Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-20
HIS WHIPS COUSIN


The Washington man noticed her shortly
after he settled himself in his seat in the
| train at Charlotte, bound for Washington.
She had the chair Immediately In front
| OF that OF tia, Washington man. and after
he had studied the back Of her head for
while he reached the conclusion that her
back hair was Of an uncommonly fine chest
nut tint. stTsr
Presently she tried to raise the window
at her side. the car being warm. The win
dow stuck. of'cohrse. and equally Of course
the washington man was glad that 1t
stuck. 1t permitted him to execute his lit
| tie Pray allow me-. stunt.
Then he observed that her teeth were
| exceptionally fine when she smiled. that her
eyes were OF a haunting brown (and not
without twinkle In them), and that her
complexion was a well-nigh perfect olive.
For the rest. he concluded that she was
| from twenty-six to twenty-nine, say-and
| 1t was plain that she was travelling quite
alone.
THAT does not make a draught on you.
does 1t he asked her solicitously. after
opening the window for her.
by no MEANS" she replied, amiably,
partly wheeling her chair in his direction.
Unless 1t makes too much breeze for
your? she added, inquiringly. Myself"
she went on, Il am almost a fresh air
| crank"
| Better to err In that respect than the
other way" he said. with grisly attempt
at pun-and 30 they got to conversing.
woman who was fond Of plenty OF fresh
| almost women, in his opinion, were too
| partial to STIFFNESS.
And so, before the train was much more
| than ten miles away from Charlotte she
had her chair wheeled all the way around
| ana they were on very agreeable and chatty
terms: When first call for dinner was
passed he very politely asked her would
L 1~ryt o1< two In nc
company. and with graciousness equalling
his grandiloquence, she consented to do so.
| II guess maybe I'm an old chestnut and
wallfower and shelved proposition in
| general, II am forty" he said to himself.
with snort Of mental preening. as he led
the way to the dining car. Then he added.
with sort of gulp, "Forty-and mar
| ried"
! It was a very pleasant dinner, with the
| train bounding past the restful, sleepy
| looking little southern towns and the sun
| swept woods and fields. He suggested that
perhaps she would like-er-just little
pint Of the sparkling-er-that is to say.
! If she felt that-er-
"Oh, no. she Interrupted with her win
ming smile that showed her perfect teeth.
I never take anything, you know, except
| at home. and very rarely them.
The Washington man said to himself that
he rather admired woman who didn't
drink.
| women who invariably jump at the
BORE think" is the way he framed the
! thought to himself.
A portly man and his portlier wife and
| four fat children entered the dining car.
Il adore children" she said to the Wash
| fngtOn man. DO your"
Crazy over EN-" he replied.
You are married." she asked him, with
| a delicious uplifting Of the brows.
| Nov. now-be nice be nicer he replied.
| shaking an arch and warningful forefnger
| at her-and the subject was changed. Oh.
| 1t takes the man Of forty-and married.
| to put up the genuine article in the way
| OF archness!
When it came to paying for the dinner.
she politely but firmly insisted upon pay
Ing for her own. ,whereuDon the man from
WASHINGTON tried to look abused.
The remainder of the ride was lust as
delightful as the beginning had been for
| the Washington man.
It was just the beginning Of twilight
when the train pulled into the station in
Washington. He bundled her traps to-
gether for her and carried them to the
| cab stand outside the ladies' waiting room.
| "WeIl?" he said to her admiring the way
her brown travelling veil blew around her
winSOme face.
We'll. George. you know where you live,
don't your she said to him, laughing out
"Georger' he exclaimed. stunned and
hoarse. ) eI...N -.
George" she repeated. with a ripping
c0nfirmatory laugh "Cousn-in-law George.
Please don't look SO absurdly surprised, or
| ! shall become hysterical," and she went
into another peal OF musical laughter
| You know. ! have at least a dozen pho
| tographs OF you and Gertrude"
He had 10 swallow quite q number Of
times before he was able to murmur in a
| weak. faccid sort Of tone:
Then you are my wife's CHATTANOOGA
cousin. Helen-and I didn't know it. Miss
| Sly-boots-and you knew was Gertrude's
| husband all the time-and you are on a
visit to us-how de do. how de dor
| He looked very foolish indeed, did this
Washington man.
On the way to his home in the hanson
| he cleared his throat number Of times.
| and then he said to her:
"Er-by the way. Cousin Helen IL were
You I wouldn't say anything to Gertrude
about-er-you know-my not recognizine-
er-say. you played it low down on me. YOU
| know-I wish we had as many photographs
| of you as you have of us and I'd never have
-but-er-there's no need Of Gertrude be-
| ing told of how-y'understand, don't your
and he grinned foolishly again.
"Why, certainly understand, Cousin
| George!' she treasured him. but she went
| into another peal Of laughter that was
mighty unconvtncing.
This happened several days ago. The
Washington man is now wondering what
| the occasion is Of the half-amused. half
reproachful glances which he sometimes
| finds his wife bestowing upon him since the
arrival on the same train with him Of his
| wifes Cousin Helen.
The Simplon Tunnel.
Considerable difficulty is being ex-