The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-26
HER IMPROBABLE LIE.
4 MAN CALLER CAUGHT HER At THE
BAREFOOT Urn.

Thereupon She Dissembled Most ArtfuIly,
Suffering Great Anguish of Mind and
Imporiiling Her Immortal soul-She
Learns of the Material Losses Later.
well" said the hostess reflectively. as the
caller finished telling about the Washington
Birthday party che had'given her child rem.
speaking OF the cherry tree incident. / wish
that l had had sthe courage the other night
that George displayed when he faced his father
and the consequences-on that honorable
occasion"
why. you don't mean that you told a-a"-
The caller paused. embarrassed
"A lie2" the hostess said unfinchinRly.
Yes, L did. and. oh. the peck o. trouble 1t got
me into!" There was such a genuine note Of
distress 10 her voice that the caller responded
with sudden sympathy.
Oh. my dear. they always do get one into
trouble. l know 1t only too we'll"
Then you have told one at some time in
your life2" Receiving an affirmative nod. for
the caller had Just begun to sip her tea, she
continued J~oyfullv. Then / can confde my
tale OF woe to you. II you had looked horri-
fed l should not have told you a word.
In the first place, Pm going to put the re-
sponsibility where 1t belongs"
1T always does belong somewhere elRe. the
caller interrupted with comforting emphasi Ia.
We'll, in this cose. II belongs with the maid
and with the fact that l didn't have on one Of
those new skirts that are long. you know. oil
around"
"of all the combinationsl' exclaimed the
caller. DO go on. I'm dying to heart"
For a year or So" resumed the hostess. II
have suffered from cold feet, particularly Mt
night. Not q romantic ailmenu. l know. but de-
cidedly uncomfortable. l tried the old-fash-
Toned warming pan and the new-fashioned
hot-water bag and crooheted bed slippers.
all to no purpose. | bought and wore all
brands of felt-lined shoes. cork-soled shoes.
wool interlined shoes. all to no purpose. FL
molly l made.up.my'mind that the trouble was
with my nervous system. 80 l consulted that
awfully expensive nervous specialist. you
know. DR.. Soakem. What do you suppose he
told me to dor"
"Goodnessl I dom know. They say he
gives very queer advice. Did he tell You to
wear Indian moccasins?"
No. Simply and merely to go barefooted."
"What!' shrieked the caller. In this
weather."
only In the house. the hostess treasured
her. and only for an hour or so before going to
bed. lie told me to walk around a good deal.
always on the rugs. and to walk with q sliding
f bIelD 50 As as i had fo fe 10 q nav as si mHc for !f t6is ma as e3ssI,
advice; / tell you followed Il pretty faithfully
Did 1t do you any goodf" the caller inquired
Indeed; It did. I was perfectly amazed at
the doctor that It hadn't helped your"
Don't refer to this as q fit. even to be DO
5Isei r 1t WAS a "a h@a ar wite m lie' r., No; 1.-THE the doctor pcen
This is the way it was:
About a month after I began this peripa-
So l told the maid TO say that ! was not at
home and came into this room intending to
rugs IN here better than those in my room;
they are softer and more silky. 1 often take
my constitutions! in here after l come home
"Well. mi Mary " asked il she might go to the
drug store, on n short ,errand and went off
home The cook can cook but she cannot
wait on the door with either style or discre-
ton. The first thing I knew l heard her say
Walk right in when you've took your things
on She had brought me no card given me
no chance to ask 10 be excused. | caught
sight Of the man from n reflection in n mirror
and saw that he was the one man of all my ao-
n""i in Such a Xxx iId / mIS Know mSse him No very naye w NGl
but | did know several stories about his ex-
IRENE ru~mGtiiiousnTshs a oI,I absurd regard for
my room lay through the door which he was
4bout to enter glanced down. 10 my horror
hardiy" long enough to touch he floor. I I lad
dineu alone and had not dressed for dinner.
With a brief. ~ieryent wish for my new after
Two inches in front and more behind, l sud
denly decided what 20 do.
Il dropped upon the divan. threw a cushion
on to the floor. snatrhed a small silk rug hang
ing over the, back of a chair near the couch.
rug over them. l looked up from tucking
the rug around the cushion to see Mr. BIanf
How do you do:' l heard myself say. I'm
delighted to see you. You'll pardon my not
TsiI3 i Won't ~ vow Y You ~ sec &c I'M BIZ oian IT,
can't stand without u good deal of pain
I'm sure ] was as much surprised Mt this
had hardly known what l would say. or
course: ne was most soIicitous' said he would
he should i stay a !" Then 'lhe he wan \ tn1'3 10 kn rHaS
how such an extremely unfortunate accident
had happened was it coming home from the
I Glibly answered, thankful for the time limit
he unconscionsly gave me. for ::.iGht very
days ago. 1T was ns | came un the steps.
where. as the vestibnle light had been put OUT.
it was SO dark that didn't see a coating OF ice
And SO the lie grew. 1t made me think of
n SNOWFALL rolling md rolling until it be-
with the, rug; whereunon he asked most
cushion for me. declined his services with
such unnecessary emphasis, that I'm afraid he
and when he went the nervous strain I had
been under eliminated in n good .rv. That
over. | began TO see The humor Of the affair.
ling merrily: After ! had warned him that II
Mr.. Blank should ask about me In the course
recovery. ] thought the episode had ended.
but in my excitement | had entirely for.
gotten a dance that was to come off the very
next night. l had been looking forward tC
this particular one, for weeks, In fact. / had
nearly turned my hair gray. in thinking OF a
new gown and in getting It made n time
going ! was told that s~prained ankles were
hardly desirable at dances; that. as Aunt Ira.
falgnr EnVR, they seem SO out OF DInpe.' We
knew positively that Mr.. Blank would be al
this dance. We talked 1t over and agreed
finally that II did go ! must not dance al ali
To one WHO loves dancing as / do. this was q
cruel decision. but ! stuck to II. The glory OF
nv gown was somewhat diIumed by having tc
sit out all the dances. for the back could no,
be seen. and | had spent many anxious mo.
ments over that back"
But you must have got lots OF sympathy? p
the caller said inquiringly.
"Of course | aid. didn't have a half bad
time. though my conscience did hurt me dread.
fully. 1t was sprained instead Of my ankle
The next day after, the. dance / found on MI
engagement list n luncheon for that day and q
picture exhibition for the evening. ! didn't
dare 20 to either for fear OF meeting some O,
the leople who had sympathized with me al
the dance. But the worst disappointme nts
came a week later; Mrs. X. who has q lovely