The Penn's Grove record., 1895-08-09

~sA#tYF.N.sZNr started in tn
AHvS-NSCA( TNf same caree
R$NA<lIe< than 1 resigne,
EMENSASNST my position OIL
mStsfs III ny account Of tw,
SESRN4 peaches.
- was a regn
lar chip OF the old block, and m,
Gather thought nothing could equal
Government career. So, after / hat
graduated, no one urged me to dc
anything but take a subordinate plAc,
in my fathers department. 1 did moi
feel strongly drawn toward another
vocation, and submissively started OF
the uninteresting highway of bureau.
cracy. I was a diligent fellow snd
well disciplined, for l had been taught
from my cradle to respect superior Of
fieials and to defer 20 those in author.
ity; SO I was noticed by my chiefs ant
rapidly passed the first grades Of
clerkship. When I was twenty-five,
my director, who was fond Of me,
gave me a place in his office, and I be.
came the envy of my comrades They
already spoke of me az q prospective
superior clerk, and predicted q bright
future. 1t was then that I married.
Ny wife was q beautiful girl, and,
what is better, very good and sffeo.
tionate; but she had no fortune. That
was q grave fault in the eyes of the lit.
tie world of clerks in which I lived.
They were very positive. They re,
garded marriage only IS q bushes,
transaction, and they invariably took
for a rule that "if the husband provides
the breakfast, the wife must provide
the dinner" But my vile and / b
tween Us hsd hardly enough to eus
meagrely. Everybody said ] hsi daae
very silly thing, and more than cos
blunt colleague II ~ department. de-
clsred briefly that I YES 3 .oos k1s Ia;
villtully put nv foot Il Il ysr@Ehs
less, nv vits Vas rsrr svssi All lore
ly, and, by living ao5asilT Gni wild
great economy, Es Eraae5si II nkk-
ing both ends meet. Tao1Ehuy lscl
of foresight vzs stl coa54u1el fhs
society people Of tie place igzs3 Il
continue inviting Is
Ny chief vas rich, and d=tyhis5 Z
being conspicuous, pridiEg himself o.
making 8 fine appearance II the social
world. He frequently received gave
elegant dinners and, from time q
time, issued i~nvitstions for q dancing
party to the families Of his employees
and to the prominent people Of the
town. My wife was suffering from
neuralgia some months after our q g
riage, and, though I would much pre-.
ferred to remain at home with her, j
was obliged to go alone to these en-
tertainments, for my chief would no.
allow any one to decline his invitation.
his subordinates must sven anus
themselves according to his orders
One night there was q grand bali at
the directory, and, of course, whether
I would or no, I had to don my even
ing clothes and go.
While 1 put the finishing touches T.
my white crsyat, my wife gave me
numerous suggestions: at viii be
perfectly lovely. Do not fail 10 see
everything SO as TO tell me aft9rward
The m of the ladies who are there,
the toilets, and the supper ment--for
there is to be a supper. 1t seems that
they have ordered a great many deli
cacies from Chevet-soms rare fruits :
I heard of peaches that cost sixty cent?
~apiece-oh, what peaches they mus.
bel Do you know, if you were good,
you would bring me one"
demonstrated, I showed her tbs,
the thing was imprsct;cable and how
difficult. it would be for q man in a
dress suit to put such fruit as a peach
In his pocket without che risk Of being
seen and pointed out. The more, /
objected, the more bent upon her within
did she become.
Son the contrary, nothing could b
easier. In the midst Of the crowd
coming and going to supper, no one
would see you. Take one as il for
yourself, and then hide ID adroitly.
Don't shrug your shoulders. Perhaps
1t is only a bit of childishness; but /
long for one; ever since I heard of
those peaches. I have had a wild de-
sire to taste them. Promise to bring
ne one, at least"
How could a man give Q downright
refusal to the woman he adored? ]
ended by murmuring 9 vague promise
and then fastening away but Just as
[ turned the handle Of the door she
sailed me back. I saw her big blue
eyes, bright with longing, turned upon
me, and she cried once more: 'Do
Tou promise?"
The ball was very fine flowers every
Shere, elegant toilets, and excellent
music. The Project, the President of
the Tribunal, the officers of the garri.
ion, and all of the department clerks
we're there. Our chief had spared
aothing to give brilliancy to this en-.
tartainmant. of which hia wife ard
daughter did the honors most grs.
ciously. At midnight, supper wa
served, and the dancers fled into the
aining-room in couples. I followed,
trembling, and scarcely had I entered
before / saw the famous peaches sent
by aChevet occupying q conspicuouT
place in the centre of the table.
They were, indeed, magnificent
There was a pyramid of them in a
shina basket, carefully arranged with
grape leaves, which brought out the
Appetizing color of their velvety skins
where deep red shaded into greenish
white. From seeing them one could
easily imagine the fragrance and deli
cate flavor of tho luscious, rosy pulp.
My eyes caressed them from afar, and
I thought of the joyous cries that
would greet me on my return il I suc-
ceeded in carrying home sample Of
this perfect fruit. They were excit.
ing general admiration, and the more
I gazed at them, the more did my de-
sire take the shape of a fixed purpose.
/ determined to have one or two. But
how? The walters kept q watch ovei
this rare and costly delicacy, our host
having reserved for himself the plea,
sur of offering his peaches to certain
guests. From time to time. at O sirr