The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-08-07
Her Spindle Shanks.

| Blanche Hawthorne stood BEFORE her
! glass 10 see herself as others might see
| her. She was dressed in new talior-
made bicycle suit very pretty sigh'
she saw there when she viewed the upper
! rart Of her figure But when she tipped
the glass to snow the lower part sre sald
| In a Disguised tone: such spincAe
| shanks Guy never saw me IN olke
| suit. and he is so fastidious in his taste
| Won't he be disguised with my legsF IN
| going to pad them, even if II Is aWfully
| hot
Suiting the action 10 TIE words. she
! opened drawer and took out two PAIRS
| Of stockings. The addition was QUICKLY
| mace. and Blanche viewed the result Win
Sc tistactlon. II am sure Guy VIII like me
| in this suit now" thought she.
| Blanche had recently become engaged
! to young medical student by the name
| of Guy Ellison. and today they are 10
| enjoy their first spin together
After the manner of young laoies IN
love, she dressed herself for her lovers
eyes alone. and as she has remarked
| Guy is so fastidious.'
! Just as she alters the tip OF her cap 10
! one more jaunty she hears Guys voice
below. without waiting for him to be
| announced, she rushes down so that they
may be quickly away.
| Guy is sufficiently complimentary TO re-
| ward her for all her trouble and orlng
pretty bushes to her face.
Soon they whirl away. A few hours later
| they stop to rest in tiny park. Ihey
are in a happy. idle mood. To amuse her
| Guy criticizes the few passers-by. He Is
q triffe proud of his ability to read CHAR
acter.
Blanche indulgently listens, agreeing TO
! all he says and adding some original sug-
| gestions.
| A young man. wearing knickeroockers
and very fashily dressed, passed by.
That fellow" said Guy, lis sham. HIS
rings and watch chain are ponderous
enough to proclaim themselves brass
That diamond in his shirt front is glass,
and 1 am inclined to suspect him of wear
| ing a false front in place of stiff shirt
1 believe his collar is rubber and l should
not be greatly surprised if his legs were
! padded. For my part l detest such
things. I like a man to appear what
! he is, either physically or morally. L
| like people who are so true that they can
afford to look what they really are"
Poor Blanche! She crimsoned and tried
| to pull her short Skirt over the thickness
| of stockings. Thinking to change the topic
! of conversation, she suggested that they
| go on.
Guy forgot what they were saying and
rode on as gayly as ever.
| Blanche could notforget. She remained
rather silent, and only spoke IN monosyl-
| tables.
A hundred times she thought: can ne
suspect" Then, with an "Of course not, ="
| she tried to dismiss the subject from her
mind. However, it refused to be dismiss
ed. and she had about convinced herself
! that she was deceitful and not good
enough anyway for Guy. She wondered
| what he would think of her if he knew.
| Guy noticed her silence, and, thinking
| she was tired, suggested another rest.
| Lets stop under that oak tree by the
| brook said he, for they were riding along
a country road.
| Blanche consented, and, not noticing a
stone in the way as she left the road, ran
into it and was thrown from her wheel.
In an instant Guy was at her side TO help
! her.
I've sprained my ankle" said she, try
! ing to rise, and sinking back pale and
! breathIess.
! Guy helped her to as comfortable a po-
sition as possible. and got her some water
from a spring near by. Meanwhile he won
| dered what to do, for they were mile
from any house, and Blanche's ankle was
rapidly swelling.
Blanche was suffering mental, as well as
physical pain, for, thought she, Now he
! will surely discover that I'm just a
| sham"
AS they had picnicked by the way. he
had several necessities with him, and,
with a determined expression on his face,
produced some napkins and a towel, say
ing: Blanche, I'm going to wet these
in the cold spring water and bind them
around your ankle. Then 1 must leave
you here, while l go back for team IN
which to carry you home"
She reluctantly consented, and said:
Then, 1 presume I may as we'll confess.
Guy, I free you from the engagement.
| am not what you thought me. 1 am just
a sham. l have on three pairs OF stock
ings."
| This was said in such a low tone, while
she looked so crestfallen that Guy scarce
! ly caught the words. But when he did
get their meaning he laughed loud and
| merrily.
Blanche. notwithstanding the reply,
! burst into tears. Mental effort and phys
| ical pain overcame her self-control.
Guy apologized for the unseemly laugh
ter, but said: Really. Blanche, it is too
utterly amusing. 1 have on two pairs
myself"
Lovers language, with which he assured
her that the engagement could not be so
easily broken. dried her tears. Together
they had hearty laugh over ''shams."
The ankle was soon skillfully attended
| TO by the young student and Blanche COM
| fortably placed TO wait his return.
She did not wait long before ne arrived
with a team and an astonished. open
| mouthed country boy. The boy took
charge OF the wheel until they could be
called for, and Guy took Blanche home.
The ride was not painless, but IL was
| happy, as rides ever must be with lovers
| who have just recovered from q mis-
| understanding and find their love strength
| ened by partly realizing what separa
ton would mean.
After few weeks Blanche was again
| able to ride wheel She and Guy have
| many enjoyable spins, but Blanche IS al
ways satisfied to go with her spindle
shanks" unpadded.-Laura Hutchinson in
Boston Post.
Mr. PinkIey's Definition.
The Washington Star prints new def
| milton of an old word.