Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-08-14

Nno ALohhinRb, btflCtly u Ihiully oHhlr, anu
was duly elated, for no knew 10 meant the
crucial moment Of his lifo, when he would
DO considered u possible lover for tho clever
Edith Lossing, 60 whom he had lost his
heart on first acquaintance.
The dinner was ono OF those dainty ag-
gregations of silver and cut glass and dec
orativo china which give n bizarre effect
to our meals at tho present time, even
whom ones feelings must bo tied with
blue ribbon or kept out OF sight, and when
IL Is IA social crime To eat anything with n
spoon. But Royal Mathews was accus-
toned To modern luxury and would have
died before he would have admitted that
no did not know tho whole social shibbo-
10th. That Edith LOSING would attempt
to judge or n mans morals by his man
ners never occurred to him.
Before the dinner was well begun Ma
thews was aware that I'm some way no had
offended Miss Losing.
Edith Lossing's friends were much
afraid that she would ond her days In sin
gle blessodness, or else go through the
woods and pick up tho 1gurative crooked
stick AS last opportunity. So many ell
gible men had sought her hand and been
refused that IL was currently reported that
she had been disappointed In love and was
determined to live and die an old maid
Her friends had on several occasions an
nounced themselves satisfied with the can
didate only to be told that Miss Edith had
refused him.
Tho trouble was that Edith was hyper
critical. 1t was so with other things be-
sides the affections. Sho took all tho
sweetness out of life by finding It's sugar
was adulterated with chalk. She left the
sky out of her landscapes and mutilated
her friends by petty criticism. She had
heard or read somewhere that manners
were the shadows Of morals and by this
half inch rule she measured men.
The day after dinner she went to lunch
with her best friend, who boarded at a
stately hotel and was a person OF common
sense, the scarcest commodity on earth
She was fond Of Edith while bewailing tho
positive virtues which made her 50 dis
agreeable.
"I met Allen Holbrook In the lobby
and he stood and talked with me without
removing his hat, +" she announced to her
best friend after they had lunched and
were seated In the parlor Of the hotel
"Then suppose you will disallow him
q single good quality, remarked the b. +.
"But it was such a want Of respect, +"
complained Edith.
"Put 1t ON another basis Perhaps,
new woman, he was treating you with tho
freedom OF good comradeship. Could he
pay you greater compliment?"
1.-THE new woman will demand every ac-
acknowledgement Of social form, >" answered
Edith. 1T was unbearable rudeness."
Let us think that he was so glad to see
you that he never once thought OF his hat.
1t will be moro charitable. But, tell me-
for ON dying to know, is Royal Mathews
to be the happy mans"
"Royal Mathews Is an insufferable
boor," retorted Edith with q good deal Of
asperity, showing that she was secretly
hurt.
"what did he dor You told me he was
to dine with you yesterday Did he eat
with his knifeP''
"Worse, a thousand times worse"
"Did he do as Emerson did when Mar
garet Fuller was his guest-eat in his shirt
SleevesY"
"No and he Is not an Emerson
II insist upon you telling me the depth
and breadth Of his transgression. II you
do not, I shall ask him myself when he
calls at 8, as he promised
every well, I will tell you, and the
consequences be on your own head. You
know that I pride myself on my house
Keeping, and that all the glass and silver
Is taken care Of by myself. think can
claim spotless brilliancy for the tableware,
yet when that man sat down at the table
what do you think he did? But you would
never guess-nQ, not In lifetime. The
wretch picked up a corner Of the table
cloth and deliberately polished first his
glass, then the plato and finally the silver
at his plate. It was done In a moment,
but with no attempt at concealment.
was SO thankful that no one else saw him
the affair would have been talked over
in the Kitchen
Edith waited for burst of indignation
from her b. +. and was surprised at q
peal Of laughter. This was followed by a
grave thoughtfulness, and then the Best
Friend said:
sciously following habit acquired at the
hotels Of our country, where food is served
in haste and often by incompetent help. ]
do not imagine the poor fellow was for q
moment conscious Of what no was really
doing, and admit that the habit Is very
careless one. But 1t rates several degrees
less than a crime.''
II don't know about that" said Edith,
but with o relieved look. II have always
looked upon mans manners as his Gre
dentials; they either uplift him or degrade
him"
eyes, my Edith, but you must not for.
get the awful soul that dwells In clay.
You make much Of the accomplishments
Of the clay, but there Is the deeper life that
Is its sanitation. And now may ask
what is that object on which you have been
wreaking your will ever since we came In
from tho table2"
Edith looked and was aghast.
"It is table Napkin" she said.
"Where did got itS'
Carried 1t of with you unconsciously,
o woman Of cruel Judgment Suppose
wero to accuse you of appropriation? You
see how easy 1t Is to forget ourselves and
become in moment objects Of condemna
tion or suspicion. Charity, my dear, will
even condone the swallowing Of knives
and the abstraction of napkins"
The Best Friend rang the bell and paye