The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-01-17

PEGGY O'NEAL> ~: "a: !; ~ !;: =:
By ALFRED HENRY LEWIS
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Now what should that mean?"
wait and see, oh, Watch-dog!"
It was a bit later when Peg was
again by my side.
do you know why am back with
yCu2" she asked. well, aside from
the profound pleasure Of your com
pany, the more profound by contrast
with that of those vapid ones"-here
she would include the bah room malts
| with sweep of her round ARM
thought I would scalp my enemy be-
fore your eyes. You have a violent ma
| ture, Watch dog, and / reflected how
| the exhibition might bring you joy.
| Since you do not dance, your time
| must lie on your hands like iron; l
would do somewhat to Tighten it,.
Before l could ask Peg to unravel
the intent of her long speech, Pigeon
breast was pushing valorously our
/ way.
He comes for a second dance" said
| Peg. See, his name is next on my
! card"
And call you that scalping!" cried
l. AT that rate, every man in the
room will compete for your cruelty.
Scalping, say you I wish for the SIM
pie humUr of it, Seminole might hear
you
The truth was I had fallen into a
dudgeon with Peg for her notion of
taking a trophy, she would confer
/ heaven on this Pigeon-breast and call
it "scalping."
Il believe" observed Pigeon breast,
with his nose fairly to the floor, so
deeply would be bow, Il believe l will
have the honor of another dance"-here
another bow as lowly louted as the
first.
AS Pigeon resumed the per-
rendicular, he crooked his gallant arm
invitingly and would lead Peg to her
place.
But Peg drew back as much to my
bewilderment as that of the wonder
smitten Pigeon breast himself, and
with a manner coldly polite said:
There is a mistake, sir; l could
have promised you no dance, since l
do not know you"
'Mistake!" gasped Pigeon breast.
Mistake" repeated Peg, with, if
anything, an access of ice. Il never be-
fore saw you; l could have put you
down for no dance. One does not
dance with strangers" Then to me:
Your arm. if you please"
AS [ carried Peg away, Pigeon breast
was heard to inarticulately moan and
whine like a high wind in a keyhole.
Later beheld him desperately, in the
refreshment room, drinking strong
waters with both hands and as though
he had a fish in his stomach.
And now" said I to Peg, as we
moved away from the crushed Pigeon
breast, why were you so bitter? That
empty fellow was not worth so much
Besides, you have shamed him before
the town; you hurt him to the heart"
Hurt him to the vanity" corrected
Peg. If it be true that nothing dries
more quickly than a womans tear
and it is true, Watchdog nothing
cures more quickly than the hurt vani-
ty of man. That dandy will anon
be as gay as a peacock. However, I
would punish him. ] have made him
an Ishmael of the drawing rooms; I
have driven him forth from us, and
he cannot return to the others for his
apostasy of their cause is known. Did
! not tell you, Watch dog, l was a re-
vengeful woman?"
Altogether 1 might have wished our
Peg had taken another course with
Pigeon breast. Thus to publicly drum
him out of camp was a thought too
hardy, However, Pigeon breast had
wrought for what he received. and
think, too, Peg was more moved, by
the audacious fun of the business than
any darkling taste to have a Venge-
ance, for all her word.
The General, 1 am minded, was of
my view it was the frolic of the
thing to carry Peg away.
Peg is young" quoth the General,
amiably; our Peg is young. What
would you have? She shall be older
one day and more upon dignity. What
shall more bound and frisk and play
than your scapegrace kitten? And yet
what more gravely decorous that your
cat? BY Joshua's horn! on the whole,
I'm glad your Pigeon breast was
brought up with a round turn.
1t was one afternoon when the Cen
eral came to me with a request that
seek out Noah at the Indian Queen
and confer with him over the merits
of a gentleman who lusted to hold
certain office.
This individual comes to me we'll
spoken Of" said the General, "and yet
l would know more of him, and that
from one who has no ak to be grind
ed"
While made ready for my walk
to the Indian Queen, the General un-
pouched another piece of interesting
news.
by the way" said he, our Peg has
settled on April as a time for that din
ner and ball. She would have had it
sooner; but she does not now need
the White House for any direct aid to
her arms. She will save it for the
close and make the affair a sort of
celebration"
1T is a good thought" said I. TT
is wiser, since she has won her way
with what should be her own re-
sources, not to subtract from that sue
cess by any full blown movement of
the White House upon the scene. Mean
folk would say she could not have
come through without you to be her
ally"
And that is my notion, tool" CO.
incided the General. Pegs position is
complete; the White House now would
but divide her glory We will offer
her our East Room courtesies in April.
and let it be for an old-time Roman
triumph as when d victor returns from
war. Peg well deserves a triumph; the
Vice Presidential Coterie and all whom
it might control have moved heaven
and earth for Pegs disaster and pulled
and hauled like common sailor-folk on
any rope to do her HARM"
Does not April" said l. mark an
son? 1 had thought it might end with
| Lent"
And so it would" smiled the Cen
eral, "if now we were only Federal
lists like Adams, and remembered the
! Church of England as a guide. This.
| however, is a Presbyterian administra-
ton; wherefore. we shall abide none of
| your Lents, but drink and dance and
| dine as far into spring flowers as we
| will"
Being the earliest instance" added
| I. when to drink and to dance and
| to dine were called an evidence of
! Calvinism."
Nah was ueY1-epor,Iove6 oxav cort, IL,