is
very little to say. He was invariably good humored. A few ladies once
tried to show him that he really ought to feel worse than he did about
the conduct of his wife; and it is recorded that Hopkinson, in an excess
of good humor and kindliness, promised to do so. Indeed the good
fellow was so accessible that it is said that young DeLancy of the Tape
Department confided to Hopkinson his jealousy of a rival; and revealed
the awful secret that he (DeLancy) had reason to expect more loyalty
from his (Hopkinson's) wife. The good fellow is reported to have
been very sympathetic, and to have promised Delaney to lend whatever
influence he had with Mrs. Hopkinson in his favor. "You see," he said
explanatorily to DeLancy, "she has a good deal to attend to lately, and
I suppose has got rather careless,--that's women's ways. But if I
can't bring her round I'll speak to Gashwiler,--I'll get him to use his
influence with Mrs. Hop. So cheer up, my boy, HE'LL make it all right."

The appearance of a bouquet on the table of Mrs. Hopkinson was no
rare event; nevertheless, Mr. Gashwiler's was not there. Its hideous
contrasts had offended her woman's eye,--it is observable that good
taste survives the wreck of all the other feminine virtues,--and she had
distributed it to make boutonnieres for other gentlemen. Yet, when he
appeared, she said to him hastily, putting her little hand over the
cardiac region:

"I'm so glad you came. But you gave me SUCH a fright an hour ago."

Mr. Gashwiler was both pleased and astounded. "What have I done, my dear
Mrs. Hopkinson?" he began.

"Oh, don't talk," she said sadly. "What have you done, indeed! Why, you
sent me that beautiful bouquet. I could not mistake your taste in the
arrangement of the flowers;--but my husband was here. You know his
jealousy. I was obliged to conceal it from him. Never--promise me
now--NEVER do it again."

Mr. Gashwiler gallantly protested.

"No! I am serious! I was so agitated: he must have seen me blush."

Nothing but the gross flattery to this speech could have clouded its
manifest absurdity to the Gashwiler consciousness. But Mr. Gashwiler
had already succumbed to the girlish half-timidity with which it was
uttered. Nevertheless, he could not help saying:

"But why should he be so jealous now? Only day before yesterday I saw
Simpson of Duluth hand you a nosegay right before him!"

"Ah," returned the lady, "he was outwardly calm THEN, but you know
nothing of the