Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1901-07-24
VERY MYSTIFYING FRANKS.

of comment, for many charming
young women own dogs: but
these particular dogs haYe been very
strangely named. The fact is that
the young woman in question prizes
her dogs so highly that she thinks
the greatest compliment she can pay
to young man is to name dog af-
ter him, and at the same time she is
so discreetly decorius and such q
slave to propriety that she would not
venture to give the young mans
front name to dog-it would seem
too familiar. Now, young men come
and 60, and young women are no
toriously tickle, but dogs-at least
these dOgs-remain; SO it happens
that they are now bearing the appel
lation of cavaliers who have passed
on to other chsrmers 1t never would
do to change a dogs name every
NAhAN q hAfoOAONC duA iii LhklOuc kAIl
shifted her affections, you know.
The real names may not be re-
peated here, lest trouble should arise
therefrom, but for the purpose of the
story the dogs may be designated as
"Mr. Virgins" and "Mr. Barker"
The idea of calling a dog Mr." may
seem strange, but in view of the way
they were named it would not seem
proper to refer to them as simply
Virgins and Barker, and the young
woman never does 1t. She is dis
tinctly formal in addressing them,
as naturally would be expected of
girl who has been properly brought
up. That, it may be said in passing
is the occasion for this story. If
the circumstances were different
there would have been no distressing
complications and misunderstand-
ings.
\ young man who knew nothing
about the dogs called on the Young
woman recently. He WAS stranger
in the city, but she had been chum
of his sisters at boarding school, be
himself had met her once or twice,
and he was assured of warm well
come. 1t is impossible to describe
his emotions satisfactorily, but if the
masculine reader will mentally put
himself in his place-remembering
always that nothing had been said
to him about dogs-he may have a
fair conception of how he felt and
what he thought.
He heard her tripping lightly
down the stairs, and just as he was
rising with pleasura5le anticipation
to meet her there was an Interrupt
ton of some sort. lie knew this be-
cause he heard the stamb of her foot,
the rushing of her gown, and these
rather startling words:
Behave yourself, Mr.. Wiggins.
You're mussing my dress all up.
How DO you think I'll look if you
don't let me alone: Stop 1t, | tell
you.
The next moment she appeared in
the doorway, smiling pleasant
welcome to him.
Pardon me for keeping YOU wait
ing" she said, "but Mr.. Wiggin:
has been botheriug me SO ! could
hardly do thing"
Il think heard you speak t.
him." suggested the young man
rather pointedly.
"Oh, yes" she replied, calmly. ."
have to speak to him pretty sharpl,
sometimes, or there's no telling wha
he'd do. Why, he nearly trippe,
me up twice this afternoon"
"He must be an awkward brute,
he remarked, for want of somethin;
better to say.
"Oh, no; not really awkward Jus
playful. YOU know" she answered
And he's no worse than Mr.. Barker
either. Why, this morning MI
Barker bounced into my room an
ran away with one of my shoes Jus
AS | was about to put it on--actuall
seemed to think it was iok,
: Sometimes think Mr.. Barker has
3 vein of real humor in HIM"
5 The young man said nothin:
There really seemed to be nothin
for him to say, and if there had bee
he coulden't have said it. He ha
! met strange people in his time bl
; well, wouldn't you have been at
To- | Los, -. l-,N.,,. L.. 4 IL