The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-08-29
Short
Story
Corner,
A SOCIAL VERDICT.

bnb bosaluBst SJTlObly ~ ldllllll bllulr, bnt
was duly elated for he knew IL meant tn,
crucial moment of his life, when he woult
be considered possible lover for the clever
Edith Losing, to whom he had lost hi
heart on first acquaintance.
The dinner was one of those dainty ag
gregations of silver and cut glass and dec
orative china which give bizarre effect
to our meals at the present NINE, ever
when ones feelings must be tied with
blue ribbon or kept out of sight, and wher
1t Is social crime to eat anything with q
spoon. But Royal Mathews wys accus
toned to modern luxury and would have
died before he would have admitted that
he did not know the whole social shibbo
ieth That Edith LOSING would attempt
to judge Of mans morals by his man
ners never occurred to him.
Before the dinner was well begun Ma
thews was aware that In some way he hat
offended Miss LOSING.
Edith Lossing's friends were much
afraid that she would end her days In sin
gle blessedness, or else go through thu
woods and pick up the flgurative crooked
stick as a last opportunity. So many ell
gible men l. d sought her hand and beer
refused that 1t was currently reported thai
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 hat
refused him.
The trouble was that Edith was hyper
critical. 1t was so with other things tn
sides the affections. She took all
sweetness out Of life by finding It's sugar
was adulterated with chalk. She left th'
sky out of her landscapes and mutilatet
her friends by petty criticism. She hat
heard or read somewhere that mannerl
were the shadows Of morals, and by thi'
half inch rule she measured men.
The day after dinner she went to luncf
with her best friend, who boarded al {
stately hotel and was q person Of common
sense, the scarcest commodity on earth
She was fond Of Edith while bewailing th'
positive virtues which made her so dis
agreeable.
"I met Allen Holbrook In the lobby
and he stood and talked with me without
removing his hat, she announced to he
best friend after they had lunched ant
were seated In the parlor of the hotel
"Then suppose you will disallow hin
a single good quality, 4" remarked the B. +
'But 1t was such want of respect, ;
complained Edith.
PUT 10 on another basis. Perhaps
new woman, he was treating you with tn,
freedom of good comradeship. Could h,
pay you greater complimentP
THE new woman will demand every ao
acknowledgement of social form," answered
Edith. at was unbearable rudeness."
Let us think that he was so glad to SO,
you that he never once thought of his hat
It will be more charitable. But, tell me
for am dying to know, is Royal Matthews
to be the happy manP"
Royal Mathews Is an insufferablt
boor," retorted Edith with good deal o.
asperity, showing that she was secretly
hurt
"What did he dor You told me he wa'
to dine with you yesterday. Did he ea
with his knifeP'
"Worse, thousand times worse"
Did he do as Emerson did when Mar
garet Fuller was his guest-eat in his shirt
sleevesP"
"No and he is not an Emerson"
II insist upon you telling me the deptf
and breadth of his transgression. If yor
do not, shall ask him myself when h'
calls at 5, as he promised"
VERY WELL will tell you, and the
consequences be on your own head Yor
know that I pride myself on my house
keeping, and that all the glass and silve
Is taken care Of by myself. think I car
claim spotless brillianoy for the tableware
yet when that man sat down at the tabl,
what do you think he didP But you would
never guess-no not In lifetime. Th
wretch picked up corner Of the table
cloth and deliberately polished first hi
glass, then the plate and finally the silve
at his plate. 1t was done In moment
but with no attempt at conoealment.
was so thankful that no one else saw hin
the affair would have been talked owe
In the kitchen"
Edith waited for burst of indignation
from her B. +. and was surprised at
peal of laughter. This was followed by
grave thoughtfulness and then the Bes
Friend said:
my dear, Royal Mathews was unoon
sciously following habit acquired at tn
hotels Of our country, where food is serve'
in haste and often by incompetent help.
do not imagine the poor fellow was for
moment conscious of what he was reall.
doing, and admit that the habit Is a yer.
careless one. But it rates several degree
less than a crime"
II don't know about that" said Edith
but with a relieved look II have alway
looked upon a mans manners as his ere
dentials; they either uplift him or degrad
him."
eyes, my Edith, but you must not for
get the awful soul that dwells in clay.
You make much of the accomplishment
Of the clay, but there is the deeper life tina
Is Its sanitation. And now may l asl
what is that object on which you have beel
wreaking your will ever since we came Il
from the tablef"
Edith looked and was aghast.
ut Is table napkin" she said
Where did get itS"
Carried 1t of with you unconsciously
o woman Of cruel Judgment Suppose
were to accuse you OF appropriations. Yo
see how easy 1t is TO forget ourselves an
become In moment objects Of condemns
tion or suspicion. Charity, my dear, vii
even oondone the swallowing OF kniye
and the abstraction of napkins"
The Best Friend rang the bell and gay
a waiter the suspicious object. Then Royf
Mathews was announced and was aston
lshed beyond measure to find his lady {
the Ice Of the preceding day as warm an
glowing as Hebe. Detroit Free Press.