The Huttig news. (Huttig, Ark.) 1907-1955, 1908-04-11


Josephine with sniff
She stopped SO that we might sniff
together a conjugal sniff of utter con-
tempt and derision at the folks next
door.
Those folks next door," repeated
Josephine What do you suppose he
bought her?'
"A new bonnet, I hope!" / cried
with sudden energy. basking already
in Josephine's smiles, for the bonnets
of the woman next door were to Jose
phine the theme for many busy hour
and a shining mark at which we ever
aimed the polished darts of our irony
and the daggers of our wit
mo, not bonnet" exclaimed Jose
phine, and we laughed right merrily
together until Josephine checked her.
self with a start of disappointment
and murmured in sad reproach:
"Augustus!"
To which we lovingly replied:
"My love?"
Augustus! You are smoking!"
l looked at her in sudden guilt and
with a premonition ofrwhat was now
to come.
"Augustus!" she breathed.
| "My lover"
Augustus! Your smoking CAPT"
With feeling of despair and sor-
row l arose to my feet, but Josephine's
eye was on me and Josephines mouth
was dropping and knew that if were
to refuse her implied request she
would wither and droop like gath
cred flower and her dream of love
would end in darkest night.
Wherefore l went to the hall rack,
placed my smoking cap upon my head
and returned to Josephine. 1t was a
round smoking cap of light blue vel
vet (such, | believe, as the gentry of
Turkey wear and call fezes) and it
was trimmed with beads. On one side
was dragon rampant. with his tpngue
STUCK OUT ulI6-sSl4ln tbelnE ingenious
ly executed with beads of scarlet
color-so that, being seen from this
side, l was an inspiration of horror
and the terror of all beholders. On
the other side was butterfly slipping
honey from flower and looking peace
full and pastoral beyond words-so that
being regarded from that side, l mute
ly bore reference to jocund life redo
lent with the scent of new-mown hay
and musical with the lowing of the
kline This inspiring cap was crowned
with golden tassel which tickled my
nose and my ears with a titilatiye
impartiality that could only escape
by coiling the tassel upon the top of
the cap and balancing it there.
And thus equipped l sat me down
to smoke.
II never" cried Josephine, clasp
ing her knee again in a transport Il
never saw such handsome cap!
Never! He looks so fierce!'
'The butterfly, my love?"
Augustus! No! The dragon!"
turned the saucy dragon to the
back of my head SO that Josephine
could feast her eye upon the butterfly
and then l smoked as though my to-
bacco were never SO sweet as when l
smoked it in my smoking cap.
THE moment l saw it knew it was
for you!" cried Josephine, land
was so afraid that it would be sold
before | could find salesgirl to wait
on me-"
But it wasn't
mo! And, Augustus! She was the
incest salesgirl l told her, love, that
your eyes were blue and she said it
was just the thing for you. Oh, was
trembling with excitement She said
you would look so distinguished in it,"
The tassel slipped down and tickled
my ear l coiled it back and smoked
on.
"And what do you suppose she
bought him next door," laughed Jose
phine, and breathlesgly answered. "A
walking stick"
"Never!" / cried.
Augustus! Yes! A siIver-handled
walking stick, and he came out swing
ing it this morning. Such a 100000
useful like that jewel case you gave
me"
The clock interrupted her by begin.
ming to strike nine. 1t was the hour!
Josephine gave me solemn look and
nod and Immediately l fetched her
,e~el case.
With another solemn look Josephine
unscrewed her earrings and placed
them in the jewel case. Her ring fol-
lowed. Dutifully then l gave her my
scarfpip and sleeve links. Josephine
solemnly locked the box and looked at
me at last with beaming eye.
'There!" said Josephine.
"There!" said |,
Now we can sleep in peace" said
my beloved, "and have nothing to re.
proach ourselves with. either. like
those silly persons who give each 9TH