Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-12-16

transaction. The husband can pro-
vide the breakfast they say. but the
wife ought to provide the dinne-.'
We'll, when we first married it was
fully as much as we could do between
US to provide supper. Everyone said
1 was fool, and that I had made mess
of my life. But we contrived to make
ends meet. She was as good as gold,
our wants were few, and, though we
had to economic and be called fools
for our pains, yet society condescended
not absolutely to cut US.
"My chief was rich man and fond
of making a show. He often enter
| tanned; sometimes at great, heavy din
ners. and occasionally he invited the
| chief residents and the families of the
government officials TO a dance
at was to one of these latter enter
| tainments that we were asked about a
year after our marriage. and. my wife
not being in a fit state of health 10
accept, 1 would have given a great
! deal to stay at home cozily with her.
/ But I dared not do il. for the chief did
/ not permit his invitations to be
| sighted
$50, reluctantly enough. I donned
my dress clothes. the wife running me
| over with her eye before I started to
| see that everything was correct and Civ
| ing me little pats and pulls. especially
| the bow of my white tie.
It's going TO be a regular grand
| ball she said, so mind you keep your
eyes open and see everything. for my
| benefit. I shall expect TO be told who
is there and all about the toilettes and
the supper. Oh. l forgot. there is 20
be a grand supper. They say he has
| sent to Chevet for all kinds of delicacies,
fruits and things worth their weight
| in gold. Peaches. my dear. at three
| francs apiece. Oh. those peaches!
do want one so badly. Do you know, !
think if you were very, very nice. you
would manage TO smuggle one to me-
AZ cried out at this. and represented
to her that it was as much as a mans
| reputation was worth TO be seen slip,
/ ping fruit off the table into his pocket:
/ and that if I were caught doing such
| a thing we should be cut. But the
more I talked the more she insisted
upon the gratifca ton of her within.
! why, il is just the very easiest
| y
have to do is TO take one for yourself
and bring it TO me. In the midst OF
all those people coming and going you
won't be noticed. Now don't you shruo
your shoulders. sir. I daresay it is
very childish of me. but 90 long for
it. Ever since I heard about those
peaches have wanted one. Just dread.
| fully. Promise me. dear. you'll bring
NE one-promise me, darling
Now. what was I to say TO her:
How could I refuse her loving her as
I did? At any rate. al last | murmured
out some kind of a promise and then
FASTENED to start. But just when was
in the act of closing the outside door
she called me. I looked round and saw
two great blue eyes fixed on me. eyes
! that absolutely cleaned with desire
and she called out:
you've promised. haven't you
dear?'
The ball was a grand affair. Flowers
in profusion. pretty toilettes. good mu
sic. The prefet, the local justice, the
officers of the garrison, everyone who
was anyone was there. The chief Ger
tainly had spared nothing to make il
a success. and his wife and daughter
did the honors exceedingly well.
AT supper time followed the pro
cession with a humping heart. and the
first thing 1 saw, in the place of honor
on the long table, were Chevet's IA
nous peaches.
And magnificent they certainly
were. They were piled up in basket
shaped dish of Luneville china, each
separate fruit resting in its own little
nest of fresh vine leaves. skillfully ar
ranged to display its attractions. the
rosy flush of one velvety cheek contrast
ing with the greeny white Of a neigh
Dor. The very look of them was enough;
one could see they were delicious. per
fumed. pink-feshed.
Il gazed tenderly at them from a dis
Greet distance. and then began to thinl
of the happy little cries that would
greet me if I could contrive to take JUS
one home. Everyone was admiring
them, and the more l looked. the more
determined l was 10 get one, or per
haps a couple.
But how? That was the point. for il
was evident the servants were keeping
guard over them. Every now and tneI
1 caught the master of the house Civ
ing little nod, and then the butlel
would delicateIy remove a peach. oper
it with a silver knife. and hand The
split fruit, on Sevres plate. to the in
dividual who was allowed the honor 81
eating one.
Il watched this little game until ]
began 10 tremble lest the whole pvra
mid should vanish. But my fears were
not realized. For some reason or other
either because the host signified his
pleasure that no more should be dis
pensed, or because some guests were
too modest to accept the fruit, to my
relief l saw six beauties still remained
when the band struck up fresh chords
and the company filed back TO the ball
room to dance.
Il went too, but only as Il feint. |
had purposely left my hat il, the sup,
per-room. tall one that had been both.
ering me all the evening. l went back
for it very soon, the servants. who all
knew me, not, of course. watching me
They were very busy too. carrying
away the used plates and glasses, and
it SO fell out that, for one minute. l was
the only occupant of the room There
was no time TO lose, however. and
CHANGING furtively to right and left
[ approached the dish. stretched out
nv arm. snatched two peaches. and, in
the twinkling of an eye. had them il
nv hat, my handkerchief stuffed well
between them. Then, assuming an all
of calm dignity, 1 stalkel out Of the