 | Eli Perkins (at large) |  |
A FLIRTING DODGE.
One day I saw a pretty young lady from Brooklyn
flirting in a Saratoga parlor. She was reported to be
an heiress, and of course had hosts of admirers. There
seemed to be a good deal of strife among the young
gentlemen as to who should absorb this pretty heiress.
That day a handsome New York fellow got hold of
her early in the morning, and it seemed as if he would
keep her away from all the rest of her admirers for the
rest of the day. He must have “buzzed” her for an
hour steady—at least until a young Chicago fellow
thought he never would go. He despaired of getting a
word in edgeways—this Chicago man did. If he had
known the New York fellow he would have been
tempted to join in the conversation and sat him out,
but the young lady seemed to like the New York
fellow and was bound to let him have his way clear
to the end. This made it all the worse for the Chicago
gentleman.
Well, how did the Chicago fellow manage it?
Why, he simply walked around behind the New York
fellow, and remarked to a friend, just loud enough for
the enraptured lover to hear it:
“John, that feller wouldn't sit there talking so sweet
if he knew what a fearful rent there was in the back of
his coat, would he?”
The New York fellow overheard the remark. His look
of interest cooled in a moment. Then he worked his
back around towards the wall, as if he was trying to
conceal something. He imagined ten thousand people
were looking at him. He didn't lean forward and look
sweetly into the young lady's eyes any more. He put
his hand convulsively around towards his back, ahemed!
a few times in a business-like way, looked red in the
face, and then said:
“Excuse me, Miss Mollie, but I have an engagement
with a friend. You'll excuse me a moment, won't you?”
and then he shied off towards the elevator with his
face to the young lady. He didn't walk straight, but
worked himself along sideways, keeping his back
towards the wall, and then disappeared up the Otis
elevator, just as the young fellow from Chicago sat
down by the young lady and commenced his version of
the oft-repeated tale of love and hope.
Are such things right?
| Eli Perkins (at large) | |