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Show THE CITIZEN I side window of my study, I can now see his name carved in stone over a very portentious theatre, which he owns. Only the other day, one of my old Lyceum company, since risen to her astral fate in the tehatre, said reproachfully to me: You only paid me $50 a week.' I was obliged to Yes, but I didnt charge you an-swe- r: as a beginner anything for direction on the stage. Perhaps, in the managers department, there is some credit due us from the stars on this account. Perhaps we managers did something for the actors. Certainly men like Lester Wallack, Augustin Daly, A. M. Palmer and Charles Froh-taa- n accomplished wonderful things for the stage in their way. 29 glllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll: The Pink Envelope ME philosopher once observed that the good man is never ner- SC vous when the post arrives. may claim to be a very good man. I await the post calmly confident that no one who owes me money will have sent it me, and that every one I owe money to will be asking it. But I have no hideous secret to conceal. No blackmailer preys on me. I am willing to make an agreement that' any one can read all my letters on condition that he takes on himself the burden of an1 swering them. When James brought in the post the other morning I could 'feel that her eyes rested on the topmost letter of the pile she handed to me. It was a note in a pink, oblong, slightly scented envelope, addressed to me in a ladys writing. Never before did I receive a billet-douyet I recognized this as one at the first glance. I saw my wifes eyes stray from her letters towards the pink envelope. My conscience was clear, but my hue became that of the envelope. I wondered that Jane, who evidently recognized the nature of the missive, had so little tact as to place it on the top of my letters No one had any reason for writing a' love letter to me, but if some too susceptible lady had discovered charm in me I felt that she would have x, shown more discretion if she had written to my club. I temporized, opening my other letters first Plumbers bill, my dear. Hes charged $16, and he only had two men here for one afternoon. For once my wife failed to denounce the miscreant profiteers. Heres a note that the libray subscription is due. Could you look in and pay it when you are in town today? My wife agreed mechanically. Harold is writing again. Nothing particular in it. Full of anecdotes of the wonderful things his children say and do. My wife omitted for once to com- ment with acerbity on the extraordinary infatuation my brother had for his own children, and his tgnazing neglect of far cleverer and prettier nephews and nieces. At last I came to IT. There was a silence that could be felt I wondered if Jane were listening outside the breakfast-roo- m I glanced Service Supreme at the letter and passed it across to my wife. methods moneylenders have nowadays, I remarked. Think of a circular like that being sent out in a pink envelope addressed in a womans hand. What did you say that plumber charged? asked my wife. The tragic episode was over. I foresee much trouble from these new business methods. I picture husbands furtively sliding these pink away into their pockets, to be opened in secret. I picture wives steaming the envelopes to see what the wicked woman has been writing to him. It is true they will find nothing compromising, only that the New Imperial Finance Company is prepared to lend any sum up to fifty thousand dollars on note of hand at five per cent, omitting to state whether it is five per cent per day, week or month. But the seed of suspicion will have been sown. Still the pink envelope has brought me one dear gain. . Jane cant have been listening at the door when I opened the letter. Since that morning she has regarded me with increased respect. I am not an ordinary employer, but a person with a past not to say a present I fear that the old saying is true, that every woman at heart (except, perhaps, his wife) loves a rake. Punch. Extraordinary let-.'te- rs t INSURANCE of every kind that will insure in every particular THE ESSENTIALS. And 'so you learned French thoroughly while Over There, son? said the proud father of the Returned Soldier. Sure! I got so I could say Hello and Good-nigh- t and order ham and eggs, and I could ask a fellow to lend me money, and tell a girl I loved her bettern anything and thats all a fellow needs in any language. Richmond Times-Dispatc- h. PROBABLY NOT. Employer The boy I had before is worth twice as much as you are. Boy Did he get it? Boston Ed. D. Smith & Sons NO HOPE. door. General Agents Ilm, whats this? I said in tones which I strove to render casual. I felt that my remark rang painfully false and that it was enough to justify deep suspicion. I tore the pink envelope open. What should I say about this poor Infatuated woman? 11 Cole They say your divorced wife has made up her mind to marry a struggling young lawyer. Wood Well, if she has made up her mind, he might as well cease struggling. Yonkers Statesman. Was. 4000 38 W. 2nd So. St. X '.illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllli: |
