The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1902-03-08

| station. Ethel ran after me few PAGES,
as | walked away.
"Oh, Mr.. Vaneson, she said, show
capitally you got on with Mrs. Lowenstein.
She's so dreadfully clever, you know, that
we re all quite afraid of her. wish you d
come in to dinner one night to help enter
| tain her. Mamma would be so grateful.
Can you come tomorrow
with pleasure, | replied
The Phipsons' dinners were always good j;
and Mr.. p had some of the best after
dinner claret in Surrey. Besides as a
Gagged canary Ethel was a very charming
little bird. | liked to bill and firt with
her through the bars
| Therefore said, truthfully,
"With pleasure.
II m so glad you can come, she an
swered. 'sMrs Lowenstein is going to tell
our characters Won't it be fun? We
must get her to tell yours.
s'Is she palmist, then p inquired.
''No. She laughs at palmistry as hum
bug. She calls herself phreno- -physiog-
nomist.
ssWhat formidable title r | smiled
Eyes, isn't it? But they say she $
awfully cute at sizing one up. I'm so
glad you can con" "
$50 am [, y | said, looking into this
pretty canary eyes.
They met mine with sweet look-an
inviting, an enticing look. How many
wild songsters have | known whom that
look would have led captive into the fatal
aviary I thank Providence that | am
fortified, by reason, against such allure
ments
The next night duly went to fulfil my
engagement. An excellent dinner and a
half bottle of the celebrated claret put
me in my best vein. | sat with Ethel on
a sofa and billed with her most agreeably
through the bars. Then my hostess
said
.sNow, Mrs Lowenstein, will you tell
our characters, as you promised to do p
stCertainly l will, replied that lady,
briskly, moving, as she spoke, into Sc
verely upright Chippendale chair which
stood just under the center gasolier.
By her direction | placed another chair
opposite to her. In this we sat one after
another as our turn came, facing the phre
no physiongomist My turn came last.
She contemplated me in silence for min
ute or more Then she said, with quite
startling suddenness
"You' re wanting in nose.
The remark annoyed me-in the first
place, because it was unduly personal; in
the second, because it conveyed a totally
uAmerited reflection upon my facial ap-
pearance [ have not, indeed a great
beak of a proboscis, which some people
affect to regard as the most becoming
shape; but my nose is very neat nose all
the same, and it is admirably suited to my
countenanee, which, | would have you
know, is very much the reverse Of any ill
looking countenance, too.
s'Pray, what do you deduce from that?
inquired, with chill politeness.
"a loving disposition, she answered
''You have great weakness for the fal
sex. -
"This is very interesting, 1 observed
':What else have you to tell me about my
self, | wonder p
'It will avail you nothing, she an
swered. You twill never marry.
, ''More and more interesting, ex
claimed ''Do you deduce that also, ma
! I ask, from my want of nosey p
, ''No, not entirely. But-well, in poin
of fact, will not tell you my reason
now. 1t would be inconsiderate. BY an
by, perhaps, when 1 can whisper them t
! you privately.
!, ssSecrets, eh?'' laughed Mr.. Philson.
EYES," said Mrs Lowenstein, risin
+ from her Chippendale chair. "Occasion
now and then arise, you see, when on
forms impressions which one feels it woul
!, be unfair and unkind to make public
q This is one.
ssOh please don't mind me, /" | cried
nettled by her tone. ''Pray speak ou
unreservedly. shan take offense, l as
q sure you.
"Not now-another time, perhaps,
| she anwered.
! sEthel, dear, said Mrs. Phipson, ''wi
: you play us something?
= Ethel sat down to the piano and struc
9 up senate, or fugue, or caprice,
! something equally tuneless and demi-sem
: ouayery. Under cover thereof, | immt
r diately approached and tackled Mrs. Low
enstein.
"Now," l said, "this is capital ol
, portunity Will you tell me why 70
formed the impression of me that shoul
/ never marry? As matter of fact, yo
are right; but am interested to know no
YOU arrived at that conclusion.
!. .I know am right, she replied, wit
v quiet confidence. "It was very simple.
s but tell me, do you really wish me to
: quite candid :"
+ Certainly do
4 "And YOU will not be offended at whi
) | may say
is Indeed, not. | hope | have MOI
d sense.
J. ssWell, then, since you ask me, | wi
). tell you. The truth is, you are defcie'
# in those qualities by which our sex is
e tracted. You are not the sort of man,
v short, with whom any girl would conten
/, plate matrimony."
n At that / could have laughed alou
IS II if you please, ''not the sort OF man,
|, etc. l, with whom about every TIN
; woman of my acquaintance was in low
1, who might at that moment have HI
,e any one of score of girls for the askln
e 1t was too ridiculous.
;, | merely said, however: 'sThis is We
J. sad. was not aware that L was SO T
ie pulsive.
e tRepulsive ?'' she replied. "Con
|. now, never said nor suggested tina
.r On the contrary, girls like you very muc
They find you companionable, interesting
and pleasant, as well as safe, subJe
to flirt with. But"
!. 'sYou mean they regard me az specl
of tame cat p | interposed, ironlcall
essTame cat is not the expression
y Il sfR