The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-28
THE SCofFER'S SACRIFICE.
ClssAHDRA LOSES a PUDDING BUT
CANA A n BT'S SLEEP.

aiviug DinneF, she WSuia haaVe hhe ="
watch All Night Hesiae the Pnad'hs'
Tho Scooter paused In tho doorway and anx-
iously surveyed the room.
SIS your aunt hero = he asked In a sepulchral
whisper.
"Appnrently not" said Cassandra, unless
she 10 concealed in the steam pipes or the sofa
cushions"
"Sho isn't in Brooklynr
"No, she's at home. You may como In"
"oh, thank your gratefully sighed the Scot
fer. ITO think" he added, "of my being CRATE
full TINT your aunt is at home You can't tell
me now TINT I don't know what humility To-"
"IIumphl' said Cassandra with q conclusive
air.
"Humph mo no humphs.' commanded the
6coffer. I'm not 30 humble as ! looked be-
fore you said / might stay. Where is Auntie.
any Asleep ! I'd like to start a fund for
. monument to the man who invented sleep"
she isn't asleep" remarked Cassandra.
The Scoffcr ciapped bis hand ovor his mouth.
"Havo Ibid I-say neutrality-suspicious.
bic T. no demanded anxlously.
Objectionable" repeated Cassandrs in o
high. cloar tone. IF Auntie heard you"
"sh.sh-shl'' cautioned tho Scoffer.
"n she heard the horrible things you say
about her"
IT say, Cassandrai" in n beseeohing under
tone. "l,ot quito 80 loud, please. I-you know
Il admire your aunt moro than words can tell.
That's the reason / never try to put 1t into
words. 1t can't DO done. Oh. Cassandra. what's
tho use OF prctcndingi You know you don't
love hcr-you can't love her, yourself"
There were two limos between Cassandra's
straight brows when the Scoffer looked up; and
thcre was something queer and different about
her under lip. The Scoffcr bit his own lip by
way of Intellectual sympathy.
"Auntie's all right" said Cassandra, with
some defiance in her tone, and she went to the
divan and rearranged tho pillows.
''of course she's all right" assorted the Scot
fer, with q great show Of sincerity. where is
she
"Why are you SO anxious to knowf"
"Well. Just at present because I want to know
in which direction to shake my fist"
Cassan6rs came and faced the Scofrcr.
You won't talk that way any more" she
said quietly. "And there are two reasons why
you won't. In the first place, because you are o
Rentleman-though you try to hide the fact
sometimes. As II you were ashamed OF 1t, /
think. And in the second place, because I don't
want you to say such things. 1t makes it
harder for me-"
The Scoffer put his hands into his pockets;
this was by way of precaution. Satan finds
mischief for lido hands to do. So does Cupid
bOmcIluleS. no SCOHCT put hio hohio INV IA
pockets because he knew that otherwise he
would be very likely to smooth Cassandra's hair
with them. or clasp her own hands with them,
or do something olso equally pleasing to him
self, but-to Cassandra I He did not answer that
query; only held his keys and small change very
tight and kept his hands in his pockets. He
tried to make a sweeping bow in response to her
remarks. but 1t isn't easy to make such q salute
with your hands In your pockets. This embar-
raised him a little bit and, being a Scoffer, he
took refuge In cynicism.
cot course I won't say those things any
more" he said, "but 1t will be on account of
your secondly, not your firstly. I'm not q gentle
man. The species has run out, I reckon"
Cassandra laughed.
How times seem to have changedl' she said.
"As nearly "a I can make out, a man used to DO
highly pleased when he was called a gentleman.
Nowadays he takes 1t almost as an insult"
"No. not that!" protested the Scoffer.
"Well, that 10 the way 1t seems. You can call
him "a good follow a BRICK "a true FRIEND
anything but q gentleman He never takes
that without q nurmur. Whyf'
Honesty. Cassandra. Honesty and policy.
which are said to be the same thing. or at least
to have tho Same interests. He knows he isn'e
Q gentleman. and that no will DO found out
sooner or later, 30 he owns up at the start"
why isn't no q gentlemanf =
"Oh. we don't amount to muoh." said the
6cofor. I'VE have . pretty stiff Job trying to
DO fairly honest men. let alone gentlemen"
Now you're sneering at the idea of gentle-
men. "said Cassandra, shrewdly eying him. But
you needn't. You're a gentleman yourself-or o
kind Of a sort of a one" with a little grimace.
And there's another gentleman coming to din
nsr tS,morrow; B the way" suddenly. you
for Thanksgiving dinnerf'
"Ii No, lmws1l, was afraid you might have
would mako sure OF reminding you"
hadn't forgotten"
oouid't AFFORD to take any risks"
English ne!FhboF about the plum pudding fol
III my ears do not deceive me-. said the
ing footsteps divided the silence between then
room to spare, except at the top, whom Aunti'
stopped short In it..
." "F. see'a sels Xunt Gss ssTsreiy vaguely SGo0d os eEsn
ing. No, I won't sit down. I've too much to do
GHssandrH would inslst ON having plum pud
Young w % sS"a n 81 s sheskss S Esrs Very I rsd. ina
you said L was wi William nshs' that wanted pudding shG%sH
II" stammered the Scooter. I'm afraid
did say something about pudding. but not wit
nOh, I dare say not I" interrupted Auntit
That's the way with young men nowadays
They say everything. without any idea.,"
THAT s I had O mo- idea 10 ~ q causing ss%et ye1 amy amy s ssS4f'
was simply telling Cassandra about tn
and Imentioned.p plum pudding. I'm very SOrr
Don't worry about It," remarked Aunt,
!" Just want you to appreciate this puddin
that they have to be boiled about eight houl
the nrst day and forty-eight hours tho secon
day. as nearly as l can make out. Wen have
sit up, with that pudding tonight. or 1t wi
never be ready for dinner Tomorrow"
"Auntie 10 growing facetious.'' said Cassal
dra feebly as her relative disappeared, headC
for the Kitchen.
The Sooffer was staring at his feet.
"Yo were going to have 1t because I wants
IT." he said at last,
"why not r. In a matterof.fact tone. II tai
Il 70. granted that by it you mean tho pu
Yes" thoughtfplly. 1T makes mo vel
you know"
II mean that you-because you"
EXCUSE mt a moment, please. must q
what A unite means to do with the pudding
and CAasandra disapDearod.