Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1901-04-24
THE EVOLUTION OF A STEADY"
BEGINNING OF AN AFFAIR OF SENTIMENT.
BY H. j. O'HIGGINs.

%~#~%WFWF'
A. March wind ratified the skeleton
branches of the trees in New York
Central Park, and an April sun bright
ened the unshaded lawns beneath them
so that the air was at once warm AM
cold. A couple walking down the nal
remarked this phenomenon. He lik
ened the weather to mixed drink
and she encouraged him with a prett.
show. of teeth.
BLOWN ITSELF" he said Of the wine
that tugged at her Sunday skirt, toss
ing the feathers in her hat and blow
ing wisps of her disordered hair abou
her face.
She put them back with: "It'll blow
me to bits"
"Come an see the circus" he sug
gested, meaning the menagerie. '"Tht
monkey house-we'll be in out Of the
wind there"
Cali right" she agreed. They're
cunnin', amt they?-the monkeys"
"Sure," he nodded "Are yeh cold?'
looking at her with more admiration
than solicitude. 1t was plain that he
spoke only as an excuse for that look.
"Cold?" she laughed. "Are you;
Put on yer coat, W. don't yeh? Aw
do."
The coat hung on his arm. He pro-
tested that he was not cold; he had
only thought that she might be so.
"Aw, put it on" she urged.
Now, no man Of any spirit will put
on his overcoat in such a case. That
would be to acknowledge either that he
had not sense enough to know when he
was cold, or wisdom enough to put on
the coat, knowing it.
"Say," he said, waits the use Of me
putin on the coat wen don't want
it,"
"Yeh might put 1t on wen ask yeh, !"
she pouted.
"Aw, say" he appealed to her.
WELL" She defended herself, "yeh
never do wat ask yeh."
The defense was lame, inasmuch as
they had met only three times as yet,
rad she had never asked him to do
awning for her before. However, he
saw tfat this AFFAIR promised trodpfs
and "Gee!" he said, ri amt goin' tel
scrap about it, thrusting an arm int
a sleeve of his coat.
She turned to him. all smiles. aye
needn't put 1t on, if yeh don't wan
It," she said.
"Sure, don't want It," he said. +"
toll yeh that"
T! She took the coat from him, ant
folded it over his arm. SILLY" sh
laughed, squeezing his hand.
He grinned at once. Cali right, al
right" he said. "As longs your
happy"
She took his arm with an air Of 9
ership, and they turned down ;aa
toward the menagerie. On arG.
days she was factory girl and
bricklayer, but this was sp1
day afternoon, and they wer
for the poets. Several hundr .'s-
couples on the crowded walk .c!' .
the same happy condition, but a.4as.
revolving in common space cuuld no
be at further cry from one another
Each pair was the centre of its OWL
solar system, with the other worlds
circling about in outer darkness.
Therefore, these two went arm II
arm with Coney Island frankness, a:
If they were the sole inhabitants Of {
new Garden Of Eden. They were JUS
on the pleasant verge Of an intimacy
which each, unknown to the other
very much desired. He turned greedily
to her, and she to him, to hear tho
lightest word. They impeded the mid.
stream Of promenaders while he turned
up the collar of her jacket. When he
guided her around corner, helped hel
up step, or passed her through the
crowd before him he reached protect.
i've arm about her waist and let 1t re-
main long after these slight excuses
for it's presence. there had passed. He
wore his hat jauntily on one side Of
his head, and he tried to be witty be-
yond telling.
We'll getta peanutty fer de monk,
he said, swinging her around to ven
dor of nuts and candies. "How mucha
Fiva centa? Sure" and paid out the
coin like man of money. He put the
bag of peanuts in the coat pocket that
was nearest her, and invited her tc
help herself-which she did. Neces-
sarily, his hand met hers sometimes in
the pocket, and held it there until the
difficulties Of making passage
through the crowd parted them again
He chaffed her delicately because she
ate so many nuts. Here" he said
"yehll make yerself sick. You ain't
the monkey got them fer"
She smiled gayly, winking happy
eye at him as she broke shell be-
tween her small white teeth. 1t is GER
tain that he looked longingly at the
lips that parted to show those teeth.
care yeh tryin' teh make a monkey
Of me?" she asked.
This overwhelmingly witty retort
coming so Unexpectedly, jolted him
into a loud laugh. He choked and
coughed. She 'iggled. They stood fol
a moment, he. y.ess with laughter, and
even after they had sobered sufficient
ly to walk together again, he replied
to her inward convulsions with deeI
chuckles OF the throat
He was proud Of her. Ordinarily
the lady in these affairs does nothing
but giggle and again giggle, giggling in
sipid admiration of the camel who sets
a heavy footed wit capering for hel
amusement. Here was girl who
smiled and answered back. He thought
upon 1t deeply, chuckling over it and
saying nothing. She understood thai