The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1894-03-23
MRS. BEMIS.

the subject of college "reminiscences,
have it on my mind to add one of mine
which 1 have always been good deal
ashamed of. But as this Is sort Of
confessional, l don't mind telling it,
on condition that my name, at least,
win not be mentioned II 1t Is repeated.
1t has a moral for the thoughtless and
the censorious, as you shall see"
Thus spoke Harry Crompton, as he
and two of his old college chums, Rob
ert Ware and James Greene, sat smok-
ing In his particular sanctum some ten
years after they had finished their col
legiate course.
"You remember those pretty little
brick houses on the left or the college
which we had to pass ON our way to
and from lectures? WE'LL there We're
four Of us, as you know, in our last
term, who lived In the large white
house just beyond those cottages-Ed-
ward Hare, Tubly Brown, Harry Frost
and myself-and great times we used
to have together. But what n conceit-
ed lot of idiots we were, to be sure
'eThe first, or corner house of the
row, had been vacant a long time, and
we somehow took an interest in It,
speculating as to what the next tenant
would be like, and whether there would
be any girls in the family. One day
we saw indications that somebody was
10 live there, for several drays and
wagon loads of furniture were oppo-
site 1t. A few evenings later we saw
n girl with about as pretty face and
figure as you could imagine, watering
some flowers in the little front window
garden. We held our breaths almost,
she was so exceedingly pretty, and
nrr4- tnd hn,, 20 l,,el,
and draw behind the curtain from out
of range Of our too apparent admira-
ton.
'The house now possessed real
charm for all of us, but, alas! II was
the cause of great change in our be-
hav1or towards one another. The
. chums that were, Were chums no long
cr. Each one would make some ex-
cuse to pass that window, where row
the object of our admiration was gen
orally engaged in some kind Of needle
work which women seem everlastingly
doing and are never done with. Our
evenings were no longer spent together
over a comfortable pipe and game of
whist. l think we used to go sneak
ing round the house to try to get n
look at her shadow on the blind. At
least, I'll be candid enough to say did.
'Things became more and moro
strained until one evening, by the lner-
est chance, we happened to be all to-
gether in the smollingroom. We
puffed away in grim silence for a while,
when suddenly Tubly Brown-you re-
member Tubly, don't you, jim? great
but. good chap; always first to
make up to a fellow even when you
knew he was in the right of n quarrel
oil VNtt1A Alr It1p ont In, 1pr11i i,1fy Dy.d
slapped me ON the back with his pom
derous hand. 1 asked him surlily what
the matter was, and for an answer he
only chuckled the more, md finally
blurted out:
Look here, you fellows, what's the
good Of our falling out about a chit of
a girl with whom none of us are even
acquainted? Dash it all! We've been
chums for three years, and I'm ready
to give up any little advantage i have
in that quarter for the sake of auld
lang syne.'
"This allusion to his advantage rath-
er nettled the remainder of us, of
course. None of us could see it, and
Hare said he thought he had more or
Il pull than any one One thing led to
another, until we began telling how
many smiles and mods had been cast
in our direction, each man trying to
outdo the other In eXaggeration. FL
nally said:
"'Well, it is plain that since she is
equally charming to us all, she must
be an outrageous little filrt. What
shall we do, boys, to pay her off for
fooling us?
"Oh, by the way broke in Frost.
I heard for the first time to-day that
she is married!
"A chorus of Obs and Nos greeted
this piece of information, and particu-
lars We're asked for and given. 1t
TUNED out that her husband was n
bOokkeeper in wholesale house down
town; he went to his office early and
did not return until late at night, so
that we never saw him.
Worse and more of itr said Tubly.
She deserves a good lesson.
Each of us knew in our hearts that
our yarns about her smiles and mods
were lies, but each thought she might
have encouraged the other, and Jealous
madness seemed to seize us, with its
usual desire for revenge. Then and
there we cOncocted q scheme to humI-
late that pretty, Innocent little woman.
I'VE all met the next day which was
Sunday, and watched the house from
a short distance. After a while We
saw Mrs. Bemis, as we discovered her
name to be- and her husband come out
prepared to take walk together. Now
was our chance! We carefully noted
the direction they took and marched
Off in the opposite one, so that by the
time we got round the block on which
the college stood we would meet them
face to face. We went single file, al
n NJ
rounded the corner. / was first, and
rs l passed the pair I raised my hat
with great flourish saying at the
same time
How do you do, Mrs. BemisT
"She naturally looked confused, and
!, glancing behind. saw the husband