The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1905-10-12
MAKING
A SHOW
36SsYsSS3S3SS343S 5 3S34S3739|33
BY D. J. FINLAY.


s< was, doubtless, that he was
more communicative and
conipanionabla than any relative out
side of my immediate family. He
would sit down and spin yarns for me
by the hour whenever we We're to-
Sether: but there was one subject on
which, for number of years, l had
failed to draw him out: and that was
often Il matter of serious thought to
me- and l determined to find good
opportunity to get at the facts in the
case.
One evening. as We sat together in
my uncle's comfortable mansion, l
found him in very communicative
mood. and. to my establishment. he
preached the subject which had
promised to bring up.
My dear boy" said he, 81 suppose
you have often wondered why l re-
manned an old bachelor:'
Yes. uncle" said I. in an airy. off
hand way which did not at all betray
the depth of my curiosity. II am sure
Eeu must have had ample opportunity
to see the cream of society and make a
suitable choice of companion
WE'LL said he. Il will tell you: and
the story may be good subject for
your dreams of future specula ton.
when l was young man I was
rather fond of making good show in
society. At times this was performed
on Il very limited capital. Shortly
after settled in New York 1 made The
acquaintance of a beautiful and esti-
mable young lady, Miss Clorinda Swan,
and lost no time in paving the way
Tor matrimonial alliance with her.
one evening the subject of conversa-
ton between us ran upon operas, and
the npshot of it was that l invited
Ciofinda to go to the Academy of
Music the next evening. AS l have
said, my means were then rather i'm
tied. and ROW l had just enough left
to pay for the tickets, but 10 surplus
for carriage. supper and ct ceteras.
With these determined to dispense. as
l thought my fair Clorinda was too
sensible to he affected by the loss.
Fortune favored me at the start:
the evening was fine and the weather
dry, so at the appointed time / made
my appearance, dressed in the best
could afford, and waited patiently for
Clorinda. She soon put all my fears ON
the carriage question to fight by as
surfing me that she preferred walking.
I'VE chatted gayly on the way to the
A7lhns1v nd to e.. ~.
performance. which was the opera of
MARTHA with a popular prima donna
In the leading role. OF the perform
anee I need not speak. The opera
was all that we could desire, and was
rendered most admirably.
when the performance was over we
descended the stairs amid the gay
throng, and soon reached the sidewalk.
But. oh, horror of horrors! It was
raining! What was I to do? To get
a carriage. without having a cent to
pay for it, made my blood run cold.
A happy thought occurred to me in a
moment, and in a nervous whisper l
asked Clorinda if she had rubbers on:
but, to my dismay, she answered:
No; my boots are very light, too.
and could not think Of walking. We
must get carriage
"Of course. there was nothing left
for me to do but to face the music,
and l hailed one Of the many drivers
who was anxious to get passengers.
l assisted my fair Clorinda to a seat.
and In few moments we were whirl-
ing along through the rain. Hardly
had we gone two blocks when Clorinde
said she was hungry, and asked me
to stop and get supper. My feelings
can easier be imagined than described,
as l thought Of my empty pockets,
and tried to reason her out Of eating
so late at night. All my arguments
We're fruitless, however, for my dear
Clorinda was not to be thwarted.
thinking that fortune might be.
friend me by some means then a mys.
terry to me, I ordered the driver to
stop at the Learest restaurant. We en-.
tered a saloon and took seats at a table
i'll the centre Of the room. I deter
mined to eat as little as possible, but
~Aee vas AoS Wy any IuSduS So uel-
icate, and quietly took the liberty of or
dering what she wanted. In vain ]
looked around to see if by chance the
saloon contained an acquaintance: but
to my dismay, not familiar face was
visible.
"As you may well imagine, was not
in hurry to leave the table, but nv
companion began to show signs of rest
less anxiety to ge: home, SO thought
/ had better start and have it over as
soon as possible.
Il had formed many plans of how ]
was to pacify the cashier at the desk
but the wretch had more human nature
in him than 1 imagined.
while walking down the saloon
turned to Clorinda and suggested thai
she had better go out and get into the
carriage while was settling the bill
and buying some cigars, which want
ed to take with me. To this, fortunate
~, she made no objection.
Il walked on till l came in front O,
the smiling individual who was wait
ing for my cash, and with as bold al
air of innocence as l could assume