Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1895-08-03

( u @ - sosplck and span,
~ M SO punctilious, so
go stiff and straight
&nS on the box, and
his chamois leather trousers revealed
such marvellously trim pair of sturdy
little legs.
The Grammercys never troubled
themselves about ordering cards from
their plates at Tiifauy's, for they knew
Jorkyns would attend to it. They
never hunted in the escritoire for
supply when they started out calling,
for they knew Jorkyns's breast pocket
contained the requisite number
"One," Mrs. Grammercy was in the
habit of saying, or "two, as the case
might be; and Jorkyns would mount
the steps, like biiou edition de luxe
of Beau Brummel, and, hat in hand,
stand and deliver when the ring was
answered.
On the day when the Grammercys
had called to leave cards at the Liv-
ingstones', Jorkyns had stopped inside
the out door after ringing the bell,
and the delay had seemed unusual;
for Livingstone pere had walked up
the street and paid his respects at the
curb stone while Jorkyns was still in
visible to the naked eye.
Livingstone pere was rotund and
red faced the kind of man that
seemed to explode under excitement
and when he opened the outer door
andrevealed Jorkyns fondly embracing
and as fondly embraced by the second
house maid, Mary, Livingstone pere
exploded.
"Outrageous!" he puffed, and his
cheeks extended on either side, like
those of the monkey at the Zoo with
his stored away nuts.
Jorkyns was too startled to relax
his hold, and the second house maid,
Mary, seemed to melt like wax and
disappear leaving behind only the
echo of scream, and bewildered
footman with rigid arms folded about
nothing.
Livingstone pere stared at him an
instant, then as though Jorkyus we're a
marionette, one arm was pulled down
to his side, then the other; Jorkyns
was then turned as though on pivot,
gentle push put him under way, and
he reached the carriage, mounted the
box, and folded his arms with auto
matte precision, his eyes fixed at an
angle of forty.five degrees, and as ex-
pressionless as those of somnambu-
list.
Mrs. Grammercy's height had per-
ceptibly increased. She said nothing,
but Jorkyns was sure that two hot
irons were burning holes in the back
of his coat
He could feel Mrs. Grammercy's
eyes burning deeper and deeper, until
a wild plunge from the box to the
street, underneath the wheels of some
passing carriage seemed the only pos
sible relief.
"Jock, I'm done for" said Jor-
kyns to the coachman, as they dove
to the stables.
"What's hup?" said Jock.
"Didnt you see?" queried Jorkyns.
"See w'at?" answered Jock.
"What happened in Livingstone's
vestibule?" faltered Jorkyns.
"Look ere, Jorkyns," said Jock,
Indignantly, Him first claws
coachman, an 'ow would HI see the
Livingstones vestibule, hunless Hi
turned me cad ? Hi asksyou, Jorkyns,
ave you hever known me to forget
meself so far?"
"Never!" said Jorkyns. "Never !
You never forget yourself; | did,"
Has 'ow?" questioned Jock.
'Its like this, Jock. Mary and
me was married two months ago, and
the Livingstone's only keep single
girls, and the Grammercys only keep
single men; so bit of walk in the
park, or ride to Harlem on the L,
or half an hour at the corner, is
about all Mary and me has seen of
each other, and when she came to the
door to-day she looked that sweet that
hang me if | could help hugging
her! And Mary didn't seem disin.
clined, SO l suppose it lasted longer
than thought, for the first I knew,
old Livingstone lowered up above us
thers, ten feet tall, with face ON him
that would put out the electric
lights" 's4>3s
The telephone bell rang, and an.
. swering it, Jock called over his shoul.
der:
: "Mrs. Grammercy wishes few
words with Jorkyns, at once, in the
library"
"Ain't it tough, Jock? say, ain't
it tough?" said Jorkyns.
"Tough hit MIS-" answered Jock,
"hif you get, fred for kissin' nv your
hown welded wife! Tough hit most
certainly hisl"
'You will find your wages to the
end Of the month in this envelope,
said Mrs. Grammercy. II regret that
so trusted servant should SO far for
get his duties"
eff I might explain" stammered
Jorkyns.
Explanation is impossible, inter
rupted Mrs. Grammercy.
Jorkyns bowed. MARY is my -
= 81 have no doubt you are on mos
!; friendly terms with Mrs. Livingstone
! house maid," agnin interrupted Mrs
!. Grammorcy, again Jorkyn's bowed
i while his chamois-covered knees shool
beneath him.
"But Mrs. Grammercy, an mar
ried!" Jorkyns was getting desperate
/ "Shame |" fumed Mrs. Grammercy
"Decency alone should prevent such
confession under the circumstances
/ While am sorry for your wife, can
pct believe it is my duty to tolerat