Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-07-04
INSTANTANEOUS q. N F
My Fountain Pen.
AN UNLUCKE ADVENTURE.

am not the possessor of Il foun.
tain pen. | never had but one,
which was given me as a Christmas
present years ago when | was a
young man and fountain pens were
a novelty. Mine was made of tin,
with a rubber bag to hold the ink.
When you squeezed the penholder
the ink ran out Of the bag and
flooded the pen-0r anything else
that happened to be within convcn-
lent range. The diabOlical contri-
vance looked like tin whistle and
acted like a cutie fish, but no one
else had one, and so l was proud of
it. VdnHaS Tanitatltn Short was
my triumph. can still remember,
as painfully as though it was an af-
fair Of yesterday, how the tragedy
occurred. 1t was at the Sturdevant-
Hamilton's ball-quite the swell of
the season. had been looking for
ward to this ball with great interest
for a good while, because | intended
to find an opportunity there to effect
reconciliation with Alice. Such
opportunities were not frequent, and
| knew that if / missed this one it
might be long time before found
another, and that OdiOusly handsome
Dick Hamilton was paying her a
great deal more attention than
liked.
Alice and | had been close friends
ever since we were children, and
bod on,,,n 20 faoI tbat I had "a Cnrt of
proprietorship in her. We had even
been engaged for just twenty four
hours, at the end of which time we
had quarrelled, for reasons too COM
plicated and too absurd to be intro.
duced here. 1 speedily repented,
however, and was only waiting for
an opportunity to induce her to do
| likewise.
With this weighty resolution on
nv mind, it is no wonderthat | felt a
little tremOr as | started to go down
stairs, and that scanned myself
with unusual attention in the great
pier-glass, to make sure that my at
tire was perfect. Nothing embar-
rasses one more under trying cir
cumstances than the consciousness OF
being badly dressed. | was, ! think
I NAV saw, we'll dressed. My trouS-
ers we're impeccable, my gloves ditto,
NV coat fitted to perfection, my
white Waistcoat was aS spotieSs-to
employ figure which is popular
amnnp nv brother barrlSters-as
spotIess as the driven snow; my
hair WAS at that precise point when
il has lost the iormality given to II
nv the hairdrpSSer, without assuming
the wild and outrageous appearance
to be noticed among musicians ana
other doubtful characters. My com
nleyion had never been better. On
the whole, ! was very well s"''S''e"
with the general effect.
When | entered the ballroom Alice
vas away at the further end, taiKihg'
I grieved TO note, win that "'l'u7
voung Hamilton. | did not care u
make my approach under such Try,
) ;no circumstances, and bided my
chance with what patience couiu
n,uster Finally my opportunity
came. and lost no time I'D reachlnE
, bar side. She greeted me very
: Kindly, as she always did, IN Soine, some,
= thing the same style that she mlgn,
ts bave received very old friend o'
har @ father,s. This cheerful, une III,
horrassed greeting always proVokeu
me beyond measure; but dia ,InS ni
host to stifle my ill-temper, whicn
% was also somewhat assuaged by 'ns
mIaosing m"s @ discovery that through
aome misunderstanding she was nos G
ENGAGED for the next dance. lao" La,
enEsEt eeEeE seen her more radiantly beau u,
ien .ie,i and | could feel the eyes ol
many envious observers turneu n upo, POI
ns ,s" as we took our places. me mex ,,
D dance and the next were taken a. A,
uaa'II .ho third she promised to me. ~
!ne .ne and ond of this dance, which was
.aae .oI,g ~ and taken at the unmercllul1S ~
Ssst @s,'11 tempo then prevalent re%arEeI m mieI
d ,n9 ,So, she was somewhat husneu wiz, ~,
,hs' tina I1 heat, and proposed dmaorva thas W.
should s take turn in the co''' "
. tory. oa ,ybot was il
"nG, n';nS or not, / cannot say l