The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-11-25

not do to pc late Wnen ! have u AIlr
troduce all your partners"
''IIay seeds have their little mission
In the world after all, eh, Honey Bee -
quoth Sue.
II never would have COTTON off to
this cotilIion If it hadn't been for
you, that's certain" she answered. as
the two went gayly down stairs, leav-
ing the patent feathers, the igncmin-
ons cause of all the trouble, lying
forgotten on the floor.
Scratch, scratch, went the pen, and
sheet after sheet of manuscript fut-
tered ITO the floor. The medical stu
dents who were to be regaled IN the
morrow with Dr. John Meredith's ad-
dres. on anatomy were not to be
envied, II length were not Offset by
brillancy.
Finally the toes are reached. Sure
1y he must be nearing the end. 1t not
the end, the mention OF his cx.reni-
ties started train of thought utter
Iy foreign to the subject in hand,
however. With sigh, he dropped his
pen and turned in his chair. Drawing
the arm of skeleton hanging near
him affectionately over his shoulder
with the thumbbone he thonglitfully
prodded the tobacco in his pipe.
"WcIl. Bonita old girl, I suppose it's
about time | stopped"
The person addressed was accus-
toned to his condolences and, not be-
ing expected to he communicative.
preserved a discreet silence. She was
always introduced % his friends as
Miss Bonita the beautiful Indian
maiden" and her sole duty in life
was to hang suspended there ir mid
air, in convenient range, where ut any
time her thumb could be called into
use. Meredith declared that his pipe
never smoked as well as when 1'oni'a
packed it for him.
Touching his repeater. the faithful
little chime rang observation-disclosures
ty! Great Scott" he cXclaimed,
springng to his feet. "Why didn't
YOU give me hint it was so late?
What use are yon, anyway, hanging
there. twirling your toes when /
should he twirling mine!'
just then there came Il knock at the
door, and without waiting for an an
swer. his friend Graham entered with
rush. "ilello, not ready yet. What
have you been about, you old fogy?
You'll get no dances if you don't hur-
ry.'
Don't want any. Haven't danced
for four years. as I told yo'!,' an
swerrd John, in the drawing, in
different tone he always assumed
when social matters We're discussed.
"WeIl. you promised me you'd go
to this. How do you expect TO be
a success in your profession if yon
drop so completely ont Of social life?
Don't You know that two or three
conqucsts tonight mean rs many
lis in the course of the wcek?"
Great Heavens. You don't mean
it?" tsarcastirnlly),
"Nes. and I'll wager you haven't
even thought of the dancing shoes
you promised m" so faithfully to
buy"
There You are wrong, dear boy. as
usual. Thought of them just in the
nick of time. Open the box there and
lend me a hand, will you" tHiving
himself Il shaEe). He disappeared in
to the other end of the long :oom,
which was divided by portiers, and
was dignifed by the title OF sleeping
aiaartment, in this. his home. mp five
flights of stairs HE climbing of
which was all the exercise he needed,
he declared.
An astnnishcd silence followed the
cracking of the paper, then burst
of hearty laughter.
What in thunder have You been
about. old saw-bones? Some ones
been playing a trick on YOU"
As Charlie finished speaking, Mere
dith appeared at the portiers, and to
his astonishcd gaze was held up a
pair of white suedes, dainty, high
hcelcd, fit for Il fairy. CONSERVATION
dire overwhelmed them both, then
recollection came to Meredith. swift
and sure. A par of brown eyes glnnccs
Indignantly into his, then sweet
voice is saying: 'rhcy must be
white, Sue: either satin or suedcs!"
OF course, the stupid clerk had miNed
them up.
But. great Heavens, where ar, his?
lie dare not trust himself to think
In the meantime. Charlie stood with
the dainty drceivers poised engerly
in one hand. gazing quiAzica'ly at
Meredith.
"louvr mistaken the box, old
man. | did not intend to pr into
your secrets, | assure you. Very
clumsy of mo. Kindly show me the
right box
"Oh, hang il all. dry up! What are
yOu talking about 2" almost shouted
Meredith, shaken out of his custom
ary calm, "Don't you see what has
happened? The clerk has mixed them
up, that's ALL" Then he related the
whole story to his unsympa1hetic
in paroNysms of delight, to the hetFi-
ment Of his immaculate evening
dress.
"That's the best | ever hcard.' he
gasped. Imagine the scene in the
boudoir OF the brown-eyed one, when
your dainty canoes arrived. Don't
stand there pctrilied. Hurry ", get
out your old ones and come along"