Life — October 27, 1898 — page 7: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“ You're Just as true as true 1” “She was really a little beauty!” I exclaimed, with emphasis, Kitty jangled the ice in her water glass. “Did you flirt with her, Jack?” she asked. “Dearest!” I cried. “ How could I, with you at home! TI lunched with that girl because I saw that she was a lady, and I thought it my duty to do all in my power to shield her from both present and future dangers of the sort she so foolishly plunged her- self into. Her conversation, after her momentary embarrassment passed, was that of a lady, and we had a charming téte-d-t¢te luncheon. She knew no end of the people we know, but she defied my every effort to probe her identity, and when she left she made me promise to remain in my seat five minutes after she had gone, Before we had talked long, the low high-roller took his ungracious 327 leave, fighting mad, and very evidently saying unparliamentary things under his breath. Then I read mademoiselle a little lecture upon indiscretion in innocent maidenhood, and told her the true history of the card.” “I knew it all the time!” cried Kitty, clap- ping her hands, “You! Great Dewey! You—you! did you know?” Kitty jumped up. ‘It’s a confession!” she laughed, coming and cuddling upon my knee, ‘* Jack—now, don't get angry, you big stupid !—the Lady of the Veil was J/” It was my turn to gasp, and I did so with such success that the candles flickered, Kitty knew the danger of giving me time to get ina word edgewise, and continued precipitately: “I went there, Jack, just because I wanted to see you when you didn’t know that I was watching you; just because I love you, dear, And oh! when that old beast sent his card to me I was almost frightened to death. Of course I saw him write it. I was just going to jump right up and run and get behind my great big husband, when—forgive me, Jack— the idea flashed into my head, like the devil into the belfry, to frustrate the old reprobate and test you at the same time, So I returned the card to you. When you succumbed to temptation and came over I could have killed you—that was my momentary embarrassment. But then"—Kitty pushed herself away from me with both hands upon my chest and looked deep into my eyes—"' then, Jack, you punished me so! For my great big darling acted so nobly, and didn’t try to flirt one bit! And when you told My Lady of the Veil, why you had lunched with her, and lectured her so tactfully; and when you spoke so sweetly and lovingly of me, and held me up as a model to her—oh, Jack, I was just dying to eat you up right there before everybody! I was so delighted and proud, and I felt so ashamed of having dared to test you. Uh, you old sweetie!” And Kitty made serious attempts to kiss me. Dearest,” said I, reproachfully, ‘‘did you go to old Pierre's because you doubted me?” “Jack!” cried Kitty. ‘‘Indeed, no! I went there because I wanted to watch you lunch alone, and because I wanted to be near ou.” » And I know that was her only reason, no matter what you may think, reader. I guess I know Kitty better than you do, anyhow, I gave a relieved sigh. ‘ You're a perfect actress, dear,” I said. “I knew you didn’t know me.” Kitty was radiant. She loves to have people think she How comicbooks.com