The Florida star., 1901-09-20

W huo6S uuOtutf ldul - II u luuy uo
soon as she sets her eyes on her.
You bet yer she dor said Mrs. Tor
rington.
Then am a lady. you are lady.
and the countess is a lady. and phwat's
the use or any hard feelings? I'm go-
Ing to give a little recherche affair this
evening. and I've come up to extend q
high flown invitation
''yhas it a party Z" asked the grocer
as he absently toyed with a string bean.
'Yes. OF course. The word 'resher-
shay knocks you out. but as a janitor
make use OF IL hundred times a day.
1t means the same as four XXXX's on
can OF sardines-something very ex-
elusive. you know. The BARRIERS wife
knew all about 1t, and she wasn't over a
minute accepting the invitation. She'd
got tired OF quarreling and was ready
TO make up Then Mrs. O'SulliYan ex-
tended the invitation TO the countess.
/ stood by as she did II. and I tell you.
Mr.. Wasserman, IL made me proud or
the McMurphy dats. She knocked on
the door, and as IL was opened she
made grand courtesy and said:
The Lady O'Sulliyan's compliments
To the Countess OF Divito. and win the
Countess OF DiyitO cOndescend TO honor
the Lady O'Sullivan wild her royal pris-
ence this evening at the hour or 81
''The countess had probably expected
TO be hit with a washboard." contin-
ued the janitor. 'and she was too sur
prised for the moment TO speak, but
when she got at ii she responded ac-
cOrding 10 court etiquette. knew
Mrs. O'Sullivan had some little game
on hand, but just what IL was
couldn't figure out. However. when
she asked me what sort OF refresh
ments went with a recherche affair
recommended bottled beer. sliced
onions and sardines and bided my time
70. unravel the mystery"
"Und dot party comes ofrY'. queried
the grocer.
'It does. Yes. at 8 O'clock this even
ing Lady Torrlngton and the Countess
Divito descended to the first floor and
were received with all due honors by
Lady O'Sullivan. You know what a
prelude Is. don't your
'Yes. 1t vhas something's dot takes
place afterwards"
''YOu are wrong. Mr.. Wasserman. 1t
Is something that takes place before
anything else happens. In this case
the prelude was glass OF beer all
around and a song by Lady O'Sullivan.
and then the hOnOred guests were in
yited 10 sit down 20 Il little game OF
poker. As soon as | heard of IL the
mystery was explained, Tim O'Sulli-
van had been coaching his wife at
poker for a week"
"Hy golly. und some gambling goes
on exclaimed the grocer in cOnsid-
erable excitement.
'.SOme gambling goes on" sighed the
janitOr. IF the guests were surprised.
they didn't show II. but sat down and
were soon at IL, and for half an hour
all went well. Then Lady O'Sullivan
gets threes."
Three pOkersT
''No; three kings. Yes. she gets three
kings. but Lady Torrington gets a
straight. you see"
"Who vhas a straight?'
Don't you know about poker. Mr.
Wasserman?"
'Neffer | shnst keep a grocery und
bar all kinds OF vegetables in season"
well. straight beats threes, but in
this case the countess had a flush. and
that beats a straight. 1t was the best
hand OF the three, but no one knew it,"
"Und dose womans makes some bets.
ehY'
"They do. Lady O'Sullivan careless
ly remarks that her hand is worth a
nickel. and she is followed and raised
by the other two. BY and by there was
$40 on the board"
You don't say
"Then so. $15. $25."
''By gOlly. but how awful"
''DO you know what cali means. Mr..
WaSsc.manT'
Il DO. One time a man calls me a
liar, und hit him on der nose"
But a poker call Is different. Lady
O'Sullivan finally called and showed
her hand, and il was when she discOv-
cred that the countess had n flush that
the fun began. All grabbed for the
money, and in less than a minute there