The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-03-06

|
ed you?''
Don't refer to this as fib. even tt
be polite. 1t is not a bare-faced lie
No. the doctor had nothing to do witt
| my fall from grace. This is the way
it was:
About month after I began this
peripatetic treatment l had an evening
| all to myself. So I told the maid to say
that l was not at home and came into
this room intending to walk and read
| for two hours or so. ! like the rugs In
| here better than those in my room
they are softer and more silky. l Of
! ten take my constitutional in here after
l come home from party or dinner.
We'll. Mary asked if she might go
| to the drug store on a short errand and
went off without telling the cook that
l was not at home The cook can cook,
| but she cannot wait on the door with
| either style or discretion. The first
| thing l knew l heard her saying: Yes,
sir; you'll find her in the library. Walk
right in when you've took your things
off. She had brought me no card; Civ
en- me no chance TO ask to be excused.
l caught sight of the man from a reflec-
ton in the mirror and saw that he was
the one man of all my acquaintance
whom | most hated to find me in such a
fix. ! didn't know him very we'll, but
l did know several stories about his
extreme punctiliousness and absurd re-
gard for les convenances. The only way
of escape to my room lay through the
door which he was about to entsr. l
glanced down. To my horror. l realized
that the street gown I had on was
hardly long enough to touch the floor.
l had d.ned alone and had not dressed
for dinner. With a brief. fervent wish
for my new afternoon gown, which
sweeps the floor at least two inches in
front and more behind, I suddenly de-
cided what to do.
Il dropped upon the divan, threw
cushion onto the floor. snatched a small
silk rug hanging over the back of
chair near the couch, planted my feet
on the cushion and flung the rug over
them. l looked from tucking the rug
around the cushion to see Mr.. Blank
coming through the door.
. How do you do?' I heard myself
say. I'm delighted to see you! You'll
pardon my not rising, won't you? You
see, I'm bit of an invalid, for I've
sprained my ankle and can't stand
without a good deal of pain
I'm sure | was as much surprised
at this announcement as he was, for
when I began l had hardly known what
| would say. OF course. he was mcst
solicitous, said he would not stay at
all, and, of course. I insisted that he
should stay. Then he wanted to know
how such an extremely unfortunate ac-
cident had happened Was it coming
home from the opera. where he had
seen me last night? Yes, l glibly an
swered, thankful for the time limit he
unconsciously gave me, for l might
very likely said that it happened two
or three days ago. 1T was as | came
up the steps, where. as the vestibule
light had been put out, Ii was so dark
that l didn't see coating of ice on one
of The steps
And SO the lie grew 1t made me
think of a SNOWFALL rolling and rolling
until it becomes gigantic. I was 30
nervous that | unthinkingly stopped
over and began fussing with the Tug,
WhereupOn he asked most courtaorAly
if he couldn't arrange my rug or Cush-
ion for me. l declined his services with
such unnecessary emphasis that I'm
afraid he was offended. At any rate, he
didn't stay long and when he went the
nervous strain I had been under cul-
minated in a good cry. That over l
began to see the humor of the affair, and
when my husband came in l was
chuckling merrly. After l had warned
him that if Mr.. Blank should ask about
me in the course of a week he must
report very satisfactory recovery, I
thought the episode had ended.
Ioul III my thtlltlltIl L Ildu 6nllEeIy
forgotten a dance that was to come off
the very next night. l had been looking
forward to this particular one for weeks.
In fact, / had nearly turned my hair
gray in thinking Of new gown and in
getting If made in time. The next
morning when ! began to talk about
going l was told that sprained ankles
were hardly desirable at dances: that,
as Aunt Trafalgar says. they seem 50
lJf of yS1D -;+,,
Mr. Blank would be at this dance. We
talked it over and agreed finally that
if | did go l must not dance at ALL To
one who loves dancing as do, this was
cruel decision, but l stuck to it. The
glory of my gown was somewhat
dimmed by having to sit out all the
dances, for the back could not be sean,
and | had spent most anxious momelts
over that back"
But You must have got lots OF SYM
pathy?" the caller said inquirngly.
'Of course I did. l didn't have half
bad time, though my conscience did
hurt me dreadfully. 1t was spra ned in
stead of my ankle. The next day after
the dance I found on my engagement
list luncheon for that day and pic
ture exhibition for the evening. I didn't
dare go to either for fear CT meeting
some Of the people who had sympa-
worst disappontments came week
later Mrs. X, who has lovely bux at
the opera this winter, came N one oft
ern0on and was surprised to na1 me
entirely recovered. Why, I'd no idea
that you could walk YETI she exclaimed.
1 heard that you had had very severe
accident, almost broken your leg. so
much wanted you and your n,lhbarl
to use our box at the opera night ,fCre
last when we We're called out If, town
and to invite your own party to fiji it.
l was just going to send word to you
when heard of your accident 81 ] gave
the box to Mrs. Brown
Fancy missing thing Ike that"
the hostess said bitterly. After this
Jobs comforter left I made resolu-
ton never to tell another lie 10 matter
what the provocation."
Yet l wonder" said the caller as she
rose to go, ''if when We say, L will rot
tell lfe'-because of the disagreeable
results-we take as high an ethical
stand as George did when he said I
cannot tell a lie'?"-New York sun