The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-12-27
A LITTLE TOO HAsrY.
Her Congratulations Were Bestowed 90
the Wrong Person.

the wrong Person.
| She had just heard of MabePs en-
gagement to the count and, of course,
woman like. she must hasten TO con-
graduate her. This is the way. then,
in which she did it, bless her dear soul
They were sitting in the twilight,
! just at an hour when condolences are
the easiest She knew Mabel was
there, but of course it must happen
that they accidentally met, you know.
''Oh, Mable, how you startled me!
didn't know you were here"
MOP" There was bored expression
upon the others face.
II am so glad, dearest, for / have
just heard the news"
1.-The news? What news?"
''Oh, you blessed little inuocentf
You needn't hide it, least of all from
a dear old friend like me. / was so
glad, don't you know. 1 suppose it
viii be in all the New York papers to-
morrow"
What, pray?"
"Why. your engagement to tho
count, of course"
why, l assure you"
"There! there! No pretty little fbs.
now. Everybody has been talking
about it, and every one congratulates
you, really. But, say, lovely"
''Well?' A deep sigh of tolerance
followed the low spoken word.
''Of course you knew that you were
away up in the twenties, didn't you?'
''Indeed?" The brown eyes flashed
Indignation. Il was 10 on my last
birthday, if you please"
''Oh, you dear little ingenue! 1
didn't mean that; l mean that you
were twenty-something on the counts
list of proposals. Ali the others re-
fused, you know" Then proudly, Il
was number four. 1 believe"
"Ah? How f1atteringp' She shifted
uneasily.
Eyes. You see we could not bear to
think of giving up a cool million But
after the twentieth refusal I under
stand that he got frightened and came
down to paltry hundred thousand or
So"
Really? How well informed you
arer'
except you, perhaps. And then, too,
his title is only 200 years old, and
that's almost parvenu in a swegger
country like France, you know"
81 never heard so. What of it?'
sob, nothing. But one wants the
full worth of ones money. That's
American, anyway. Then besides, I
am told that he has at least four sepa-
rate establishments of his dear-er-
chere amies That's all right in
France, but we Americans don't
tolerate that sor, of thing, you know"
mo, should say we didn't" The
tones were now biting and threaten
ing.
'And then his castles are in frightful
state ofrepair, and his gambling debts
something awful That was the prin-
cipal reason / refused him. I've got
another and better use for my money,
you see. But, perhaps you"
81 hadn't heard anything about
that"
mo? But, of course. you can't help
that now. You must make the best of
IL Hello! Here comes mamma.
wish she wouldn't wear such bright
colors. Papa has only been dead four
years. But, / suppose at seaside one
must be CAV with the rest Why, how
flushed she looks. Mamma, have you
been drinking champagne"
The elated mamma drew near.
champagne? l have been drinking
In something more intoxicating than
that Count de Jonah, the French
nobleman, has just proposed TO me
Congratulate me; l accepted him.
"You-accepted-th Man,
ma, you are mad He proposed last
night to Mabel here
'Indeed?"
"Yesr' broke in the young girl. ''I
confess it is true. l refused him
But what of that?'
Indeed. what of that?" echoed the
proud mother ''Mabers loss is my
gain: and, like il or not, my dears, the |
count is my fancer'
"And-my-new-pap moaned the /
little gossip, and then fell in q dead |
swoou.
Moral: Congratulating the wrong |
party is embarrassing, especially for |
the conpratulator-N.Y Y. World
Old Frieud-Sell, how is your flying |
machine gettiSg along?
Misunderstanding along? ! finished |
that 90 years ago. Every detail is
complete. There il stands, ready 20 20. /
''Crackv, Why don't you show il 70 /
the world?''
Cant Ali men are fools
What's the matter?'
Cant find a msn anywhere with |
sense enough TO climb up steeple and l
try IN 7. Weekly.
The Count5Ah. mees. you climb ze
Hatterhorn? Eat was = foot 70 be I
proud Of