The Van Buren press., 1894-09-15
TWO GIRLS AND A MAN.
fhc Young Women Found Life Less Serious
Than He Did.

He was carefully dressed. There
was not the slightest blemish on his
silk hat. His trousers were carefully
creased, his coat was long, and he held
his stick in the approved fashion. With
him were two charming-looking WON.
en-. Their compilations were fresh,
their teeth white and small, and their
gray eyes bright with an honest, mirth.
full sparkle. They boarded Broad.
way cable car, the girls climbing up
with unconventional alacrity, the man
swinging himself to the platform with
an assumption of easy dignity. The
girls pumped themselves down ON
seat and then crowded closely togeth.
er, for the car was about full, to make
room for him.
"Sit here, George. There is plenty
OF room,' said one, patting about two
inches of space with little hand that
in mouse-colored glove looked very
pretty.
"Oh, no. said George, gfaciousiy.
"You will be more comfortable if
stand up" So the girls smiled and
laughed and chatted, while he stood
straight up with lofty, "know-it-alln
air Those girls were delightful to the
rest of the passengers There was
something about them that showed that
they were not New York girls, though
they were dressed in the proper New
York fashion. They were wholesome
looking girls, who smiled when they
were pleased and laughed when they
were amused. They were full of youth.
full spirits and their innocent frankness
was reflected in their pretty faces.
When they laughed they made no at.
tempt to conceal the clear ring of their
voices. There was not the slightest
affectation in their manner; not the
faintest trace of a s'pose.n
Every movement and posture of the
young man was studied to give him a
cold, calm, superior appearance. If he
were not to the New York manner
born, he was at least carefully trained
to it.
1t was warm in the car, and he step
ped forward to catch the cooling breeze
on the front platform. The door was
open and he took up dignified position
there.
"No standing on the platform" said
the gripman, curtly.
"Oh, is that the rule?' said the other,
stepping back.
In two pairs of gray eyes there was a
CLEAN of fun that George should
have been caught tresspassing New
York rule. One pair Of pretty lips
curved suspiciously, giving warning OF
little laugh. Another pair, pressed
tightly together, held in check what
would have been musical peal. Swift
glances were exchanged.
Just then the car gave quick twist,
and George" went forward with a
lurch. To save himself, he caught
the handle of one of the doors. The
weight of his body drew it to
ward him. Broadway cars, as those
who ride on them know, have
double DOORS When one opens its
half brother does the same. When one
closes the other comes half way to
meet it. Poor George worked his own
destruction. His body kept the doors
from closing entirely, but they crushed
his splendid hat and they skinned his
well-shaped nose, sending his stick tc
the floor with most unconventional
clatter.
There was an alarm in the faces OF
the young women then, but when he
gathered up his hat and stick, and with
a bored, uninterested look on his face,
resumed as easy a position as circum
stances would permit, the countenances
of the girls changed.
"A man-trap,' he said, with calm
scorn, and at that it came-two burst,
Of ringing laughter. They tried to stop
but they could not He did look like q
fool, standing there with naughty
look on his face, but battered hat or
his head, passionless, steely eye
but a skinned nose. Peal after pea
came, not loud and vulgar, but musica'
and mirth-stirring. There was nc
stopping that merriment. They
laughed and they smiled, and it must
be confessed, they giggled. Every time
their eyes met they either began with
a giggle and ended with laugh, or
starting with a laugh, ran it into a
giggle. And all the while he stood ii
his end of the car like statue which
some irreverent man had decorated
with smashed silk hat.
The passengers, two, were joining il
the chorus. That merriment was ire
sistibly infectious, and however much
one could admire the unflinching cour
age the young man, sympathy was witt
those girls, who did not take life so Sc
riously as the man.
Finally they got up. Before they
reached the rear platform the young
man began to administer severe re
proof in low tone.
"Isn't it enough" he said, "to have I
gripman show his insolence, and t.
have lot of stupid passengers snickel
at mans unavoidable mishaps, with
out having his own sifters humiliat'
him?".
"But, George, said one in whisper
''you did look so funny"
They were fling off the platform int
the street now.
ut may be funny" said the yount
man, with lofty scorn, 'but l call i
very unbecoming. My own sisters
but the rest was lost in the merry peals
which again burst from the girls.-N
Y. Tribune.
Waiting to Get Even.
Mr. Citiman-Well, Uncle Jehiel, VI