Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-04
AN AWKWARD MEETING

81 s
Not lonss ago 10 10 brainy but exceedingly
reserved and shy young scientist from one
OF the New England states came hare
and attached himself to one Of the scien-
tific bureaus OF the government.
He Is bachelors and so hopelessly BASH
full. SO far as the society of women is con-
cerned. THAI he always appears to be glane-
ing aroundr for ehance to bolt for it when
some friend brings him into sudden and
unexpected contact with even the most
harmless and, ,nelnful Of young women.
Upon his arrival in. Washington he took
rooms within a New England family. He
was hardly ever 8sen by any members or
the family, for he spent most of his time
in his sitting room, mounting butterflies
and beetles, asserting scorpions and taran-
tulas, classifying and indexing Cha mon
sters, and that sort of thing.
A couple of weeks ago handsome and
exceedingly bright young woman came from
New York to visit the girl members for
mer schoolmate9 of the Massachusetts
family and to see the inauguration.
She was told Of the extreme difhdence as
to the young scientific member of the house
hold. and in conformity with the instructive
cruelty of feminine notions in SUCH cases.
she contrived to. have the scientific young
man brought before her,
He made his usual number of breaks; let
his glasses, fall to the floor half dozen
times. stumbled over rugs, knocked cou-
pie of easels down, looked as red as beet
throughout it all. and was in general no
more or less impossible than bashful (other
name for Self-consciousneS) men are under
such circumstances.
He finally made his inglOr.OuS escape from
the presence of the clever and highly d.
verted young woman from New York, at
gait that was half ,Iope and half stink.
He arranged matters so that he should
mt hnX to sniff aeruir, ir,f hn ar,a W.
and he did not meet the young woman
again until Thursday evening last-which
meeting is chiefly what this story is about.
The family washing of all of the mem
bers of this New England household, in
Guiding that of the young scientist and that
of the merry young feminine guest from
New York, Is done away from the house by
a colored washerwoman. whose skill in
laundering more than atones for her in
competence IN sorting the linen out for in
dividual delivery after she has finished
working over it.
When tne young scientist reached his
room bit after dark on Thursday evening
last, he stumbled, usual over his laun-
dry basket filed with cleansed linen.
Then he started to stow the linen away in
his chiffon.er. He hadn't got more than
quarter OF the way into the basket before
he gave such a start that his pipe fell out
of his mouth. There was huge mix.
The major portion of the stuff in the bas-
ket was lovely. fluffy. and to the last de-
gree mysterious, of course, for it was not
devised for the arpareling of a person Of
the Christian name of John.
The young scientist didn't lay an irrev-
erent hand to gar ment after he made this
discovery; but even with his weak eyes he
couldn't help but perceive the initials NJ ].
a. stamped on such articles of the spot
less raiment that were uppermost in the
pile
The initials of the fascinating guest from
New York were NJ. J. II. He knew this,
because ne had seen letters addressed to
her lying on the salver in the hall.
This, he muttered to himself. lis de-
pressing. l don't mind not getting my
own stun baek-I gan buy more, suppose
but how on earth 1 am going to return
these goods to their rightful owner is the
thing that bothers me-
W heIeupon he engaged in heavy pro-
found cogitation 1.-The result of his coeita-
tons was that he took the laundered ar
tlcles that fdidnt t. belong to him out of the
oasket In aabuEch and wrapped them up
loosely in piece-of newspaper
III just carry these things down to the
door of Mrs. G.'s ROOM" he unused CMrs. G.
being the mistress of the establishment
lay them against the door, knock and bolt
h tof II. Guess noR?dyA see me before get
back to my ROOM.
With the loosely wrapped bundle under
his ARM he, eauti0Hsly opened his door and
looked down the brilliantly. Illuminated sec
ond-story shaib7 tesrseeH that the way was
clear. - ,r.,s-,5., = - 49,
j. The way was clear, and he made for the
other end of, the ball. where Mrs. G. has
her boudoiFf at asstealthy- caater. 2.
He had only covered half of the distance
when hall door opened right beside him,
and the fascinating, young woman from
New York arrayed for an evening out
stood before him. smiling
Good evening, said she. pleasantly
'Why-er-goed evening" mumbled the
young SCIENTIST "A bit warm-er-I mean
cold out, isn't it? EDO you know If
Mrs G. is in, or if"
The young scientist had been rapidly go
ing to pieces from the moment the young
woman appeared. but at this point he col
lapsed altogether. His glasses as usual
fell OFF. He stopped to pick them up The
bundle under his arm slipped from his
grasp, and the starched, sprngy, irrepressi-
Bile contents scattered all over the hall
floor.
The young man was a wreck A figure
OF funny woe. he gazed ruefully for a few
seconds at the litter on the floor.
The young woman had her handkerchief
in tight little wad at her mouth. The
young man caught her eye out of a corner
of his own. and gathered himself to run
'Er-I left my window OPEN" he stam-
mered, land I'm afraid the wind will blow
the curtains against the gas and he
bolted for the shelter of his room like
man hunted.
He knew the, meaning of the prolonged
chorus of feminine shrieks that he heard
from the rear of the house even before he
gained the shelter of his own apartments
Just like women, anyhow" he muttered
gloomily to himself SILLY lot!'
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