The Indianapolis journal., 1904-02-14


neved that she looked eighteen She had
very small hands and she loved to call
them baby hands, because, as she said.
"they could do nothing" She had sue
ceeded in making her dOting husband be-
lieve this and he considered those baby
hands just too adorable for anything. The
talk that passed between the couple about
the baby hands was maddening to the
other guests. When at the end of luncheon
-some English walnuts were passed, Little
Wife begged that someone would crack
them for her. for you know my poor lit
tie baby hands are useless" she said.
The bachelor friend whispered TO the sophO-
more that he would like TO crack the hands
themselves, at which the sophomore
laughed uproariously and impolitely and
brought down upon his head the indgna-
ton of everyone present except the bach
eIor who was so tickled at the success
of his Joke that he promised to show the
sophomore how that last one was done
meaning the last card trick, of course.
al even mend my own clothes so as to
save those little hands any work." the
groom said, beaming at the other half of
the Sketch with love-lit eyes. II don't
know what she would do without me-"
And little wife hung her dear little head
and peeped coyly at the naughty boy from
under her tangled tresses-and never real
ized that this pose betrayed double chin
The host and hostess had prepared
schedule of amusements for their guests.
but soon found that it impossible to
amuse them all in the same way. Each had
a different idea of entertainment. They
10 ar1c af ha me-
time. Some of them hated the vaudeville;
others didn't like serious dramatic per-
formances, and so the theater offered a
problem that was difficult to solve. The
sophomore liked a rafting burlesque show.
he said, and was partial to polo games and
boxing matches. The hostess had arranged
for a delightful evening at the vaudeville
but discovered, after a lengthy discussion,
that only two of her guests were in the
least enthusiastic about attending the per-
formance.
Never in all her young life had the little
daughter of the host and hostess behaved In
such an unladyIike manner. The poor little
girl was suffering untold agonies of mind
and heart The third day of that house
marty found this sweet miss OF ten In hys-
terical tears She couldn't control her feel
ines and had slipped away TO the library to
..have her cry out" The unusual excite
ment had unnerved her completely. The
sweet times which she and her mother had
sntoyed together were blessed memories OF
the past-never TO come again, she felt sure.
She saw all that was going on behind the
scenes and her sensitive soul was in dis
tress. The bride and groom ran across her
there in the library. sitting in a corner
weeping piteously. They begged to know the
cause of her unhappiness, and, choking
down her sobs, the child came out with the
truth.
"Oh. papa and mamma and were all so
happy before you folks came, and now we
are so miserabler' she said. II just heard
mamma say that three more days of this
would certainly drive her to the madhouse
and papa said that three more days of il
couldn't fail TO send US all TO the poorhouse
any way"
That confession of the little girls was
magical in its effect. The bride and groom
took their departure early the next morn
ing. They found it impossible to remain
longer. they said. The groOm's business af
fairs wouldn't permit him to stay, i
seemed. The leave-taking was cold anC
cheerless one. They shook hands with tn,
host and hostess. said very stiffiy that they
had enjoyed themselves so much'' and
were gone. The remaining guests looked al
each other inquiringly and did considerabI,
thinking.
That evening the coed announced thai
she must get back TO college the next day
There was 20 be a frat meeting" and sh,
couldn't afford 10 miss IL. Her train woul,
leave at s a. m. and she would be Obliged
10 get up at 4:50. you know. II don't min,
getting up early. because I'm so accustomed
10 it," she added. So were the rest Of th'
members OF that house party by this time
So the poor hostess br.bed the cook 10 have
breakfast ready the next morning at g. AnC
the hostess and her wretched husband wer,