The St. Johns herald., 1902-01-18

2 his pipe never smoked as well as when Bonita packed it for him. Touching his repeater, the faithful little chime rang out-nine-and-twenty
 Great ScottY' he exclaimed, springing to his feet. "Why didn't you give me hint it was so late? What use are you, anyway, hanging there. twirling your toes, when I should be twirling minew
 Just then there came a knock at the door, and, without waiting for an an- swer, his friend Graham entered with rush. Hello not ready yet! What have you been about, you old fogy? You'll get no dances if you don't hurry"
 Don't want any. Haven't danced
 for four years, as I told you," answer ed John, in the drawling, indifferent
 tone he always assumed when matters social were discussed.
 "Well, you promised me you'd go to
 this. How do you expect to be sue
 cess in your profession If you drop so
 completely out of social life? Don't you
 know that two or three conquests to-
 night mean as many calls in the
 course of the week"
 Great heavens! You don't mean it?"
 (sarcastically).
 "Yes, and I'll wager you haven't even
 thought of the dancing-shoes you prom
 ised me so faithfully to buy"
 "There you are wrong, my dear boy,
 as usual. Thought of them just in the
 nick of time. Open the box there and
 lend me hand. will you" (giving him.
 self shake). He disappeared into the
 other end of the long room, which was
 divided by portieres, and was dignifed
 by the title of sleeping apartment, in
 this. his home, up five flights of stairs
 the climbing of which was all the
 exercise he needed. he declared.
 An astonished silence followed the
 cracking of the paper, then a 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 portieres, and to his astonished gaze was held up a pair of white suedes, dainty, high heeled. fit for fairy. Consternation dire overwhelmed them both, then rec ollection came to Meredith, swift and sure. A pair of brown eyes glances in- dignantly into his, then a sweet voice Is saying: "They must be white, Sue; either satin or suedep' Of course, the stupid clerk had mixed them up.
 But, great heavens! where are his? He dare not trust himself to think. In the meantime, Charlie stood with the dainty deceivers poised gingerly in one hand, gazing quizzically at Meredith.
 You've mistaken the box, old man. did not intend to pry into your se- crets, assure you. Very clumsy of me. Kindly show me the right box"
 "Oh. hang it all, dry up! What are you talking about" almost shouted | Meredith, shaken out of his customary | calm. Don't you see what has happen ed? The clerk has mixed them up, that's all" Then he related the whole sory to his unsympathetic friend, who rolled over on the divan in paroxysms of delight, to the detriment of his im- maculate evening dress.
 That's the best I ever heardw he gasped. Imagine the scene in the boudoir of the brown-eyed one, when your dainty canoes arrived! Don't stand there petrified! Hurry up, get out your old ones and come along"
 "But I haven't any old ones! Gave them all to my small brother long ago. What use have I for dancing-shoes? p dejectedly. Now that all possibility of a dance was at an end, he longed most unreasonably for the unattain- able. Forlornly he arrayed himself.
 You'll have to sit out most of your dances-if you get any," said his friend, consolingly; mine are all en- gagged. I never take any before half past ten"
 Nobody will want to dance with me in these thick things" sighed the Oth- CT, surveying his shoes ruefully.
 However, they made a start finally, Charlie gayly arranging future pro- ceedings as they went.
 "Now, if the brown eyes are there, what luck! Pm sure to know her; I know everybody. can see 1t all-intro- duction, start of recognition, hopeless confusion, gallant friend to the rescue I all satisfactorily explained in a mo- 1 menty'
 "Never!" calculated Meredith, clutch { ng his arm. Suppose she's girl who ] chaffs a fellow unmercifully?" "Why, she can not! She's in as much t of box as you are."
 "Oh, no she isn't! She forgot all t about me and my patent-leathers as 1 soon as she entered the store" Well hope for the best, my afflicted l friend" said Charlie. T Presently they reached the brilliantly C lighted hall where the first cotillion of T he season was under way. Gayly the e couples were marching back and forth a trough the mazes of the figures, and l. here-surely his eyes did not mislead t lim-was the "brown-eyed one," de- t nurely leading all that lovely train of blowers. Meredith leaned against the and Graham noticed the ook of consternation, almost of fear, a lpon his face. li She's here, is she?'' he asked. O "Yes, there, leading" he answered, u aintly. O "Thati Beatrice HarIoei Well vou h