Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1897-10-22
UNLICENSED -.
-. PREMISES.
BY CLARENCE ROOK.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

HAD watched her for some moments
as my bus rolled slowly down Picca-
dilly, and was greatly taken by her up
pearance. The pavements and the car
riages were full of well-dressed and
beautiful women; but somehow j
seemed to have eyes for no one but that
girl. She wore the sweetest costume
something in blue picked out with
white at the collar and cuffs, and, in
ferred, iteupont the frontofthe bodice.
She was steering her bicycle with skill
and boldness through the five o'clock
traffic of Plccadilly, and longed TO see
her face, which, | felt convinced, would
please my eye. But this, of course,
could not do, as she was riding steadily
about ten yards in front of us. You
cannot shout at girl on bicycle from
the top of bus, even if you know her
name, and l could scarcely expect her
tc look baclo at a whistle.
/ leaned forward to the driver, hand
ing him my open tobacco pouch.
"Do you think" said, 'you could
hurry up a bit and pass that lady ahead
want TO see her face"
He turned, and, jerking his head in
The direction of Hyde Park corner, said:
'Lidy on the bike-blue dress-cut
saucy?"
"You've guessed it," I replied.
He winked. Then he brushed his
horses with the whip, and passed the
Victoria bus ahead, which seemed in
no particular hurry to arrive anywhere.
The girl ahead, seeing n clear space be-
fore her, quickened up and held her
own.
"I don't think we can do it," said, re-
signing myself to disappointment.
He held his pipe between two fingers,
and filled it with the remaining two,
feeling, meanwhile, with his thumb for
a match. gave him my matchbox.
"Tt's all right" he said, as he nursed
the flaming match in his fist and puffed
his pine into action. "There's block at
the corner"
The girl slowed down, and stepped
easily and surely from her bicycle. She
stood upon the curb at the corner of st.
James street, leaning on her machine
admired the pose Of her head, the set
of her shoulders, the pointing of her
foot. as she stood silent and expectant
AS the bus drew up by her side, !
leaned over and saw her face. was not
disappointed. 1t was as thought. She
was, to me, amazingly beautiful.
"You will excuse me, sir" said a voice
at my side, "but you have gained your
object"
/ looked round at my neighbor, and
saw lady, by no means i'll looking, OF
about my own age, which is on the
wrong side of 30. There was something
little stern, perhaps trifle con-
temptuous, in the east of her features
and she was regarding me with much
apparent aversion.
"You have seen the young bldy's face,
and now. perhaps-fhat's RIGHT, coach
man, drive on"
The bus moved slowly forward. Ire
accted n moment, for had not noticed
nv neighbor before, and was a little
startled at her implied reproof.
"Excuse me-" l said, Il haven't quite
pained my object. want to make her
look at me, and she won't. Now, what
is the etiquette in such cases"
turned and waved my arm qt her
90 tbe bus went on. But she was
mounting her machine, and, being occu-
MED with the arrangement OF her skirts
took no notice Of me. ~,
"May / ask" said my neignDor, II
0lt Young lady is your sister, or your
cousin, or" ,,,
"Certainly not" I replied. "Why dc
you ask?' ,.ouuo,,
"Tben, sir, feel it my dntyto tell you
that YOU are no gentleman"
sighed. an =,
aI Lnow that / replied. "But al
,ovs nretend to be, and the public is SC
~ui,ihIe How did you find me out"
M gentleman" she said, "woulc
sool, n annoy n lady in the street, es
neciolly a lady who clearly, does no'
wish 70 notice him. And can see tha'
c,r, is persistently avoiding YOU
~ e she ?" i said. "Just waita mo
,nent She'll be as pleased as anything
when she sees that have noticed her
Nothing annoys a woman like mar
ference" .a .. -,
began. =, sr. ,,,..,si