Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1896-09-05

IA thing that hit you straight between
the eyes and made you gasp. She had
not much heart for what she was going
to do, but as she glanced at the long
mirror she had the satisfaction of know
ing that she had never looked so we'll in
her life. She was large blond, and
when she chose carried herself superbly.
After the dinner at the Longmores
she went on to the dance--a little late
and encountered Bremmil with Mrs.
Hauksbee on his arm. That made her
flush, and as the men crowded round
her for dances she looked magnificent.
She filled up all her dances except three,
and those she left blank. Mrs Hauks-
bee caught her eye once, and she knew
it was war-real war-between them.
She started handicapped in the struggle,
for she had ordered Bremmil about Just
the least little bit in the world too
much, and he was beginning to resent
it, Moreover, he had never seen his
wife look so lovely. He stared at her
from doorways and glared at her from
passages as she went about with her
partners, and the more he stared the
more taken was he. He could scarcely
believe that this was the woman with
the red eyes and the black stuff gown
who used to weep over the eggs at
breakfast.
Mrs. Hauksbee did her best to hold
him in play, but after two dances he
crossed over to his wife and asked for a
dance.
"I'm afraid you've come too late,
Mr.. Bremmil,". she said, with her eyes
twinkling.
Then he begged her to give him a
dance, and, as great favor, she allow
ed him the fifth waltz. Luckily No. 5
stood vacant on his programme They
danced it together, and there was lit
tie fiutter round the room. Bremmil
had sort of notion that his wife
could dance, but he never knew she
danced so divinely. At the end of that
waltz he asked for another-as favor,
not as right and Mrs Bremmil said,
"Show me your programme, dearW He
showed it as naughty little schoolboy
hands up contraband sweets to mas
tor. There was fair sprinkling of
"H" on it, besides "H" at supper.
Mrs Bremmil said nothing, but she
smiled contemptuously, ran her pencil
through Nos. and 9-two "H's"-and
returned the card with her own name
written above-a pet name that only
she and her husband used. Then she
sfsook her finger at him, and said, laugh
ing, "Oh, you silly, silly boyr'
Mrs Hauksbee heard that, and-she
owned as much-felt she had the worst
Of II. Bremmil accepted Nos. and 9
gratefully. They danced No. and sat
ent No 8 in one of the little tents.
What Bremmil said and what Mrs.
Bremmil did is no concern Of any ones.
When the band struck up 1.-The Roast
Beef Of Old England" the two went
otst into the veranda, and Bremmil be-
gan looking for his wife's dandy (this
vus before 'rickshaw days. while she
went into the cloakroom. Mrs. Hauks-
bee came up and said, "You take me
into supper, I think, Mr.. Bremmil?"
Bfemmil turned red and looked foolish.
"Ah-h'm I'm going home with my
wife, Mrs. Hauksbeo. I think there has
been little mistake" Boing man, he
spoke as though Mrs Hauksbee were
entirely responsible.
Mrs. Bremmil came out of the cloak
room In swansdown cloak with a
white "cloud' round her head. She
looked radiant, and she had right to-
The couple went off into tho darkness
together, Bremmil riding very close to
the dandy.
Then says N1rs. Hauksbce to me-she
looked tritie faded and jaded in the
mplight-"T my word for it, the
silliest women can manage a clever
man, but it needs very clever woman
to manage a fool"
Then we went in to supper. r.-Rud-
yard Kipling