The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-04-05
A GLOVE BUTTON.
How It Furnished an English
Traveller q Short Story.

OF all literature, are my favoriteS. I
was very late for the train; it was on
the move; the porter bundled me in,
flung my bag after me, slammed the
door and whistled. And the lady who
sat in the opposite corner of the car
riage gathered her feet under the seat
to avoid my hurtling bag, She was
extremely pretty.
Depend upon it," said to myself at
once, ''she's going to stay with the
Blairs. For it had to be so-it al
ways is So" 1 was going to the Blairs,
you see.
Unhappily, she did not seem inclined
for conversation. She was uccommo-
dating, but not discursive as to the
window; 1T was summer and there was
no foot warmer to bridge the gap be-
tween US. The annoying girl had
paper and buried herself behind it.
This was, of course, all wrong. Some
thing would happen soon. however.
Something did The lady put down
the paper and gazed in puzzled man
ner at her left glove. peered eau
tiously round the edge of the Hunts
man. Her eyes Expressed doubt AMI
difficulty. l saw what was the matter;
cuSIOAl VI tAiC SlONC WAS uIlQOnC. L
an never intrusive or precipitate. I
bided my time Why, we were hardly
at page ten of the novel yet.
She tried to button the glove. The
glove was not too large; she could not
button it. Her brow wrinkled into a
perplcxcd little frown.
love dainty woman, and woman
whose life is spoilt by an obstinate
glove button is just the woman for me.
She was bound to ask me to button it
in another moment.
But She did not A sudden srnilc-a
smile of illumination-spread over her
face. She had got It! OF course she
couldn't button the tircsomc thing
with her glove on! Who could? With
another smile for her own folly. she
qnictly unbuttoned all the buttons OF
her right glove and drew it off Then
she turned with quiet confidence to the
lcft-hand button.
Had it not been for the lool, of the
thing would have kissed her on the
spot As it was-and Notwithstanding
my interest in racing-I allowed the
Huntslnan to drop and fastened my
eyes on her. Her hand was the most
lovely hand 1 had ever seen-sman,
plump, taperinS, white, pink-nailed.
dotc on Il good hand
She buttoned the button of her left
glove with immediate and complete
success, and smiled rapturously; indeed,
she held up her hand and surveyed the
job with immense complacency. was
smiling broadly myself, now, because
| saw what was going to happen.
Thank heaven, however, | made no
sound! wouldn't have spoilt it for
| the world.
Her white teeth cleaned radiantly
between her parted lips, as she gently
drew on the right glove. She treated
the glove lovingly, working and pull,
ing and patting, stopping to look now
and again, conducting the. tn umb with
infinite adroitness into its compart-
mcnt. Then she gave final pcrsua-
sivc tug to the upper part, and pre-
pared to button the glove.
She tried the first button She
stopped 20 think. A curious express
sion stole over her face. She shook her
head. She looked at the right glove.
She shook her head again. Her right
hand moved toward her left. Was She
going TO unbutton her glove again? AS
l hope to be saved, she undid two but
tons!
Then it struck her. and in an instant
her face fell all a-laughing, and burst
into loud peal.
She looked UP in momcntary indig-
nation, in swiftly succeeding fun, in
irresistible sympathy. Then she
laughed a low, long, luxurious ripple
Il ought to have told you" gasped.
but, you see, hoped you'd undo them
all again"
but what am I to do?" she asked.
What am for?" returned.
| well, if you don't mind" she said.
| crossed over and sat down next her.
There is" I observed, starting on
the top button of the left hand glove.
mo man SO good that he cannot find n
woman too good for him"
She lifted her eyes with an inauirinr
| gaze.
And no hand SO small that it cannot
find glove too small for it."
Its not true, she cried. "Sec, can
move all my fingers"
81 don't believe you can" said I.
"But look"
an ioOniiiS. can see them
move. Perhaps l might be able, you
know, to feel them"
DO you mind buttoning the other
now?" she asked
1T is better than nothing" said I,
and began to button it,
at was very curious" she remarked,
that | shouldn't have seen that as
often as l unbuttoncd one glove in
order to button the other | should
have"