A DAUGHTER OF EVE.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 9, 27 February 1892, Page 201

A DAUGHTER OF EVE.

He was a nice young man, with a fine little eane, polished boots, and a stand-up collar, and he wore a buttonhole bouquet composed of a rose and two or three violet*. Buttonhole bouquets are all right. They don't cost anything to speak of, and the wearer is generally certain to be taken for a millionaire or the head clerk in some tea shop. The nice young man sat down beside a motherly old lady in a tramcar. She had a market basket on her lap, a copper between her fingers, and did not even scowl when a boy jumped on her corns. She gave the young man a motherly smile as he sat down, and pretty soon she asked : * Them can't be artificial flowers, can they * He didn't answer. He had lots of dignity. ‘Can—them —be—artificial flowersf she inquired, raising her voice much higher. He gave a little start of surprise, mumbled over something, and partly turned away. ‘ My biggest girl had deafness come on her once,’ she continued, sending her voice a peg higher, * but we cured her by pouring goose oil into her ears. Is it a case of long standing 1' ‘ I am neither deaf nor inclined to hold conversation, he muttered, flushing very red. ‘ Oh, that's it ? Then yon don't need any goose oil. Did yon say them flowers was artificial ones f • No.’

‘Natural, eh V she queried. ‘Well, I thought that they smelt like natural; but there's such a crowdi and so much noise that I can’t trust my nose. You didn't grow them, did you f He didn't reply. ‘Did you grow them flowersf she emphatically demanded. ‘ No.’

‘ Well, why didn’t you say so in the first place, then I thought you didn't. Do you put salt water on 'em to keep 'em fresh f • No.’

‘ I didn't say whether you did or not. I was going to say that a little weak vinegar would take the dust off 'em, and make 'em just like new. Do you wear a bokay as a general thing, or are you going now to see somebody ?’ He turned his head away, and tapped the toe of his polished boot with his cane. ‘ Boy,' she remarked, pushing her basket against his knee,' I asked you a civil question, and I want you to answer it. This isn’t a country like -Japan, where some folks are stuck up above other folks ; we're all alike. I'm afraid you haven’t been brought up right.’ ‘ I do not wish any conversation or discussion with you,' he whispered. ‘ Why don’t you f she demanded. ‘ Because ’

‘ Because, what, sir ? Dare you say anything against my character, sir ? I should like to hear you, sir, I should. I want you to understand that I could buy a whole ton of them flowery gewgaws, and then have lots of money left. When I ask you a civil question it is your business to speak

right up in answer. Now, 11l ask you one more question. Have you been brought up right T’ He made for the door, and, in grasping for his flying coattails, she upset her basket, and 21b. of cherries rolled over the floor of the car.

‘ I don't care—let 'em go,'she remarked, scraping the pile under the seat. ‘ When anyone sticks up their nose at me, 21b. of cherries ain’t nothing to my feelings.'