Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-09-17
A SERIOUS JOKE,

which was so full of stock that there was
but little office space left in his sales
rooms A small DESK a couple of chairs
furniture
On the morning after their visit to the
theater Frank, without stopping in the
office, passed hastily into the workrooms to
see that his hands were all employed, and
in distributing his orders he was detained
probably an hour or more. In the mean
time Mrs. Quinton, their residence being
near, having noticed, of course, his late
unusual frivolity and being disturbed in
feeling by his late return the night before,
and now his delay to return to his break
fast concluded to play the amiable escort
to her liege lord to his morning repast.
When Frank therefore returned from
the workshop, he encountered his young
wife with slight surprise awaiting him in
his cozy little office. Seated in one of the
chairs, she looked obviously, with no little
feminine sternness, toward the lounge and
then up at Frank, as he stood trying to
smile pleasantly in the doorway.
These first pangs of jealousy were too
much for the before unsuspicious nature
of the happy little wife, and the fawnlike,
loving creature, unable longer to maintain
the stern front she had hastily assumed,
her feelings now gave way and she cried:
"Oh, Frank L did not think this Of you'll"
"What, Minniep What has happened?"
he inquired, puzzled by her appearance
and words, not yet having seen the cause
Again her feelings surged into another
channel, and, dashing her tears aside she
rose to her feet, and, pointing to a num-
Der of pieces of comb scattered round
and over the lounge, said: "Oh, Frank,
how can you assume such an air of inno-
cence, and, standing there, ask me what
has happened? You have had-oh, false
one, this is too much, and this, see here
evidence still more, Frank, Of your per-
fidy! See, what isthis?" the wronged one
exclaimed as she seized from the floor,
near the head of the lounge, large roll Of
hair, nicely arranged and Melted, ready to
adorn the well formed caput of any hand
some young lady.
"That?" said Frank slowly, for the first
time attempting a reply. "Well, really.
my dear, that seems to be an article of
feminine headgear-an article, Minnie
Minnie with which you are better ac-
quainted than Ia chignon, or that other
arrangement of beautiful design for female
adornment---I cannot now think Of the
name"
Crank Quinton, this is too much-to
play me false and then make light of it!
This human hair, these broken combs
that lounge and the confusion of things in
this office all speak too loudly, sir, of the
base manner in which you passed last
night away from home"
Indeed, Minnie, as you say, this is too
much. l began to feel that you almost or
quite believe that a fact which your man
ner and mood this morning seem to indi-
cate. Last night l was at the theater
Must l bring Sam and Wendell to prove
my whereabouts? No, Minnie. You would
not have me do that?"
"Your first business OH hand today, Mr..
Quinton, is to clear up, if at all possible,
these appearances that speak SO clearly
against you, or my course shall be for di-
yorce."
"Well, there, Minnie, that caps the eli
max Come, let us to breakfast Pm
deuced hungry. But broken combs,
lounge and hair are enough--ugh-to
take from u man all appetite, save, perhaps,
to quarrel, and that, you know, Minnie, 1
will not do, but | shall do my best, Min
ME, to clear it up to you in that light"
Breakfast nartaken of in silence, but
not without some pain experienced by each,
Frank resolved on the course now to be
taken. Poor Minnie, unable to finish her
morning meal, again broke down and left
tho'table weeping.
On returning to the office Franks first
course was to gather up the broken frag-
ments OF combs scattered there and lay
them out carefully on his desk. Each
piece fits its fellow, and together, complete,
form just one dozen small hairpins or
combs as he had suspected Yes, it was
trick, but the joker had oyershot the mark
The trick was overdone-too many combs
for the reasonable care of only one femi-
nine bead Besides, the package or wrap
per from which they were taken was
found 1t was therefore with no little
gladncss that the generous and honest
Frank Quinton FASTENED to share his
transport with his weeping wife.
But long and labored was the argument,
even with all the direct evidence he
could produce, which he was compelled
to present to the doubling wife, SO deep
were the insidious inroads of the jealous
pangs suddenly aroused by these singular
ly combined appearances in her husbands
office. How true is it, as the bard has
said, "Trifies light as air are to the jeal-
Gus confirmation strong as proofs of holy
writ!' Indeed it was several weeks ere
the earlier confidence Of the trusting Min
ME was fully restored in the breast of the
unhappy wife.
The young man who practiced the joke
without the least intention of injury came
forward at length and cleared up the mat
ter to the satisfaction of ALL but, though
forgiven, he is haunted with such a feel
ing of deepest regret that he says he will
never forgive himself for thus unwittingly
injuring near and dear friend. He has
learned in this Il life lesson, never to trif1e
with the affections of another. New York