PUNCTUAL PENNINGTON.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 8, Issue 26, 29 March 1907, Page 2

PUNCTUAL PENNINGTON.

Pennington heard Miss Eastman tOUUilg uown the suvirs. lie snapped his watch case > hut with a vicious snap. Hu knew that Miss Kastman cuii.il hear it, lie wanted her to. Already ihe curtain at the Frivolity li.ul heui up a full fifteen minutes. ttrace Kastman leaned over the bannisters. “Penny,” she called, softly, ‘T forgot my glasses. Wait a few minutes like a dear hoy. I'll run up and get them. You don't mind, uo you?” "Not at all,” declared Pennington, in tones that meant, exactly the reterse. ”1 don’t suppose the first, net is any gooe. We can get some one to tell ns about it whm we got there.”

Once in her own room Miss Eastman spent a delightful ten minutes regarding the tiny clock on the dres-sing-table. The time passed, she again descended the stairs, the opera-glass bag conspicuously displayed.

I’ennington Manners was at. the foot of the stairs, ostentatiously regarding his watch. Miss Eastman paused, gave a little shriek, ami, having caused JVnninglon to turn round and look at her, pul on her sweetest smile as she explained slio had forgotten a letter she wanted to post, Pennington made several remarks to himself as she flew up the stairs, and spent a 'heated half-hour patrolling the hall, while Grace laboured over a .>• h •el, of notepaper at her tiny writing-desk. Then she came down the stairs again. Pennington was in front of the dock, j When yon gel. through moralising i upon tile High! of time,” suggested Miss Eastman, softly, “we will make a start.” Penning!on turned. “ ”1 wish,” ho said, “that I could convince you of the importance of being early.” ”1 decline to lie the early bird,” she said, laughingly. “I don't think 1 should like worms. I. had some snails once—just once—and they were horrid.” "This,” reminded Pennington firmly, “is a chronological—not a dietary —discussion.” "My!” said Miss Eastman, “is it as important as that?” “Look here, Grace,” appealed Pennington, irritably, “this is getting to be a serious matter. Why cannot you regard it so?”

“Why,” she declared, innocently. “1 think a chronological discussion must bo an awfully important matter.”

“We might as well have it out,” he said, as he gave another glance at the clock. “The curtain must be going down on the second act.”

“I think it is rising on the last,” she said, with an emphasis ho did not appreciate. ‘'Ever since we became engaged,” he continued, "I have been made to suffer through your procrastination. What?”'

“1 merely said ‘Ouch!’ ” exclaimed the girl. “Procrastination—chronological—are you going to pelt me with the dictionary instead of taking me to the theatre?”

He dismissed her flippant question with a majestic wave o£ his hand. “To-nig'ht you are very nearly an hour and a half late—one hour and seventeen minutes to bo exact. Last Thursday I had to wait half an hour for you, and the other evening when we went to the Balling ton’s ball 1 waited an hour for you." "That was the night wo found out at the last minute that my new dress was ripped," she explained. "It makes no difference," he declaimed. "It is your duty to your escort to be ready and waiting when ho calls.'-’. "Take it off." she commanded, in.(Heating the ring that flashed upon •Iter engagement linger.

“What do you mean ?” ho cried as- 1 tonlshed, “I mean that I’m tired of this sort of lecture,” .jsho declared firmly. “There is another side to this. Wednesday evening wo had people to dinnoi\ -You made mo leave dessert because your horrid old lecture was to begin at eight.

"We left the pleasant company here to sit in a dismal hall for half an hour, until the lecturer decided he was ready to begin. This is only one of a lot of things like (hat . "This evening your sister called mo on the ’phone to ask me about the costume ball at (he Gallikers. I was ready and waiting when you called, bat( Lucy would not let me leave the ’phono for twenty minutes.

"When I did get away you snapped your watchcaso loud enough for me to hear. 1 happened to remember that you wore an open face watch, and that you must have opened the back for my express benefit. I made you wait ten minutes. "You did the same thing when I came down again, and that time 1 made it half an hour. You scold me for it. You can take your ring and give it to some one who lives her life according , to the clock, not according to circumstances." 'the ring fell at his feet, and she hail gained the upper floor before he could collect his wits and slop her. lie waited while a servant whom he had summonee inquired and came buck with the announcement ’-hat she was not able to keep her appointment. She did not tell him that the girl had flung herself on the Ind, sobbing. Pennington went up the street feeling decidedly like a fool. His sister, upon his arrival home, heartily assured him that his suspicions were correct. He was aa even greater fool than he had supposed himself to be.

With sisterly allection. she expiated upon his priggishness, and th.n, like a good sister, told him how he might, retrieve his error. 'flu* next morning Miss Hast malt received the ring and a dainty chatelaine watch. The latter was without banes.

There was no letter. Penning!ou had written seven, each more stilted and unsatisfactory than the last. There was simply a scrap of paper on which was scribbled:

V\epr both of these as trophies of

my reronnation. ' 'Ann, ir yon arc forgiving', lot us go to Gi- Frivolity to-night instead. 1 hear that even the last act is very good.” Miss Eastman was ready at. eight. “.Pictorial Comedy.’*