The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1899-02-10

miscellaneous
IN THE "PEANUT" GALLERY.
BY Y. T.. KRAS.

In HE rEANUl GALlERl
BY Y. l.. KRAS.
They met for the first time at Mrs
Murray's. In fact it has long sine,
been rem lrk ed that number of int er
est.ng affairs date from Mrs. Murray
afternoons This occasion was one
of that unique woman's most success
full Sat Homes" and in the geneia
atmosphere of her generous hospital
ity, the two were already on very com
fortable chatting terms.
The girl had that ease ofmanrer anG
air of being quite at home ut all times
that are the result, principally, of q
clear head, steady nerves. and the con
sciouSness of pretty face. Decked
in one of her Cousins most correct
gowns and modish bonnets, one would
never have imagined her as belonging
TO the shirt-waisted, sailor-hatted
brigade who daily pound their daily
bread from the typewriter's key
board. II was at the home oil
the convaiescent cousin who owned
the gown, that Mrs. Murray had
met and admired the fresh
young face, and this afternoon. with
l
common, the girl had unwittinsly i'm
pressed the youUg man who stood
watching her greet their hostess and
her daughter, with the idea that she
was a lear and dear friend OF the fam,
ill.,, end-he gioomily retiected-iu
consequence, OF course, a Daughter o!
the Revolution, Dame of the Colonies,
probable heiress, possible 1iauce of Il
title, aud everything else calculated to
remove her beyond the possibility o!
even casual acquaintance with II work
a-day creature like himself, whose sole
stock in the social trade was a Chassis
profile and charming grace of mrE-
ner. These, however, he found stand
ing him i'll no mean stead jGst now.
He was beginning to feel on quite con-
gratulatory terms with himself. He
had beer introduced to the girl his
eyes had followed for the last twenty
minutes, ana had surprised himself by
saying some very neat things in return
for her pretty nothings. AS Isabel
Murray passed them. standing
together by the palms in the great bay
window, and said something hurriedly
abol% 1.-The box" and "Thursday
night it was the quandam type
writer's turn to be wretched, for this
convinced her that her companion was
one of the visiting cousins in whose
honor the Murrays were to give that
big theatre party; and he unconscious
~ strengthened the illusion by turning
to her with some question about Mans
fields new play.
Mo- she told him, "she had not
| seem it yet next week." and then,
after the Kaleidoscope manner of
those crowded sffairs, the scene shifted
with a couple of introductions, they
were dissolved, and other combina-
ti0us were formed, 81 10 speak.
Some ten minutes later, however,
the young man found himself taken
Iorcibly in tow by Il gaiiy dressed wo-
man, somewhat past meridian, who,
having made notable failure of her
own life, spent her lime endeavoring
to assist other people III the living Of
theirs.
Come on" size whispered to him
mysternusIy, Il want you TO meet two
of the incest girls in ali New York, and
I'll take you to the incest first. other
| wise"
With wonderful e,eXterity she man
aged to cleave her way through the
compact crowd, and he followed, won
dering. in the wake of her ponderous
personality, until he suddenly found
himself face to face with his friend of
the palms in the bay window
ny dear Miss Armstrong" Mrs.
Gibson began, ''may | introduce Mr..
! Cameron, who is a great friend Of
mine," (they had met twice., you are
both Sou herners and wanted you to
know each other;;n and there followed,
of course, the natural quota of eXclaiu-
ing, laughing, protesting and explain
ing, and then Philip was carried off to
meet the He.rt incest girl in the city.
| But he had seen Leslie Armstrong s
color flash when she saw him, and
deepen as be spoke, and the little in
cdent had somehow had the effect of
| giving them a past in common. With
this frankly interested mutual friend
even the possibility Of a future vague
ly outlined itself.
But once on the avenue again,
Philips horizon neared and narrowed.
Missing the eXhileration of the atmos-
phere he had left, and feeling himself
now only one of the great hurryipg
masses at that home coming hour OF
The day, when the town, like an in.
verteG hour-glass, begins to pour its
busy population back into their homes
| i
for minute on facts as well. What
was the use of meeting people once in
a while on neutral ground, SO to speak,
or, worse yet, on other peoples ground
and by virtue Of other peoples indorse.
ment, when one could never hope to
follow up, on ones own account, any
of the interests thus formed? What
was the use of having a glimpse of q
world one could me- Ell live in, or tasting
a tonic that only fired ones thirst foi
the unattainable Then presently he
began to take himself to task for not
having told Miss Armstrong plainly
that he was a clerk in Merton q Meri
denis big establishment. To be sure
she had shown no particular eagerpess
to possess herself of his personal his
tory, and he did not now remember
any point in the conversation where
the subject could have been easily in
troduced, still. She must be beauti
full in evening dress; his thoughts
drifted on, with no great relevancy, g!
ne absently drank his coffee from al
inch thick cup, and reflected subcoD
sciously on the egg-shell affairs of sim
liar purpose he had been holding only
half an hour before-she said mex
week." he mused-of course-I won
derby Jove I'll go myself. They
always have that box under the Lind
says; I'll go tonight and secure the
yery seat l want" and cheerful,
clubbing himself fool for his pains
he nevertheless speedily marched tt
Twenty Eighth street, and did thl
same foolish thing.
When, an hour later, he mounted thu
four flights of steps to the little dor
mer-windowed room which, for swee
economy's sake, he shared with Sit
Barton, he found the latter alread.
Invested of coat and boots and tiltet
back on a little wooden chair of I'm
compromising straightness, (the onl.
one of which the room boasted,) witt
clouds of smoke circling about hi
head.
"Sitting with exalted feet, where tn
wall and ceiling meet" he remarked
as Phil entered and began silently t
shed his outer garments. 1.-Two TO on
YOU haven't had your dinner" he pun
sued, shifting his pipe to secure NOR
tongue-room behind his teeth. N
answer. "Have you?" the young ma
persisted.
YES" Phil replied, shutting tn
dressing-t liable drawer with ban
that brought the tin match-safe to tn
floor.
well, all have to say is, you didn
. have enough"
: There's that tie of yours, Sid, II
much obliged
son, that's it, is it" Sill returned
bringing the front legs of his cha
: down to the floor aud sitting up su
prisingly straight in consequence