Argosy, Vol. 118, No. 2 — page 164: what you’re looking at

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

ol4 tending, inexplicable party with an over- whelming propensity for laughing at inop- portune moments, employed in the office of some vulgar factory. He carried in his hand a battered straw hat which he threw sav- agely on the floor, emitting a series of words that caused: little chills of gooseflesh to run up and down Gustave’s spine. ‘““Look—look!” he cried, kicking at the hat. ‘“What’s the matter?”’ inquired Gustave, coldly. ‘Matter? Can’t you see?” cried Graves angrily, ‘“‘ the damned thing blew off and a street car ran over it—of all the— Look!” Gustave looked, then broke into a roar of laughter. “J can see you,” he shrieked, “ you run your legs off—and the trolley ride over your hat and charge you no fare! For nossing!”’ He would have gone off into another ex- plosion, but recollected and stopped immedi- ately. He might burst a button. ‘‘Eet iss nossing,” he said calmly, when his gravity was restored, “ to-morrow you can secure for youself anozzer at ze hat store.” “To-morrow, you fat head?” growled Graves. ‘What good is that—I want to go out to-night! I’ve got a date!” Gustave did not reply. He was busy with his nails. ~ “The swellest little dame!’’ continued Graves gloomily; “‘saw her on the way home and followed her to her house, and say—she flashed me a smile when she went in, that—oh, boy!”’ His gesture was elo- quent. ‘ Believe me, I’m going to meet her! Big blue eyes, and a—” ‘“T am not interes’, interrupted -Gus- tave. He patted the photograph lovingly under his coat. “I go to the theater to- night myself with a jovely one.” “Vaah, Petunia Gibbs, the Harlem Venus,” said Graves sarcastically. *~ Well, they say she’s got some dough salted away, old top, and beauty is, what beauty has. Why not make her Mrs. Gus?” “ Petunia Gibbs!” cried Gustave, scorn- fully. The very mention of her name in connection with the other made him shud- der. Pefunia, a regular customer, cherished, as he had long known, a secret admiration for 1}? THE ARGOSY. him. For strictly business reasons he had, occasionally, paid her various attentions; also she had considerable income; in other words, a dot, in case— It was true he did require a wife. Only the day before, his fat saleslady had asked him for a raise; her salary already ate up a good deal of his profits.. A wife—? He had of late given the matter much thought, but now—golden hair and glorious blue eyes were an absolute requisite. Petunia stood five feet eleven in her stockings, and her hair was a scraggly brown. ‘*-You told me she asked you yesterday to take her to a show,” returned Graves, ‘‘and you were going to, to-night.” He lit a cigar- ette and sat back, grinning. “ What’s the idea?” ‘‘ Ket iss true,” replied Gustave with dig- nity, “ I am not indifferent to Mees Gibbs, and I did make the appointment with her to escort her to the movable picture. She buy a hat.” He shrugged. ‘ But this afternoon ah, mon Dieu! the mos’ beautiful angel ar- rive in ze store—I have never seen such a—a—”’ Words failed him. that account I forget completely Petunia Gibbs. The other one—ah!” His expres- sion was ecstatic. ‘What you think the first thing this charmant creature do when she see me?” “Threw her arms around your neck and kissed you,” suggested Graves, with sar- casm. “No. She did not. photograph!” “What? A dame come into the store and give you her picture—the first time she ever saw you?” Gustave nodded triumphantly. Graves stared at him. ‘‘ She must be a nut,” he concluded. “A nut?” repeated Gustave in some be- wilderment. “I do not know her religion. She come to take orders for a photographer, and she have her own photograph as a sample.’’ ‘* And she say she have so hard a time to sell in such an appealing gesture, I say, with a smile and elegance, ‘I have my picture take two dozen times if you give to me this She give me her ‘“ Eet iss on photograph of youself—and go to the — theater with me to-night!” (E(0) .OO co