The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-09-27
TOTnnly's Pretty
Manicure

Miss Pray was the commandments
chief; and among the ablest Of her
lieutenants was very pretty girl
called Mile. Louise. And all the
young men and young women who
used to go there to get their hands
done were glad If Mile. Louise attend
ed them, because she was def and
gentle, and pleasing person to look
at.
Among the young men who used
to have Mile. Louise do their hands
"were, Tommy Busted and William
Barton. These twain were old friends
and used to joke each other about the
pretty manicure-girI. Tommy was
married and William was not, SO
Tommy always said he was pretty
safe from any designs she might
have; but he urged William to mind
his eye and to lay low, with such
other friendly counsel as occurred to
him. Meantime, Mile. Louise was as
business-like as a lamp-post, and paid
as little heed to her clients, except as
regarded their hands.
One day, while William the Bache'
lor was getting himself mantcured, he
was smltten with sudden idea. He
would play a joke upon his friend,
Tommy the Husband He wonfd write
a letter to him and sign Mile. Louise's
name to II, and the letter should say
that unless Tommy sent her one hun
dred dollars straishtway, she would
tell Tommy's wife how he had tried
to kiss her, the aforesaid Mile. Louise
when last she performed the tender
office Of pairing his nails. or course,
Tommy had no more thought at any
time in his life of trying to kiss the
pretty manicure-girl than he had
thought OF writing to Miss Pray to
elope with him; but therein lay the
Joke, as William considered 1t.
So William went home and wrote
the note to Tommy in his best femi'
nine angular hand, which he learned
by dlligent study Of some Of his own
correspondents handwriting. And he
laid Mile. Louise's damages at five
hundred dollars instead of one hun
bred dollars, on second thought, and
signed he" name to it and sent it off,
and grinned very much all the while.
The next morning, while Tommy
and his wife we're at the breakfast
table, the letter was given to him.
He read it with surprise, which turn
ed to amused digust. and tossed it
over to his wife, saying: What do
you think of that for a modest re-
quest?" Aud then, the more he
thought about it. he became somewhat
disquieted at the idea that this young
woman was such a shark, and pro-
ceeded to hurry down to warn his
friend William against her.
He found William still at home, and
said to him: II say, you want to
look out for this manicure.girl, Mile.
Louise. She's blackmaller-sent
down to me for five hundred dollars,
and said If I didn't give it to her, she
would tell my wife insulted her.
Great idea, isn't 1t? And We always
thought she was such nice little
girl. But III tell lou what-l'm 60
ing to have her up for blackmail-1
wont stand it."
"Oh, | wouldn't do that" said VII
liam, suddenly up straight and look.
ing little scared; she doesn't mean
It, guess. Maybe it's joke, or.
anyhow, think she'll be able to ex-
plain it," )
Explain it," said Tommy, in great
wrath; explain her blooming toe.
nails! WE'LL don't know-l'll see
what decide; and off he.went. leav'
ing William partially paraiyzed with
dismay at the thought Of what his
brilliant joke might possibly come to.
or went Tommy, and becoming
more exasperated the more he thought
It over, he Clambered into a cab and
went straight up to Miss Pray'S and
asked to see Mile Louise. Somewhat
amazed by so strenuous call, that
younG person appeared, and was ut
terly dumbfounded when Tommy
charged her with writing him the
Matchmaking letter. First, she pro-
tested; then she wept; then, being
French and excitable, she swore flu
emily.
They would have had the whole
house about their ears presently had
not Mile. Louise suddenly bethought
herself of her interest in keeping her
place, and proceeded to show Tommy,
Ly writing a totally different hand,
an5 incidentally spelling blackmall
"blackmaIe," that in all human prob.
ability he had had practical joke
played upon him. When this dawned
upon Tommy he was sure that no.
body but William had conceived such
scheme. So he soothed Mile. Louise
with apologies and shekels, and de-
parted hungry for his revenge.
That afternoon he was driving In
the park, when he saw William stroll.
ing with a big chrysanthemum in his
lapel, looking sweet and innocent as
new baby.wagon Tommy brought
his big horse up with short turn
alongside the foot.pAtI5, and, leaning
down, said:
"oh, got detective and just nab