ZE GRAND CATCH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5172, 29 November 1884, Page 4

ZE GRAND CATCH.

♦ A certain dashing belle, a young lady whose fascinating ways are only equalled by her Junoesque proportions, was going down to the fashionable watering place, and among other articles of female toilet calculated to aid the immeshirg of the fragile dudes who abound in the neighbourhood during the summer months, she ordered from the French modiste — in payment of whose high-toned bills papa had to draw some hefty cheques now and then — a brand new bathing suit. A gorgeous thing it was — thin, blue serge, sleeveless to the shoulder and legless to the knee, and trimmed with rows- upon rows of glistening gold braid. Th% night before she was to leave, it came home, and need we add that before she slept our dashing belle tried it on. It wa3 perfection, and as she stood and posed before the full length glass of her bureau, the thought struck i\er that she would test its " clinging '' capacity when ■wet. In a moment it was - iked through at the hot-water faucet (t.- 'void a chill) and put on again. A kid ir.-<ve three sizes too small wasn't a patch v iron it. Delighted and enraptured, she poised and gyrated in every imaginable position. At last, as a finale, she poised herself on one foot and raised her right hand to her brow in a graceful " scanning the horizon " posish, when — zip ! the seam all down on one side, from arm-pit to hip, burst open with a crash. The first morning tints of rose beyond the Contra Costa hills had barely faded into the golden light of day when Madame the modiste was hastily summoned by a telegraph messenger to the bedside of the angry belle. "That is a nice way to treat old customers like mamma and me, isn't it?" she exclaimed, as the little Frenchwoman came in and . held up her hands in surprise. "I do not comprehend, M'mselle. Vat is de mattaire ? " "Why there! Look at that. That's a sweet-looking bathing suit, ain't it ? " " Let me see him," said Madame, picking up the damp garments from the floor, where they had lain all ni^i.t, and making a careful examination. Piv.=«ntly her eye 3 sparkled, and a look <>i great satisfaction beamed over her features. "You wet him? " " Why, yce ; I wanted to see how it would look." " "Wia cold wataire ? " " No, hot." " Ah, dat explains everytinjy," and the little woman's eyes twinkled with a meaning leer. " D:3 is my own invention for ze young ladie. You see, I no .stitch ze seam ; I glue him. He Jast far fifteen minute in ze cold wataire, :md zen — why, M'mselle sure to get id offer of marriage. Maise Sacre ! Ze hot wataire spoil in a jninute."