Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-09-10
CONUNDRUMS.

CONUNDkt Ms.
go woman. lovely woman!' muir
INJURED Tom, in fit of nervous abstrac-
ton. "Why is it that when man n
wishes to be left alone with his OWN
thoughts YOU are always at hand to tor
mcnt him? And why. when we fail to
respond to your queStionings, do you
accuse ne of thinking of a ladyP"
IL donSt see why YOU should make
yourself disagrccablc, Tom, even il you
do feel like it, - said very pretty young
lady who stood near by, regarding him
with an amused smile.
Tom rose to his feet and muttered
something which might have been
Hang it, though the words had
dec dcdly less orthodox sound. Then
he left the room and slammed the door
after him.
Jenny Bailey laughed, but she didn't
say; The horrid BEAR as many an
other Young lady would have done in
her place. Instead of that, she re-
marked: dear Tom! wonder il all
young men are like him, and as touchy
on the subject of womankind. What a
life hr'll lead of he ever gets married.
Some butterfly must haze attracted him.
or nc wouldn't have got angry in the
way hc did"
But Miss Jenny, for all her astutc-
ness. was very far from the truth. Tom
Hardy was Il lawyer, and his ahstrac-
ton had Eccn caused by his yainly
pulling over "A complicated case which
he had in hand. In his way, Tom was
a peculiar character II he gave the
ladies' thought, his mother and sisters
had never been ale to discover it, and
rs he was the est of sons and brothers,
it may safely ! @ assumed that his WINS
had never been snged. At all events,
if such were the case, he had been
shrewd enough to keep his own
counsel.
Jenny Bailey. an intimate friend of
Toms sisters, had come from her
home in New York to pay them visit
She was II roguiSh Girl, full of spirit.
and had taken liking To Tom rs soon
aS she had seen him. This liking she
manifested y tDrmcnting him in every
way that lay in her power Tom ten
years seniority. and the fact that he
was rising young lawyer, iii not hold
her in check in TIE least. He bore with
her pcccadillocs with wonderful pa
ticn;e. But -day. having gone int,
the library, and thr.wn himself into n
chair TO SIN Ike II cigar and do little
thi9kirg, he was in no mood to lie in
tcrruptcd by frivolous chatter, and
least of all To lie ma lc tho ! ut OF rid-
culc. 30, when Jenny came into the
room, humming II lively operate air,
he paid her no attention. Suddenly
the young lady stopped singing and
asked:
"What are YOU thinking OFF"
Nothing" answered Tom, shortly.
"Oh, of course. | expected you'd
say that. But what arc YOU thinking
OPP
Tom was tempted to reply: None of
your business but thought better Of it
and said:
Various things"
Indeed! ana what might those
things bc?'
"Thcy might be things concerning
you, but they're not" rcjoincd Tom,
with little show of temper
"Oh. really! I'm sure ought TO be
thankful But there's no need of cate
chising you. You're thinking of n
lady
And then il was that Tom propoundcd
his conundrums concerning lovely
woman. .
"a plague on all the women" he
exclaimed, wrathfully, when he thought
he was out of hearing. But luck
frowncd upon bin. for he ran against
his elder sister, Kate, who didn't seem
nj all Mortified ut the words she heard.
l,n L.; Il
smile ripping over her face, said
"Whcrc are you going? back to the
Office? No, sir. not this evening"
Yes, ma am, this evening" and some
other evening, also. ] have business TO
attend To.
."Couldn't YOU do it at home?''
Eyes, might if
g If Jenny wasn't here, YOU were go.
ing to say said Kate, finishing the
sentence for him.
Tom was about To protest, but his
sister intcrposcd with;
"Now, Tom, ] want YOU to stay at
home this evening. We're going TO
have several young friends call. and l
want you To be here. Go up TO your
room and make yourself prcscntablc.
There's good fellow
What could tho poor boy do but sub
nit?
\ couple of hours later merry
group of young persons were gathered
in Mr.. Hardys parlors. Tom had
dragged one OF the gentlemen into n
corner, and was busily arguing with
him the possibilities of carrying the
Fourth Ward for Alderman Brown.
His friend thought the chances were
about even. and Tom was about to
suggest some important measure when
Miss Jenny called out.
Lets have some conundrumsr'
Eyes. yesr' responded several
members of the party.
Come on. Mr.. Hardy" said the
saucy gIrl. bring your friend with
you.
Ton submitted, and we must Ito hinr
the Justice to say that he did not mani
fcstdhc reluctance he felt.
"Now." exclaimed Jenny, every
bodyvmust ask question, and call on
any one they please TO answer it. Let's
begin. You, Kate. ask first
"WclI, I'll begin by asking you one.
When you're ut home, how often do you
O,n ont Of an a. veninOpi