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About The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 5, 1901)
M THB COURIER WHEN A MAN'S FORTY BV MASTHa 1'IEKCF.. For The Courier II. "1 am glad you came today, Mr. Van- dervert," said Kitty. "I was just wish ing to Bee you." "You Hatter me Miss Kitty. To what kind deity am I to give thanks (or this sudden accession ot interest?" "Sit down," said Kitty, shoving a chair toward me, and as far from her as .SBhe could without seriously disturbing her pose. She was looking particularly well, against a pile of cushions on the divan. "With pleasure," I said, pushing the chair as near her as I could and Bitting as close as possible. (Mrs. George was embroidering near the window). "You are not so industrious as your sister,' I remarked. "Upon what data do you base your rather broad, and, permit me to remark in passing, intentionally uncomplimen tary statement?" Kitty inquired, glanc ing lazily ai ner nanus, xney were shamelessly empty of occupation but very pretty and apparently not unwil ling to be admired. "Your sentences are so long and in volved," I remarked, "that I sometimes fail to follow you; but I think you ac cused me of a failure to appreciate the beauty of your hands. You misunder stood me totally- 1 think them" "You are perfectly disgusting, Mr Vandervert," said Kitty, putting her hands behind her. (But it was then, you will observe everlastingly too late). "You accused me ot not being indus trious." "Absurd! You cannot accuse any one of not being anything." "You did," she asserted, "and without giound. It doe3 not follow that be cause I am not forever embroidering pillows, no sane person wonld ever at tempt to rest upon, that I am idle. I am quite as industrious as Mrs. George. It chances to be in a different way, that is all. What good do you suppose she expects to accomplish by the industry of which you are a witness? She is embroidering a sofa pillow, gold dragons on black satin for Sam's smoking room. Sam will never put his head on those Hery animals. We all know perfectly well, that his heart is ever true to a cer tain old, disreputable, red velvet cush ion, and he refuses to let his head rest on another. Yet there sits Sue, ab sorbed in the dragon?, and of no use to anybody. While I, the idler, entertain you, and amuse myself, and all the time am sweetly engaged in doing nothing." Behold her strain, her oyes! "I much prefer that she would strain her eyes rather than her ears." I said, taking Kitty's hand. 3 "I don't see what t difference it makes," laid Kitty, taking it away. "If 1 had the choice given me, I should strain my ears." "I do not doubt it," I said promptly. "Because," pursued Kitty, "my eyee are precious to me. They are to every body." "I fear they are," I said despondently. H "You have not asked me, Mr. Vander vert," remarked Kitty, after a silence not too short, not too long, but juet . .... m !.-, I ft ingot, "lou nave noi asueu me. "But I will," I said promptly. "When," said Kitty, "and what?" "Now," said I, "and any thing. Every thing!" You talk in riddles, Mr. Vander vert." said Kitty, "and I hate riddles. And conundrums. I neve I wanted your advice about, you know." "True," I assented. "The request had for the moment escaped me. You ao often pretend to want advice, you know " "Pretend!" said Kitty, pensively. "And ignore it when, in receipt ot the best the market affords," I pursued, scorning the interruption, "that I per. hapa am to be excused if a request for advice, does not strike me as a distinctly novel form of entertainment.'' "Oh, well! if you want to be crops and hateful!" said Kitty. "I admit the force of your argument," I said humbly. "I am an ungrateful wretch. What else should you like me to say?" "Nothing!" said Kilty. But the advice. "Well," began Kitty, fingering her handkerchief, "this time it is a very serious matter. Its its about its about a man." "Ah! Indeed! a man! Am I to infer that you have discovered a new species in the corner of your handkerchief?" Kitty promptly threw the handker chief on the floor, and while I was pick ing it up from among a lot of Huff fluff she calls her skirts I found trailing around down there, she went on talking so very fast, that she bad quite finished before I returned. "It's about that horrid Mr. McWil liams and of course I suppose you will Bay 'I told you so' and all that, but it you do I think it will be mean and hate ful of you, though 1 know you did and 'twas awfully kind ot you. But I really never thought ha really meant it, you know. And papa scolded awfully, and threatened to send me away to school again. And he says he's goiog to jump into the river." When I laid the handkerchief in Kit ty's lap. a sofa pillow about six feet by four, cut off my view of the upper part of her body including her head, but from her voice I concluded that she had her face toward the wall. After a silence, I ventured an observa tion. "He is a good swimmer." The sofa pillow very suddenly and sociably came over to me, and Kitty sat up, dabbed at her eyes with that ridicu lous bit ot lace I bad rescued for the occasion, looked side-wise at me, and laughed. I laughed too shamelessly. Mrs. George looked up inquiringly. "Mrs. George," said Kitty impres sively, "if you knew how perfectly beau tiful you look reaching after the last spark of daylight, you would never ring for the lights. You're getting a yearn ing expression which is lovely to behold. I was just calling Mr. Vanderrert's at tention to it." "You are excessively kind, I am sure Kitty,'' said Mrs. George. "The pleas ure ot existing for the diversion of Mr. Vandervert is one which I believe I have the honor to share with others of his friends. Shall we have the lights?' "By all means," I cried. "Calcium it you say so. But let me make my exit quickly. This siren has caused me to forget a dinner engagement. I ehali have to charter an express train to reach them in time for the soup. "I am sorry,' said Kitty, "but I'm ever bo much obliged to you for for the advice, you know." HIIIIMMMIMIMI.'IKIIIIHIMIIIIimHIMMIMMIMMlMMMIIMmiM Which commenced Wednesday mor ning1, January 2d, will close Tuesday evening', January 8th. Thus far it hasten a GREAT SUCCESS and we expect it will'so continue to the end. MW fiNfi m The Bock Island playing cards are the slickest you ever handled. One pack will be sent by mail on receipt of guessed one 15 cents in stamps. A money order or In my life. Besides you don t in the least know what you are talking about. I was about to remark when you inter rupted me, (she looked at me severely) t'that vou have not vet asked me whit draft for 50 cents or same in stamps will secure 4 packs. They wiil be Bent by express, charges prepaid. Address, Joh Sebastian, G. P. A., Chicago, Rock Island fc Pacific B'y, Chicago. uLbiuuiiu vuLb This'is certainly a good time to ouy an zae coia weatner Dry uooas you wm need this season. MlbbBR&PAINB $ MIMMIIIIIIHMIIMIIIIIIIMMimHMIMMMIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIHII i 1 1, 1323 O St. Phone, 762. PHI, SlEJtM m HOT WATER HEATING Gas Fixtures and Instantaneous Heating.. D 8 XSW000000 a McCLURE'S MAGAZINE Strong Features for 19oo. K I M , 9 9 RUDYARD KIPLING'S NEW NOVEL The most important andjongest piece of work Kipling has yet undertaken. It is a story of life in India'. "NEW DOLLY DIALOGUES" By ANTHONY HOPE. Short stories by such Authors aa Joel Chandler Harris, Robert Barr, Sarah Orne Jewett, and Hamlin Garland. Short Articles on subjects in Popular Science, Biography, Nature Studies, New Inventions, and Histor By those most competent to write them Illustrations by the Best Artists. The . S. McOrXJRE CO. W' lOo Copy l.oo cm YeeMir $S I If you have never been to California you can have no idea of how agreeably you can pass the winter there. The weather is perfect not so warm at to be enerrat-it ing nor eo cold at to be uncomfortable. If you take the Burlington Route you will reach California three days after you leave Lincoln. No Changes of cars are necessary. Thro' tourist cars for Los Angeles leave the Burl ington station every Tuesday morning and every Thurs day evening. Gity Ticket Office 6or. lOtn and O Streets. Telephone 235. Burlington Depot 7th St., Between P and Q. Telephone 125. it was I wanted to cee you about what