The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-04-01
THE BLUE HOSE

imagination. What hardened bache-
| 1or Is there who cbr---in the rush OF
| dressing for dinner-ga4c upon ia
| miiar pair of socfs--every fiber of
| their soft texture seeming to breathe
| forth the spirit OF old associations
! and beholding their beauty marred.
! their very footing undermined rs 1t
were, still remain unmoved? What
| man is there, ! say, who can thus
| perceive the ravages of time upon
| these dainty pedisal adornments and
not be affected?
once possessed pair of lovely
| silken hose of most delicate blue
color. AS | walked forth on clear,
sunny day. It was only necessary for
me to cast down my eyes to see
| glimpsing thcrc above my shoe tops
what might readily have been mis-
taken for Il portion of the same blue
| sky that rested so serenely overhead.
| Or If the skies were cloudy and over
| cast, had but to glance at my feet
| to see there a vision of better days.
| And day after dGv, as I strolled
along the fashionable promenade
| my trousers rolled up to Just the
| height prescribed by correct style
many were the envious glances
cast in my direction In time | came
| to be recognized rs one of the at
fractions of the quarter. Spectators
would I'LL the benches along the
promenade as the hour for my usual
sh oil drew near AS | passed by
their talk would be stilled to sup
| pressed whispers. But through It all
| kept down my pride--for pride is
| dangerous thing.
One morning, while was break
| fasting In my cosy little apartments,
| a letter was brought me. 1t was
II daintlly scented little epistle of
| delicate blue. The handwriting
| unknown to me-was Enthusiastically
feminine, and / opened the envelope
| with rather more haste than was al
| together warrantable. Inside YVES a
| communication from a young lady
sha mentioned her age at the very
| bcrinning OF the letter informing me
| thht the writer had noticed--U
| II. ed the word) d)-noticed me many
|liuco oh hhC ~ anu hdu
| been charmed "a very expressive
| phrase) by my lovely stockings. She
begged that | would honor her with
a reply and inclose a small sample Of
my stockings. (Truly feminine
yo1ng woman, without doubt.)
Then dressed for my usual walk.
but during 1t l took pains not to
show by any sign that unaccustomed
perturbation that filled me.
That evening / sat in my study
and smoked and thought. More blue
| letters had come in the evening mail
My life had been peculiarly quiet
and consequently the happenings OF
| this day had disturbed my mind not
| little. There were FIVE letters be-
| fore me in their five envelopes. They
| were all blue. Butt looked from
one to the other-the blues were
not all of one shade Then suddenly
a most happy thought came into my
mind. | compared each blue envel-
opc with my hose. Not ono of
them matched that rare, beautiful
coor And following fast on this
came another thought and a resolu
| toni would marry the girl whose
letter matched in color my heavenly
hose
Days passed-nay, rather sped by
and my collection OF blue femi-
nine sentiments increased and still
increased. Oh female eyes. thus to
be entranced by vain apparel! Oh
feminine heart, thus to be led cap
tive by entranced eyes! The sight
of young woman's eyes fixed upon
my hose would cause the blood to
mount uncomfortably to my face. /
thought seriously OF disseminating
my walks, nay, even of giving up my
blue hose. / finally decided to do
the latter.
The shades of blue are unnum-
bered. At least so 1t began to seem
to my bewildered brain. And still
none of them matched--not one
was of that particular shade which
had been designated the fatal one. !
began for the first time to feel self
conscious. embarrassed in my walks.
On the evening of this decision
when l had but made it-there ar
rived in the mail large number Of
blue letters. Without opening them
/ put them to the test in the custo-
mary manner. 1t had become mere
form-done without any hope of
SUCCESSION was now satisfied that
nowhere did there exist a shade of
blue exactly similar to that of my
hose. My perception of color grades
had grown acute, and l ran through
the pile of envelopes, surely, that
might be true to my resolution. And
all at once my nerves bounded. The
letter In my hand trembled and
shook, for my eyes had told me that
1t was the right shade. l compared
1t closely with my hose-the two
colors wore Identical! i placed the
envelope in my pocket and lit my
pipe. 1t is always well to collect
yourself when you feel your blood
racing in that mad fashion. l smoked