Year: 1875

GoDIVA's PoCKBT-HANDKER-


CHIEF.


qodiva was going to town, hair and
all, and that implies a good deal Gas it
did when one rode through Coventry.
From her feet to her hands her appoint
ments were perfect. Her chestnut
brown hair threw its curling tassels
down over a suit of lighter shade, her
brown hat served as foil for the pheas-
ants plume erected thereon, her gloves
were No. 6, her boots No. 2. She felt
that she did herself credit, and was dis
posed to beam ON the world generally in
consequence. Clown" that morning
meant some shopping, some visits,
girl from the intelligence Office for
Ma little saunter generally, for
GOdiva was unspoiled enough TO enjoy
the window side of pictures and pretty
things, and was not wholly averse to the
prolific view of herself the glass was
eomplaisant enough to hold up for her
amusement. Did / say she was very
pretty? Yes, she was, except when she
cried or had a cold in her head, under
Rhich circumstances nobody that ever I
heard of looked well. So this dainty
little lady reached the station without
rufiing a feather and seating herself IN
the cars she glanced about her for sub
jects for mental discussion as young
damsels will. There was the usual
young woman with the saffron hued
baby in blue cap with narrow white
taste ribbons falling into its eyes-and
the two masculines in attendance, one
apparently the father and the other the
uncle, each taking turns at holding the
baby in the most unnatural position
possible, while the mother tied her bon
net strings and clucked, with a pin in
her mouth, to her winking progeny.
Godiva recalled the wicked publican as
she murmured to herself, "I never did
see so many ugly people in my whole
life that woman really makes me ache
she is so sinfully plain, poor thing
but dare say her husband dOtes on her.
Achee achee her sentence ended alb
ruptly. Oh I thou base conductor, "
thought she, chow could'st thou leave
open that door," feeling Immediately
her fate-was sealed, as a fatal shiver
ran over her. She put her hand in her
pocket for her handkerchief, but her
Russia leather pocket book and a small
key alone showed themselves in answer.
4" 1t isn't possible that have been off
and forgotten my handkerchief ejacu-
lated she, the color coming to her
cheeks as q hitherto unnoticed pair of
blue eyes belonging to a young man
glanced at her from a seat near. "Dear,
dear me what shall do? shall have
to sniff in spite of good manners. Here
she gave q gentle drawing of her breath
and held her face close to the window,
absorbed apparently in the uninviting
prospect, but the tickling in her throat,
the coming drops in her eyes, ah, no
betokened a cold already upon her.
Godiva groaned in spirit. g If only
was that ugly woman over there, whom
laughed at wish now I hadn't-and
wore cotton gloves, could give sly
pinch to my nose, as she does, but-O
what can do till reach town? I feel
worse every moment, and I must have a
handkerchief now, [ can't wipe my eyes
on nv dress or my petticOat because 1
can't get at them nor my starched
sleeves-sniff, sniff, who ever heard of
lady without a pocket handkerchief
beforel Achee achee-e !" This very
audible reverberatiOn startled the gen
tleman opposite into giving his fair
neighbor a quick glance through his
eye glasses. Then he pulled his mus
tache with a perPlexed expression.
What does that girl look at me for 1
wonder? the glance seemed to say, and
he took off the eyeglasses which, o,
aggravation, he proceeded to polish
nicely on the whitest of handkerchiefs.
This was too much for Godiva's water
ing eyes. eff" murmured she, 81
thought he was married 1 would ask
him to lend me his handkerchief, 1 de-
clare would He couldn't think 1 had
any design on his heart if he only knew
bow 1 felt-O, dear me dear me! 1
am a wretched being, and 1 shall GER
tainly 90 wild before long, I have to
keep my mouth wide open now, and /
never can get through a day in town,
never" Poor Godiva, what avails your
fine feathers? ?


Necessity, they say, knows no law,
and GodiVa was desperate. She rose
from her seat and touched the gentle
man gently on his arm, hurrying him to
his feet with bow and a look of at
your service, ma'am, which deepened
into mingled expression of doubt and
an azemeut as his fair neighbOr held out
her hand and said, 80 May trouble you
to lend me your handkerchief, sir ? 3"
He blushed very red indeed, and so did
she, but he gave her the handkerchief
and sat msekly down again wondering
like Chicken Little if the sky wasn't
falling Godiva had possession, which
is nine points in the law to be sure, but
after the first satisfaction she could not
but be aware that she had unlawfully
possessed herself of what wasn't hers.


The click of the car wheels would fall
into the indie of what will that young


gentleman do-do-if he should need
his handkerchief too-toO-but per


haps he has another. Some people do
carry two-two and rattle it unceas-
ingly as the train flew on ; but the final
ouery. " What will he think of me


remained unmoved by my philosophy.
| She felt the blue eyes stealthily regard
ing her with comical look.


At lsst the train stopped and C4odivl
/ got ont and walked away with the
pocket hankerchief-Rndt the young mar
| got out and walked away also without
! any, When one is very wretched o.


very anything you don't want to be
| work is the best specific, and so as shop


ming is the severest toll woman Is eve
known to accomplish and live, Godlvl
| eudeavored to busy her thoughts aDC
shopped energetically but there wa
more frequent resurrection OF then
than was agreeable, since every TIM


she used the big cambria she thou gh


of the young man and -blushed- AIte


she had bought every bargain she ooul'


find, and engaged from the lnteiil6enc


Office a graceful HIbernlan with tac


tied up IN a dingy towel, and VINO sur


mitted, perhaps, on that account 20 Nv


ing with an Hinglish cook as theI


HinQlish has orsul tempers mem.


Godiva lunched very satisfactorily I
herself and felt her cold dimlnishln