of her? She hal
given promise. and promise had always
been q sacred thing With her. Was there
no way iii which she could manage? AMI
then suddenly an idea came to her, and size
ran as hard as she could back to her own
house, rushed into the back room, opened
her drawer, poured her little heap of saw
ings into Ter purse, and fastened out 10
catch an eastward bound bus.
At Bond street she got out and sped to the
window where she had first undertaken this
unhappy contract.
Thank God. the dress was still unsold in
the window She remembered that the lady
had said that the measurements were cor
rect. In i've minutes more her whole saw
ings had gone into the till of the wealthy
retail firm, and she, with her great card
board box, was driving ar the top of her
speed to Palace Gardens.
MY dear Alice" remarked her friend,
who had dropped in early that morning in
order to criticize the costume, you see it
never does to trust people in thar class OF
life. She said 10 O'Clock, and now it is five
minutes past. They have no idea of the
nature of promise"
mo, | suppose not Still, she is sure TO
come, for have not paid her anything yet.
is not so very late after all.
The dress was duly unpacked. and Mrs.
Alice Give put it oil at once, while her
friend and the dressmaker walked slowly
around her with sIdelong heads, cycling il
up and down.
well. dear. now do you like it? It feels
very comfortable and seems to sit we'll
about the shoulders"
''Oh, yes, l think II will do. / don't
think, however, that the f0ulard is quite OF
the same quality as that which we saw in
the shop"
II assure you, madam, that it Isl"
well, Mrs. Raby, l am sure you will
acknowledge that the lace in Inferior"
mo, it is precisely the same
The lady critic shrugged her shoulders.
feriority of the cut" said she. II cannot
refuse to believe my own eyes,"
well, at least, it is not dear at tina.
price,"
cit Is entirely matter of taste" the
other rejoined, "but confess that would
rather pay fifteen guineas for the other thai
ten for this
well. veil, on the whole / am pretts
we'll satisfied" said Mrs. Give and paid
the ten pounds to the silent, weary woman
who stood before her.
But strange and wondrous are the ways
OF woman. and where is the man who shall
grasp them? As she walked home, tired.
I0Ots0re, the loser In time ana in money,
with all her little hopes shattered to ruins,
aud all to be built up once more, she saw a
crowd OF jeering boys at the corner Of the
Brompt0n road. and, peeDing over their
shoulders. she caught glimpse of a horrid
crawling figure, hatless head and dali
vacant leering face. In all instant she hau
called cab.
1T is my husband" said shs, "he is Ill =
Help me get him into the cab. policeman.
We live near BY.
They thrust him into four-wheeler. and
she got in beside him. holding him up in
her arms. His coat was covered with dust
and bs mnmbled and chuckled like an ape
AS the cab drove on she threw his head
down upon her bosom, pushed back his
struggling hair and cro0ned over him like
mother over baby.
did they make fun of him, then ?" she
cried. did they call him names? He'll
come home with mis- little wiley, and he'll
never be naughty boy again"
IL 4
why should men demand miracle wnle
you remain upon earth?-A Conan bowl