The Storyteller.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7970, 6 November 1905, Page 4

The Storyteller.

TO "LOVK, HONOUR AND DISO- - "And obey.'' The bride cast a deliant look at the parson The iaint gleam m" humour in his eye was quickly sujiprcssctl, and his mouth closed in a detcrmined anil sir sous line while he waited. The bride figclctl and Mushed a little, and cast another oi Ibose fascinating, dclianl glances, this time at the bridegroom. "And obey," repeated the parson firmly. "And"—said the bride in the lowest voice, followed by a iunny little sneeze ami a mumble, the total result of which might have been taken for disobey. The parson hesitated a moment and thru proceeded. Afterwards in the carriage the lirnle laid her small hand in the bridegroom's big one and exclaimed triumphantly : "1 said disobey. I said disobey. Did you hear ?"

"Was that what the sneeze was meant for?'' said the bridegroom, and he laughed. He had heard tnr say the "love" quite plainly and tlut was all he cared about. Her godmothers had given her Obcdianco as a second name, and she dcclartd that she had spent her lif, in iryin- "to live il down." Vet tw o months later she discovered on reflection that despite hei revision oi the marriage vow sl'.t ►as olvying Jack after all "His übidirnce can't go on," sb. said to hersy'ir "It's dull and suburban ahd stupid. Ihsides. it's pet jury. I think (hat's what it is call id when you promise one thing air: then do another." Then, attir i paU'c : "He said he wouldn't haves cat. I'll buy one." At diuner shu looked impel tii.rutU over the lloWtr.s at him and an

nounccd : ".I've bought a cat " He did not turn reproachful eye? mi her as she wantid him to do He looked at his plate. She said !( herself that it is horrid ilk- way tha you never can tell what a man i thinking. •fffcal kind of a cat '" he asW. presently. She explained in a scries oi litli rapturots exclamatims. Again he was silent, and afterwards he coiidesc.ndid to look a; llie cat, even to stroke it, though she knew he hated the spicios, sa>iiii with much ft cling : "lVir \a~ sy." She began to loss h L r bead and t. tliit.k that sin- w, s going to, so ti sprali, boss this show, and a. th. i-milom of lict bean sbe was dr.'adfullSorry for it. Ihe next day at (liniici he uiilm ly aiinoubeed : "I've bought a dog " "A dog !" she screamiil. "Ilus What about my eat '.'" "Ob ! they can light it out." hi said callously. "When will u airivev" >h, inqtijr id in sepulciiral tones "Nor for a week ~r two " he replied. It Value, however, iiiie\|. ( cicdlv ,»i, Ibn next day, and met Hough. 'ih cat, in the hall. Hi ihe time tiei were separate.l llu biide tiaiught of fainting. The following f,w .lav., h • sji<n most of her time w.jiking out pro blems of wh. rr she -boult sj,.-, u . one lieast while -li.' tran-i. it ,i th. other to another apartment. iioth the animals wrre eager t„ ,|ud these plans, ami, .lidul l,v Mk- it, a-'hcrlonec cf 5,;.v.i,..!5, who ..pni-.i wrong diHirs and let them out, they managed to arrange suulry iiicelingi, in which they cjih 11.111< .1 wit], cotisidcra'de amount of th, j, natura cnviiing amid a dioius oi howls .mi hisses.

At Ibi'mil of ih,. w.-i-k .shr- said: "This r.n and dog life cannot Ik tfrric.rWil. Kill.cr Mnir do K tli,- house tins dav ,>v " "Your cat does," In- c ncludcd. The cal it was lhat went. Aftvf Una she did n,j l',i(i,i a&'out being (lisobcnliciil for some time. Then one of the old aunts who had helped 1,,-r to her second name chanted to drop in. "I should like io think, i, lv dear child, she s.vi<l, "that >ou ' try to live up t 0 your name given to you by your godfaih cr a n.l in your baptism." "I'm aftad I have been livin-. Oown to it lately, ' admitted The bride. "Mjfc.dear child," squeaked the horrified aunt, ami coi,;i., u ,,| ,„ s p la!i h»r several ininutis, hui what it was all alwul the lid. could n oi have told you, Ikcjii-i- -V w.is'nisv thinking how sh.- i0u.",l ili.„ r ..,. v h V husband again for a ,-han^-. "He's a dear." sli.. thought -.ml he doesn't descrv,- ii. Hut'hc mi-ht gel masterful ,f I made a rule °„ Biviiiß iu. The »»w „, ~ ls thai he nucr cnnimamls in,- i,, ,|„ anything. 1 can I \,.-n well s.u ■ I shan'l,' when i:,- makes a hn-i-k r,--qfcesifor me to pass him Hie huttt'r at th'- liriaklasl lalde."

Then slii- iriii,-ii.:.!•!,.1 uiiioiuiii.u - ly that hv l. a ,| a iur.uul.ii iluik.lo amateur ill jn.iai-. ai.d ;i,.,i )„. had put a veto ,_,„ 1,.', „', lri ' ~ local club. •Sl"' lUillli' iinilll lli.tr illlal, -Mi!. I -s lor having hcisrli ,) ~,,| ~,;, m nounod ih<- result mth otitwirl'r Mil*. Inwardly s!„. sullen,! f„,„ \ slight <flialm of c.iiimhi.c ),,' glanced up al her, quit,. ~„,,,. ' ', ■''' oniv, but caiicht j Hi,*,,, "",,- , saury deliiiance ;1,.,t | u . s l i.„ u l,t«.n laughed. "Oh, oh ! I sec Y.'hi w.-n- tliii.kms thai it w«> it \,.,n\ ti„„. ,1,.,. UllJ rihcarstd your nidiling \,,w a .,.',,,, "Voti know I ii.it, i|i ■ i.li.i*"' ,'f those wretched" aiiiat, • r l:jii.-iU>r:ii-fis making rotnii j.la\- ;ii,- .-..,'. (or spooning With other chaps' Wi'. c s, and 1 simply won't Uv.. \,.,i ".,. ~.,j llie society." "Humph !"' sai.l the !ujl,. with a theatrical air. ••Tl:i. >jl,,•.>:■ .., ~, surd. Ilcsidcs, ~{ chum', tli.-v "»...;."» really kiss you. I sh,.i.|.i ,iunk Higrease paint' wouH taste." "I shonld think tli.-v dmi't iiaVi," Anyway, y„u ;1 ,,. „.„' .„ „„„ Jack wa.-, eviri:n- maii!,,l „u<!i.u- «•>' with a nn. i.irne "•lack,"' Mie 5..|.1. •■, ~.. . , f )o'i please, t| u t I „.i,. : ~,.,,„,. ~,, ,_, »!.■•> you-.,ii ;!,,. (I ,in,!n I ~.-,,„| to disom-y. I i,-,-| | |,,, V| . |„,.„ ,„. gl'-'t l„ keep my Anyway, it s no use - ~V I, , j t now, hecansi- I'm eliete.l" iM L| ':|.. j .' s an end of it." ""h V* sai.l .Jui], a<-(|uies-,.i|iiv and rrlapsid into tli.:ii K |,i. The tiride sal in (|„. |,;„ .•..,|(|.. iwck chair 0pp,,5,;,. lmil ;„,| ~':.,;,,,, spasmodically as id ■>,* slmrk ' l.ei about ll„. K<m - Its ~,_„ ,„. W(in| * Mr m ,""' i"E"i.w part si,e WOIIM be Mire ! 0 he est [,„ n„, |,<.,.,,„,. ihe had a u-tj jui'v i at ..- a ,,d ' 11--

tiro, ami all the outward requirements. The secretary of the club was a ureal iriend of .lack's, ami they Went; | up to town liy tin 1 same train next day. j A Week or so later the brine received a polite note irom the tluli | secretary offcrina: li.t a part in the craning play m a typical smutty j slavey .lack fotitiil her almost in tears. "I think it's an insult, .lack," she said '"lt lias givm me an awful feeling that I must appear hideous to oilier people. After all looks are all a matter of opinion, and my nose does turn up a little. 11 Would ha\c to be painttd nd witli a smut on the •-■nil (Mi, .lack, darling, I can't—l can't. 1 should look awlul '•' •"1 am afraid \oii would." he admit It .L ruthlessly.-' "l>,us anion* have to kiss you '•'' "Yes, an (Mtlcr, also Willi a red nose." "I'oi.r chap." "Why "' liecau.se of the nose, or bccause oi kissing ine "'" •iioth." ".lack, 1 hate you." "Well, you prmnised to love me, you know. You mustn't hack out of that part of the vow when you ate keeping the rest of it so well. Hut cheer up. This will be a line chai.ee of giving them a really subtle piece of character acting." (To be Continued).