Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-30
HONESTY AS A POLICY

-------
In rummaging through Mr.. Justspliced's
trunk the other rainy afternoon, Mrs
Justspliced found at the bottom thereof g
somewhat warped tintype. cabinet size, rep
resenting Mr.. Justspliced in a neat white
flannel suit, a straw hat and canvas shoes
and with a cigar held rakishly in his hand
standing beside rustic chair in which
was seated an exceedingly pretty, dark
haired girl in a white duck dress, and with
a lacy-fringed parasol resting in her lap.
The shock to Mrs. Justspliced was some
thing terrible.
''who is the creature?" she repeated over
and over. WHO can she be? If she only
wasn't so pretty! The bold thing! Who
can she be? Tom never told me wore
about her. I never saw him In white
flannel suit / never knew he wore
white flannel suit. Merciful heavens. who
can the creature be-"
Mrs. Justspliced really worked herself
up to frenzy. She didn't know whether
to show. the tintype to- her mother-whc
was visiting her-or not. But she finally
decided to show it to her mother.
"Ahar exclaimed Mrs. Justspliced's
mother as soon as she clapped eyes on the
tintype. AHA! He's beginning early
isn't her
ooh" said Mrs .Justspliced, but tina,
must have been taken a long while ago
mamma. See how young he looks
Don't you believe any such thing for
moment!'' rasped Mrs. Justspliced's
mother. Don't you dream Of any such
foolish thing! It was taken last summer
only a few months after you were mar
ried, when he said he had to go over to
New York on business. You can't fool me!
It's the white flannel suit that makes him
look SO young. Oh, the deceitful brute!
other hour, my dear!'
Mrs. Justspliced wept hopelessly and
looked very miserable indeed.
'Of course" went on her mother, sar-
caStically, hell have some plausible ex-
planation-men always have some plausible
explanation. But don't you let him pull
the wool over your eyes. He'll try to tell
you that the picture was taken FIVE or six
years ago-long before he knew you-and
that he didn't care a whit for the creature,
but just had the tintype taken for lark.
Or he'll try to tell you that it's picture
of his pretty cousin who lives down IN
the City of Mexico, or the daughter OF his
landlady while he was stopping down at
the seashore back in 1896, or some such
deceitfui story as THAT. Or he'll tell you
that she was some young woman who at
tended the same Christian Endeayor con-
vention that he attended. Never fear, he'll
have some cock-and- bull story all ready
as soon as you show him the picture
these men! But don't you believe him.
They're not to be believed?'
Il ho-ho-hope It's not SO ba-ba-bad as
that sobbed Mrs. Justspliced, drearily.
Mr.. Justspliced found hef, with very red
eyes, waiting for him in the parlor when he
got home from the Office. She didn't bestoW
her usual salutation upon him, but silently
handed him the guilty tintype, with these
words:
How could you deceive me? Who is the
creature?"
Mr.. -Justspliced took the tintype. looked
at 1t for moment, and didn't become REQ
In the face or fustered at all.
Where did you get hold Of thisT' he In.
quired, in his usual tone. I'D forgotten
that 1t was In existence
I'm the bottom of your old trunk replied
Mrs. Justspiced, dabbing at her eyes. "Whc
is she? You never told me about her. Did
you lo-lo-love the horrid thing?"
Mr.. Justspliced was aware of a rustic in
the hall, and he knew that his mother-in-
law was listening. But that didn't appear
to bother him any.
"Well, yes he replied. IT was pretty
fond of that girl at one time-mighty fond
of her. We went to school together and
grew up together, and / used to carry her
books back in my native town Of Oswego,
New York Her name is Laura Goodkins.
She was-and is yet, l haven't the slightest
doubt-a powerfully nice girl. I was en-
gagged to be married to her-lets see, 1t was
about ten years ago. But her folks OBJ
jected to her marrying me because 1 didn't
have any money, and the engagement was
cancelled owing to their objections. We
used to sing in the choir together in Oswego.
She had a fine voice. AS you see, she was
extremely good looking. AS I say, I was
very fond Of her for number Of years; and
I have now no reason to feel anything else
but the kindest regard for her. She was a
cultured and high-minded young woman.
Yes, We exchanged what you might call love
of them. I dare say.
love you, of course, very much more than
1 ever loved her. lost track Of her for five
years, until met her on the board walk in
Atlantic City in the summer Of '96, when
Cral ant /
and to renew our friendship. She had two
exceedingly pretty children then, boy and
a girl, and appeared to be very fond of her
husband. She had married her husband
against the wishes of her people, who were
and are-well-to-do, and there had been no
reconciliation with them when I met her,
and when that tintype was taken. Her hus-
band, by the way, took the tintype. He was
the proprietor Of a tintype factory on the
board walk, and seemed a very pleasant
sort of fellow. ] went out with them fire.
quently of evenings while I was in Atlantic
City. and enjoyed their companionship.
1.-THE husband was quite fully aware Of
my former engagement to his wife. and was
sensible enough not to make any wry faces
over 1t. Took it all very goodnaturedly, in
fact, and rallied me for my failing to get
her. I have never seen either of them since
that summer Anything else?'
Mr.. Justspliced heard a retreating swish
of skirts in the hall and he knew that he
had won out.
Il kne" you WOuldht Tell me story
about it," sobbed Mrs. Justspliced, resting
her head on the lapel Of his overcoat, land
think you are just as truthful and candid
as you can be. and I'll never doubt you
again as long as live, SO I WON'T"
Mr.. JuStSpliced flashed a look of triumph
at his nother-in-law at the dinner table at
which she only turned up her nose.
1.-THE raw. bold brazen impudence of such
a cOnfession"' she shifted to her daughter
on the following morning, but from the
hour of Mr.. Justspiiced's frank narration
of the circumstances connected with the
tintype the mothers influence over the
daughter decreased.
Among the maxims that have survived
the inroads of time and the attacks of
analysis, Honesty is the best policy is
not the least.
No Newspapers in Parliament.
From the London Chronicle.
The printing and stationery vote for the
l. -, .n1;-