The Elbert County tribune., 1907-02-14
MERE MAN SAVED
The DAY
How He helped the Club Woman
Out of Difficulty.

q sort of chiaroscuro corner OF the uni
verse where anything might happen.
She was lady, beyond question,
positively proper. of a nice but not un-
usual type, cooped up in single bed.
room, high in the air. almost like a
medieval maiden in feudal tower.
out of reach of every body. she was
club woman. too (they all are now
adays), and booked to lecture at three
O'Clock sharp on the "Evanescence OF
ldealism." She found the situation
thrilling-because she was swishing
her silk petticoats to and fro. patting
her trailing broadcloth, dabbling pow
der on her nose. 1uffing her Marcel
wave. and eyeing with dismay the
mass of lace and chiffon that lay upon
the bed-her very elegant bodice. IL
buttoned up the back, not frankly and
in perfectly straightforward man
ner. but with see saw flags and little
tags of velvet artistically askew.
How in the world am l going to get
into it?" she gasped in dismay.
She wrinkled her smooth brow and
pondered. What a luxury a maid is
especially in the eyes of the one who
hasn't maid. She poked her head
discreetly out of the door and peered
down the vacant hallway. Nobody in
sight. 1t was 2: 80 and time began TO
press upon her conscience.
Against the doorway hung a frou
frou thing of silk and frills which she
managed to slip into. and then she
made wild chase down the corridors
in quest of the chambermaid Does
rb,I L..
maids keep themselves in off hours?
She didn't. and couldn't find one any
where.
She snatched up the chiffon affair
and slipping off her silk kim" she
got into her bodice as far as she could.
But she was snug little person, and
not very strong on physical culture,
so that she couldn't for the life OF her
get her shoulder blades out of the
way and her elbows positively refused
to work backward.
"O!" she cried after a few minutes
OF frantic squeezing. putting and
stretching. while the seams of her bod
ice cracked in protest and beads of
persipration started out from under
the delicate coating of violet cream
which she had laid on with so much
care.
"Oi"
She had broken one of her beauti-
full angular nails, so prettily polished
|and pink as a rosebud.
The lowest button was fastened and
the top one; that was all In between
Eawned an awful gap, displaying some
VERY pretty lingerie and fresh blue
ribbons, but nevertheless rather negli-
gee and not at all compatible with the
f'Evanescence of Idealism."
'I'll have to finish dressing at the
club" she said, grimly, after a last
futile dab at the coquettish button. So
lshe cooked her feather hat jauntily
over her Marcel. snatched up her veil.
long suede gloves, and white cloth
Jacket, and made dash for the door.
AS she opened it, breathless with OK
citcment, she encountered her neigh
Dor in the adjoining room, Just about
to unlock his door. 1t was a mere
man. but he looked uncommonly nicel
Her practiced eye took him in at
glance-a gentleman. well groomed,
and clad, shod. and gloved in the most
elegant fashion. and the very polite
way in which he stepped aside. hat in
hand, to let her pass, settled the mat
ter.
A wild impulse seized her. She
could never explain 1t afterward
"O!" she burst forth, snatching OFF
her jacket in hot haste. Would you
be SO kind-I am in an awful hurryi
I'm going to lecture at the club and
Pm late-and there's nobody to do
anything for me, Would you be SO
kind" she hesitated.
"As to button you up the back?" he
interposed, beginning to strip off his
gloves Just as though he had been
there before,
His eyes twinkled-of course they
dld-but he never even smiled and he
went TO work like soldier.
81 beg your pardon he said. with
Just the faintest echo of a ripple in his
deep. pleasant voice. and she could
feel that his hands were shaking with
the emotion to which he was too well
bred to give free vent, "but-is there
map to this, madam"
She laughed-because she was bys-
terical-but she pulled herself togeth-
er Qitrrally) and said with much dig
nifty:
1T goes first to the right and then
to the left, and then bias down the
side to the waist line"
20, see." he observed. But you
must pardon me If l am little awk-
ward. This really Is the worst ever
did seer"
isn't 1t awful?" she exclaimed In a
burst Of confidence. "I'll never have
another like it-if / have to wear
skins"
He tucked in the little white frills
and bows as well az he could and ~